Reflexology for Cancer Patients

Julian Whitaker, MD

Conventional cancer treatment is brutal. The common side effects of nausea, vomiting, fatigue, pain, anxiety, and depression can make chemotherapy more dreadful than the disease itself. Most patients deal with these miseries by taking drugs, resting, and simply toughing it out. That’s a shame, because a number of natural therapies provide significant relief. Among them is reflexology.

Reflexologists are trained professionals who apply pressure to specific points on the feet, hands, and ears that coincide with various areas of the body. For example, if a patient has back pain, the arches of the feet are manipulated. If headache, nausea, or insomnia is an issue, tender areas in the web between the thumb and forefinger are squeezed or pinched. But reflexology is much more than a hand or foot rub.

Numerous published studies reveal that this therapy eases chemo-induced nausea, vomiting, and fatigue, as well as cancer-related pain, anxiety, and depression. We also use reflexology at the clinic as an adjunct to treatments for hypertension, diabetes, circulatory disorders, and other health concerns.

Recommendation

• To schedule a reflexology appointment at Whitaker Wellness, call (866) 944-8253.

Modified from Health & Healing with permission from Healthy Directions, LLC. Photocopying, reproduction, or quotation strictly prohibited without written permission from the publisher. To subscribe to Health & Healing, click here.