Reflexology foot massage: an alternative therapy

Abstract

The additional and/or integrative therapies have being used in the Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS). Reflexology is among these therapies, which is a special form of massage that makes use of thumbs, and in some cases of the other fingers to massage the reflex areas located on the feet. Thus, the study aimed to show the effectiveness of Reflexology technique in prevention and health maintenance through the literature review. The massage into reflex points on the foot can treat different regions of the body. In addition, of being used for the treatment of diseases, this technique also provides a feeling of well-being that, in turn, provides relaxation and leads to a reduction in stress levels. It is a gentle and non-invasive treatment technique that is considered a complementary medicine that works well together with allopathic medicine used to combat the disease and stimulate the body to heal, Reflexology detoxifies the body and relaxes it. As with other therapies that are part of integrative therapies, it aims to treat the individual as a whole to seek balance and collaborate to improve the effects on health treatments that are already offered in public health services in Brazil. Through this study, it is concluded that Reflexology is a very effective technique, but there is little research in the area, which shows the need of more scientific studies about their benefits.