Are there any health benefits or risk to getting foot and hand reflexology everyday?

[joe]

my gf took a class in this and has been doing foot and hand reflexology on me every single day for over a year now. it is relaxing, but is there any health issues that is can be good or bad for

 

[ktk]

You will feel different and more relaxed. Your circulation will be more fluid and your body will begin to function in a more efficient manner.

I don't see any downsides to it - if I had an option to get it done everyday I would.

Full disclosure - I didn't go to medical school to learn about the human body in such detail and I can't answer his questions about how it works on a medical level. But I do know that I would rather try something natural first than seek a prescription writing doctor any day of the week.

Reflexology comes without all the fast talking side effects that you hear on those drug commercials - that's good enough for me doc!

 

[oldtimekid2]

There are quite a number of health benefits and you've already stated one that you've experienced (relaxation). I'm sure you've noticed others, but you may not have pinpointed them to being from reflexology (digestion, stress levels, and many others). I'm sure you could ask your girlfriend for a list and you could point out a dozen of them that you've noticed since she started doing the reflexology.

As long as she's well trained and knows what to do, there's not much of any risk per se... but if she pushed on the wrong pressure points, it could hurt. No offense to her, but I'm willing to bet she might have accidentally done that a few times early on, but I'm sure she's gotten better over the past year... it's common to make minor slips like that early on ;-)
Good luck with the relationship and I hope I helped!

 

[Matt R]

Benefits: No.
Risks: Not really, but it can hurt.

Pertaining to the person under me, I'm curious what the mechanism by which reflexology helps with digestion. Please explain to me how stimulating ascending sensory fibers on the foot affects the GI tract, and exactly which parts of it (enzymes, hormones, plexuses, layers, anatomical distribution etc.) are being affected.

This will be interesting to read....