Reflexology is a touch-based healing art that focuses on points on the feet, hands and ears to relieve complications or disease throughout the body. If you suffer from neck pain, a qualified reflexologist may be able to either remove your pain symptoms or address the underlying condition. Reflexology is not based in western medical science, but works on a principle of energetic interconnections between points on the extremities and internal organs and body parts. Consult with your primary care physician before seeking reflexology for any chronic health problems.
Reflex Areas for the Neck
If you go to a reflexologist with a complaint about neck pain, it's unlikely the practitioner will ever touch your neck. Instead, attention will likely be focused around specific areas of your feet or hands. On the foot, the reflex areas that relate to your neck are located along the inner sides of your large toes -- not the sides that face your other toes. On your hands, a relatively large area correlates to the neck. On the thumbs, the neck reflex areas are two small parallel rectangles, just below the upper joint. On your four other fingers of each hand, the neck reflex areas extend from just below the upper joints to the knuckles.
Healing Vs. Pain Relief
Reflexology faces some controversy within the western medical community. The University of Maryland Medical Center reports that preliminary scientific investigations confirm that the modality may relieve pain. However, the center also warns that further research is necessary to understand or prescribe the treatment according to a western model of wellness. The Ontario College of Reflexology recommends the practice as a source of relaxation and an assistance to the body's natural metabolism and healing, to be used in concert with other modalities. However, according to UMMC, the treatment is not meant as a solution to specific medical conditions or as a replacement to medical treatments.
Basis of Reflexology
Reflexology, or the use of corresponding points in the body toward healing, appears in various medical traditions, from ancient Egypt to Traditional Chinese Medicine. The specific map of points now canonized as reflexology are derived from the work of an American medical doctor, William H. Fitzgerald, who used pressure in specific areas to relieve pain during surgeries in the early 20th century. Like acupuncture, reflexology is based on energy; however, the points used in each discipline do not necessarily coincide.
Additional Considerations for Neck Pain
Neck pain can indicate a wide range of underlying conditions, from superficial strains to serious disease. If you notice persistent or extremely intense neck pain, seek medical attention immediately. Often, neck pain is simply a minor inconvenience, caused by muscle strains and traceable to bad posture or stress. In other cases, the pain may indicate osteoarthritis, a pinched nerve or herniated disk, a bone spur or whiplash injury. While reflexology is regularly medically recommended for stress and pain relief, your doctor may advise medical tests and remedies if you have symptoms indicating a deeper condition.
