Healing powers: The feet and hands have several pressure points that connect to different organs and functions in the body.

Your big toe can help with headaches, and the arch of your foot is a replica of the spine, according to reflexology practices.

Reflexology is an ancient practice of pinpointing spots in the feet and hands to alleviate or help with pains or ailments. It's like a concentrated foot massage that follows a map of pressure points to help relax the body and improve circulation.

"You use specific areas to work on particular areas of the body for a specific outcome," said Sandra Horton, a massage therapist and reflexologist at the Center for Therapeutic Massages and Creative Arts in Cape Girardeau.

She has helped patients with problems from sinus infections to plantar fascia to neuropathy.

"She has helped me immensely," said Mary Tucci, one of her patients.

Tucci began going to reflexology about a year ago, after her father had it done and encouraged her to try it. Tucci has pinched nerves in the neck and three bulging discs in her back.

"I can do day-to-day stuff now," like cleaning her house, she said. "I'm at least able to function on my own. I don't have to worry about having somebody help me dust or vacuum."

She has reduced her pain medications and goes to reflexology at least once a month, more if she can budget for it.

Usually the feet, and sometimes the hands and even the ears, are worked in a session. Each session lasts about 30 to 45 minutes, Horton said. Reflexologists cannot diagnose, prescribe or treat specific ailments. She mainly works to release tension build-up in the body.

"It kind of feels like a little piece of sand that's under the skin," she said.

Each toe has a line up the body leading to a different organ or function, according to Horton, and hitting the right points helps unkink the hose.

"Sometimes people will feel a zing up the body," she said.

The tingling feeling reinforces the idea in reflexology that there are reflex areas in the feet and hands that correspond to all of the glands, organs and parts of the body. Reflexology can be traced back to the practices of the Chinese or Egyptians. The modern method is called the Ingham Method, after Eunice Ingham who wrote books on the topic in the 1930s.

Like other alternative medicines, reflexology gets odd looks and raised eyebrows. The American Medical Association does not have a stance on the procedure, but those who practice it swear by it.

"It was real fun to watch it prove itself to be true," Horton said.

"I do believe in it, and I know it worked for me," Joann Cockrell said.

Cockrell has neuropathy, which can often result in numbness, especially of the feet and legs. She said it sometimes felt like she had a band tied around her foot that wouldn't let her move her toes. With reflexology, she gets relief "almost immediately," she said.

"I think this is something that the insurance companies need to look into because it is very helpful," she said. "It does help, and it should be on their therapy list."

Tucci said she thinks more people would like it if they tried it.

"If I could afford it, I would pay for their first session so they could get the experience," she said. "They're missing an opportunity to feel better."

The Center for Therapeutic Massages and Creative Arts is hosting a Healing Arts night tonight where people from the Healing Arts group will be giving demonstrations of different holistic therapies like reflexology, ion cleansing and Reiki, among other things.

charris@semissourian.com

335-6611 extension 246

Plan to go?

Does this affect you?

Have a comment?

Log on to semissourian.com/today