[Sticky] AOR REflexology - Exam Questions / Assignments and stuff

AOR REflexology - Exam Questions / Assignments and stuff

Well, we've just handed in our first assignments for AOR Reflexology and I believe the information we've found will tie in with the exam papers we will eventually have to complete. Not sure if I put way too much detail in, the writing style isn't the best in the world, but here's my take. Hope it's helpful.

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History of Reflexology

Although it is widely believed that the seeds of reflexology were sown over 4000 years ago, it was only recognised by the ICM in 1985. A number of dedicated practitioners are responsible for the therapy it has become today.

Briefly describe the major contributions made to reflexology by the following people.
Dr William Fitzgerald
Dr Joe Shelby Riley
Hanne Marquardt
William Fitzgerald developed ‘Zone therapy’, which led to detailed research into the effects of pressure on various parts of the body. Dr Joe Shelby Riley further developed the work of William Fitzgerald and trained Eunice Ingham amongst others and helped to develop Reflexology charts as we know them today. In turn, Hanne Marquardt, who was trained by Eunice Ingham formulated the transverse zones of the foot.

Describe the important principle established by Sir Charles Sherrington (1861 – 1952) in his work, which later went on to win him the Nobel Prize. “The integrative Action of the Nervous System”.
Approximately when did this take place?
In 1932 Sir Charles Sherrington won the Nobel Prize for his discoveries regarding the function of neurons. He proved that the whole nervous system and body adjusts to a stimulus when it is applied to any part of the body. In 1906 he published ‘The Integrative Nervous System’ to support this.

Give the location of what is widely regarded as the earliest pictorial evidence of work on the reflexes on the feet and hands. Give the approximate date of this evidence.
It is believed that the earlist pictorial evidence of work upon the reflexes of the feet and hands was found in the tomb of the physician Ankhmahar in 1897 in Saqqara in Egypt. The inscription is said to say ‘Don’t hurt me’ and the practioners reply ‘I shall act so you shall praise me’. It is believed that Ankhamars tomb was constructed in 2330BC

Eunice Ingham is widely regarded as the “mother of reflexology”
I With whom did she initially train and work
II What are regarded as two of her main contributions to reflexology
III Give the title of her two published books
Who first used the term ‘reflexology’ for our therapy?
.
Eunice Ingham is often decribed as the ‘Mother of Reflexology’ as it was as a result of her work with Dr Riley that the term ‘Reflexology’ was adopted as a name for this new therapy. Originally she had called it the’Ingham Method of Compression Massage’. She was initially trained by and later worked with Dr Joseph Riley a practitioner of Zone Therapy and in turn she trained Doreen Bailey. She spent a great deal of time giving seminars, teaching reflexology and creating and publishing reflexology charts. She is also responsible for two groundbreaking books ‘Stories the Feet can tell’ and ‘Stories the Feet have told’. The medical profession, however were hard to convince and in1968at the age of 80, she was charged with practising medicine without a licence.

Who first devised the theory that the body is divided into longitudinal sections?
What are these divisions called, and how many are there?
William Fitzgerald, an ear nose and throat specialist is the founder of Zone Therapy. He discovered that the application of pressure on various zones of the body would have an anaesthetic effect upon another part of the body and in many cases it also relieved the underlying cause of the pain. He therefore realised that the body was divided into 10 longitudinal sections, which he named ‘zones’. There are five zones on each side of the body. Each zone starts at the crown of the head and run longitudinally down to the toes and fingertips.

What experiments were done to demonstrate the existence of links between different parts of the body within these divisions?
When were these ideas introduced to the USA?
What was the name of the therapy based on these ideas?
In order to prove the existence of these zones, Dr Fitzgerald used clamps, probes and rubber bands to apply pressure to his patients in order to produce anaesthesia in specific parts of the body. In 1917 he published his book entitled ‘Zone therapy’.

Give two experiences / sources of knowledge which may have influenced Dr William Fitzgerald in his development of Zone Therapy.
It is thought that William Fitzgerald was influenced by the practices of the Cherokee and other Native Americans and also the principles of acupuncture and acupressure which form 2 elements of Taoist teaching.

Give three influences which are affecting the developing of our therapy nowadays.
Reflexology is growing in both popularity and credibility as the medical profession is taking a more active interest in this therapy. The NHS has recently recognised Reflexology as a valid treatment for stress related illness. CAM is also working towards raising standards in the complementary therapy field and as a result much regulation is being brought into place. It is also getting much harder to gain insurance without taking a fully recognised and accredited course, this is to ensure that all therapists are fully qualified and meet national standards of competency.

Give two ways in which the Eastern method of reflexology (E.g. Chinese Rwo Shur) differed from that practised in the West.
Although the principles of reflexology may be similar across the world, the Eastern methods are somewhat different to those practiced in the West. Rwo Shur, as an example differes greatly in practice as a combination of pressure techniques and thumb sliding is used. Special sticks may also be used to provide pressure and is more stimulating than reflexology practised in the West.
Metamorphic technique is applied to the hands, feet and the head and was developed by a reflexologist named Robert St John. Light touch is applied to the spinal reflexes to promote good health.
Vacuflex combines Chinese cupping, reflexology and Meridian Therapy to form a unique therapy which is both balancing and stimulating. Special boots are worn which have a vacuum effect, which when removed leave an imprint on the sole of the foot. Treatment may be carried out in just five minutes and the marks left last less than a minute and point to any problem areas.

Give two practices which are related to or which developed from reflexology but which are regarded in the UK as separate therapies.
Further work has been carried out in recent years, which has led to the development of a number of new techniques or extensions to traditional foot reflexology. Hand reflexology and ear reflexology both use similar mapping principles to stimulate different parts of the body. VRT is carried out on the tops of the feet is especially suited to the disabled and elderly for whom traditional reflexology may be uncomfortable owing to the required seating position.

Bibliography

An Introductory Guide to Reflexology, Louis Tucker,
<a class="go2wpf-bbcode" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href=" http://www.reflexology-usa.net/history.htm "> http://www.reflexology-usa.net/history.htm
<a class="go2wpf-bbcode" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href=" http://www.reflexology.org.au/national/methods.htm "> http://www.reflexology.org.au/national/methods.htm
<a class="go2wpf-bbcode" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href=" http://www.idiotsguides.com/Chapters/0028631870_CIG_Reflexology/file.htm "> http://www.idiotsguides.com/Chapters/0028631870_CIG_Reflexology/file.htm
Indian Head Massage, Helen McGuinness, 2002, Hodder and Stoughton
The New Book of Massage, Lucy Lidell & Sarah Thomas, 2000, Ebury Press
The Hamlyn Encyclopaedia of Complementary Health, Nikki Bradford, 1996, Hamlyn
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And another..

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Holistic Approach

Mention five points that are distinguishing factors of the holistic approach to health.- The term ‘holistic’ comes from the Greek word ‘holos’ which means whole or complete.
- The holistic approach to health can be looked at as a complete and all encompassing approach to health which caters not only for the physical well-being of an individual but also their mental and spiritual health, which is where the term ‘mind body and spirit’ is derived from.
- It is believed by holistic practitioners that a problem cannot be treated in isolation. Therapy may therefore take many forms in order to restore homeostasis and health., -
- A visit to a therapist alone is not sufficient for recovery, it is also important to examine lifestyle and mental attitude and make positive changes to aid health.
- Sometimes when someone is ill, the illness may affect many different parts of the body in some way, therefore an imbalance in one area may require broader treatment for success. Healing should therefore come from within and encompass the mind, body and spirit.
- Whereas a GP may prescribe a drug to treat the symptoms of a disease or disorder the holistic approach (which would normally complement conventional treatments) would look at the person as a whole and seek to treat all underlying causes, be they known or unknown.

Name four general factors which you consider to be important to maintaining good health. Give a reason in each case.- Maintain good posture. The effects of poor posture are cumulative. When posture is poor the thoracic cavity is restricted which may lead to respiratory problems. When the body is correctly supported there is far less strain on individual muscles.
- Eat a varied and balanced diet. A healthy diet is not limited to eating five pieces of fruit and vegetables a day, getting the right mix of nutrients to feeds the cells is crucial. It is also important to eat fresh foods and not those rich in additives. Ensuring that alcohol consumption is low is also beneficial for the body as a whole.
- Exercise regularly. For the body to remain healthy its cellular system must be healthy. Cells are reliant upon blood and lymph to nourish them and carry away waste. Regular exercise may increase the oxygen capacity of the blood by in excess of 15%.
- Keep a positive frame of mind. It has been proven that a positive attitude may aid recovery from illness.

Give an example of how, in your opinion, mental attitude / emotions can affect the physical health of the body.
Research published in November 2003 in Psychosomatic Medicine suggests that stress in the month prior to an operation can impact upon recovery afterwards. In this study, 47 hernia patients were tested and those with low stress levels reported less pain and shorter recovery times.

Give two ways in which your listening skills could benefit your client.
As a therapist it is important to develop good listening skills, this is not only to display professionalism but also to make the client feel that what they have to say is important and is valued.
A therapist will need to develop listening skills as clients will often find it very hard to open up, which may be key in identifying any underlying or predisposed conditions.
An increasing number of clients suffer from stress related problems, they may feel unable to talk to their family or friends about these issues and may turn to their therapist as they may be able to listen and to provide support without judgement.

Give three examples of other holistic therapies along with a one or two sentence basic description of the therapies you have chosen.
Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils, hydrosols and absolute oils from plants to promote health benefits and facilitate healing.
Indian Head Massage or Champissage is based upon a traditional method of massage practised in India. Indian Head Massage is a massage which incorporates massage of the head, shoulders, face, neck and sometimes the arms and hands. It is known to relieve headaches and migraines and to reduce stress.
Kinesiology was founded by the American chiropractor, George Goodheart. Kinesiology may detect imbalances, allergies, illness or weakness through muscle testing. If a muscle reacts abnormally or the function is restricted, this may denote a problem. Healing may be brought about via massage, avoidance of allergens, nutritional supplements, or even in conjunction with other energy or body techniques.

Briefly explain the concept of the Healing Crisis (Making at least two points).
Give three self-help activities or methods that might help a client let go of negative mental patterns and develop a more positive outlook on life.
A healing crisis may occur following any treatment you may receive. Whilst many pharmaceuticals suppress the symptoms of a healing crisis, this is seen as very beneficial to the complementary therapist. Symptoms may be diverse in nature and intensity, ranging from mild discomfort, a heightened emotional state, tiredness, nausea, coughing, pain, stomach upset or even emotional disturbances or breakdown. This is seen as a very important stage in the healing process.

A visit to the doctor can result in symptoms of an illness being alleviated, but often the patient still does not feel ‘better’. From a holistic perspective, give one reason why this might be so.
When a patient comes to a doctor with symptoms of stress, they are diagnosed as suffering from depression or anxiety and prescribed drugs which will help to lift their mood and aid recovery. However, many patients suffer from recurring bouts of depression, as the underlying causes are left untreated. For example someone suffering from depression as a result of low self-esteem as a result of problems at work. If the patient was able to see a therapist and talk through the issue they have they may be able to establish some techniques to build not only on their confidence but also their ability to cope with the problem at hand.

What might be a benefit of treating the mother of a child who has been brought to you for a treatment.
Depending upon the circumstances the mother of a child receiving treatment would also benefit from a treatment.
Parent: Under pressure, childs recovery sped up by happy healthy parent. Parents needs often neglected as child centre of attention.

Give two reasons why it is not a good idea to keep taking painkillers for a recurrent headache.
When faced with frequent headaches often the easiest thing to do is reach for the aspirin or paracetamol. Whilst the painkillers can work for a short period of time, frequent use may exacerbate the problem further when the headache itself reappears. You may end up needing more and more simply to keep the pain at bay.
It is normally more beneficial to look into the reasons why the headaches are arising in the first place, so that changes can be made to prevent further occurrences. Food intolerance may be at fault, especially if the headaches occur with nausea or stomach problems. When someone is working too hard or simply not getting enough rest headaches are a warning sign to slow down and let the body recouperate.

Why are the elderly living alone often advised to get a pet?
In a recent lecture at the Royal Institution, June McNicholas of Warwick University claimed that pet owners make fewer trips to the doctors for stress related illnesses. Researchers believe that stroking a pet may help to lower blood pressure, provide friendship and support to the elderly and young alike and also provide someone to care for in later years, providing a feeling of worth.
There also appears to be a clear link between pet ownership and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease amongst pet owners. This can be said for cat and dog owners alike and is not limited only to those walking the dog.

Bibliography
Don’t kick out the cat – she could be good for your health By Nigel Hawkes, Health Editor, Science Today / Health Tomorrow
<a class="go2wpf-bbcode" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href=" http://www.allsands.com "> http://www.allsands.com - Allsands.com
SOURCE: Psychosomatic Medicine, September/October 2003
An Introductory |Guide to Reflexology, Louise Tucker, 2001, Ruben Publishing
Indian Head Massage, Helen McGuinness, 2002, Hodder and Stoughton
The New Book of Massage, Lucy Lidell & Sarah Thomas, 2000, Ebury Press
The Hamlyn Encyclopaedia of Complementary Health, Nikki Bradford, 1996, Hamlyn
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