Abstract
M.Tech.
The aim of this study was to determine the effects of the application of therapeutic
reflexology as a complementary medicine, in women with cervical cancer who were
receiving radiation therapy with curative intent.
Therapeutic reflexology is a therapy that involves stimulating specific reflexes in the
hands, feet, body and ears by applying pressure to these reflexes with the thumbs and
fingers, using specific techniques. All the body’s organs, glands and other parts of the
body are reflected in the feet, body, hands and ears can be stimulated by working over
the skin surface with the thumbs and fingers for a specific effect. These specific
reflexes have been mapped in miniature on the feet, hands, body and ears (Graham,
1998: 5). Therapeutic reflexology promotes homeostasis within the body, by stimulating
reflexes pertaining to organs and glands, and achieving normalisation of organs and
glands in the receiver of the treatment. The therapy is non - invasive and non -
pharmacological, and has no contra-indications (Graham, 1998: 8).
Therapeutic reflexology is often used as a complementary or alternative medicine, yet
very little information is available on its effects, which requires further research (Milligan,
2002: 489-96). The number of cancer patients using reflexology as a complementary
therapy to allopathic medicine is rapidly rising (Apostolides, 1998: 71-95) It is because
of this rise in the number of patients seeking complementary therapy that it is of vital
importance that more accurate, results-orientated information is made available to both
the patient and the medical practitioner. These findings will allow the patient and
medical practitioner to make an informed decision regarding the choices available to
complement allopathic medicine, to enhance wellbeing, and achieve better results for
the allopathic protocol.
A sample group of forty-four women were chosen by simple random selection. Twenty
three were treated with therapeutic reflexology, and twenty one were given the placebo
treatment for six weeks, while undergoing radiation therapy. The patients chosen for
the sample group had stage IIIb as well as stage IIb cervical cancer, and were receiving
radiation treatment. The result of the study has been determined by evaluating a
questionnaire answered by each patient, after each treatment. The control group who
received placebo treatment answered the same questionnaire, formulated in
accordance with the Likert Scale, for means of comparison.