Healing crisis in reflexology: becoming worse before becoming better
Limited EvidenceIn Plain Language: reflexology, explained
In the previous study the effects of reflexology on symptoms of fibromyalgia (FM) were investigated. In this paper it will be explored whether healing crisis is experienced after reflexology in the same sample of women. Multiple case study method as developed by Stake was used to investigate the effects of reflexology on six cases of women with FM who were given ten weekly sessions of reflexology. Data were collected with observation, interviews and diary. Within and across case data analysis was employed. Several different symptoms were experienced by all of the women after reflexology sessions, although differently for each of them. The symptoms presented as mixture of pain, fatigue, and flu like along with a variety of some other symptoms. This constellation of symptoms was more in tune with descriptions of the healing crisis phenomenon than with fibromyalgia. It gradually became worse until rather abruptly started to diminish around the seventh and eighth session. For the majority of the women the healing crisis symptoms gradually became worse before they started to decrease. This has similarities with other health professionals' accounts in the literature. Nurses and health professionals need to be aware of healing crisis effects when offering reflexology to patients.
Key Findings: what this case study found
- ✓All six women with fibromyalgia experienced symptom exacerbation following reflexology sessions, presenting as a mixture of pain, fatigue, and flu-like symptoms that differed individually.
- ✓The pattern of symptoms experienced post-reflexology aligned more closely with descriptions of a healing crisis phenomenon than with fibromyalgia itself.
- ✓Symptom exacerbation progressively worsened before abruptly beginning to diminish around the seventh and eighth reflexology sessions.
What This Means for You
If you have fibromyalgia and try reflexology, you might experience temporary worsening of symptoms before feeling better, but this small study of only 6 women suggests this typically improves after a few weeks.
What This Means for Practitioners
Inform clients with fibromyalgia that temporary symptom exacerbation after reflexology sessions is common and typically resolves by the seventh or eighth session.
Study Design: how this case study was run
Common questions about this study
What does this study mean in practice?
If you have fibromyalgia and try reflexology, you might experience temporary worsening of symptoms before feeling better, but this small study of only 6 women suggests this typically improves after a few weeks.
What did this study find?
All six women with fibromyalgia experienced symptom exacerbation following reflexology sessions, presenting as a mixture of pain, fatigue, and flu-like symptoms that differed individually. The pattern of symptoms experienced post-reflexology aligned more closely with descriptions of a healing crisis phenomenon than with fibromyalgia itself. Symptom exacerbation progressively worsened before abruptly beginning to diminish around the seventh and eighth reflexology sessions.
How strong is this evidence?
This is a case study and we rate its evidence limited. It covers 6 participants. It was published in Complementary therapies in clinical practice, a Q2 journal. Reflexology is a complementary therapy, not a replacement for medical treatment.
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