The effectiveness of aromatherapy, massage and reflexology in people with palliative care needs: A systematic review.
Strong EvidenceIn Plain Language: reflexology, explained
Researchers reviewed all available high-quality studies on aromatherapy, massage, and reflexology for people receiving palliative (end-of-life) care. They found that these therapies may help reduce anxiety and improve quality of life, though the evidence is still developing and more research is needed.
Key Findings: what this systematic review found
- ✓Reflexology may help reduce anxiety in people receiving palliative care.
- ✓Reflexology may improve quality of life in people with end-of-life care needs.
- ✓The evidence for reflexology's effectiveness in palliative care is still developing and requires additional high-quality research.
What This Means for You
If you're considering reflexology for palliative care, it may help with anxiety and comfort, but current evidence is moderate—talk with your care team about how it fits into your overall plan.
What This Means for Practitioners
Position reflexology as a complementary therapy for anxiety and comfort in palliative settings, while recognizing that rigorous evidence is still limited and documenting outcomes to build the evidence base.
Common questions about this study
What does this study mean in practice?
If you're considering reflexology for palliative care, it may help with anxiety and comfort, but current evidence is moderate—talk with your care team about how it fits into your overall plan.
What did this study find?
Reflexology may help reduce anxiety in people receiving palliative care. Reflexology may improve quality of life in people with end-of-life care needs. The evidence for reflexology's effectiveness in palliative care is still developing and requires additional high-quality research.
How strong is this evidence?
This is a systematic review and we rate its evidence strong. It was published in Palliative medicine, a Q2 journal. Reflexology is a complementary therapy, not a replacement for medical treatment.
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