[Zone therapy and asthma]
Moderate EvidenceIn Plain Language: asthma, explained
Many patients with asthma seek alternative or adjunctive therapies. One such modality is reflexology. Our aim was to examine the popular claim that reflexology treatment benefits bronchial asthma. Ten weeks of either active or simulated (placebo) reflexology were compared in an otherwise blind, controlled trial of 40 patients with asthma. Objective lung function tests did not change. Subjective scores and bronchial sensitivity to histamine improved on both regimens, but no differences were found in the groups receiving active or placebo reflexology. However, a trend in favour of reflexology became significant when a supplementary analysis of symptom diaries was carried out. At the same time a significant pattern compatible with subconscious un-blinding was found. We found no evidence that reflexology has a specific effect on asthma beyond a placebo influence.
Key Findings: what this randomised trial found about asthma
- ✓Objective lung function tests showed no change in asthma patients receiving either active or placebo reflexology over ten weeks.
- ✓Subjective symptom scores and bronchial sensitivity to histamine improved equally in both active and placebo reflexology groups, with no significant difference between them.
- ✓The study found no evidence that reflexology has a specific therapeutic effect on asthma beyond placebo influence, despite a trend favoring reflexology in supplementary symptom diary analysis.
What This Means for You
If you're considering reflexology for asthma, this evidence suggests any benefit may be due to placebo effect rather than the treatment itself, so discuss it with your doctor as part of your overall asthma management.
What This Means for Practitioners
This controlled trial found no specific therapeutic effect of reflexology on asthma beyond placebo, suggesting reflexologists should not claim asthma treatment benefits without stronger evidence.
Study Design: how this randomised trial was run
Asthma: common questions
What does this study say about asthma?
If you're considering reflexology for asthma, this evidence suggests any benefit may be due to placebo effect rather than the treatment itself, so discuss it with your doctor as part of your overall asthma management.
What did this study find?
Objective lung function tests showed no change in asthma patients receiving either active or placebo reflexology over ten weeks. Subjective symptom scores and bronchial sensitivity to histamine improved equally in both active and placebo reflexology groups, with no significant difference between them. The study found no evidence that reflexology has a specific therapeutic effect on asthma beyond placebo influence, despite a trend favoring reflexology in supplementary symptom diary analysis.
How strong is this evidence?
This is a randomised trial and we rate its evidence moderate. It covers 40 participants. It was published in Ugeskrift for laeger. This study is indexed here for context; it did not test reflexology itself.
Related Research
Evaluating the effect on asthma quality of life of added reflexology or homeopathy to conventional asthma management - an investigator-blinded, randomised, controlled parallel group study
The impact of reflexology and homeopathy added to conventional asthma treatment on markers of airway inflammation - a randomised study
Reflexology and bronchial asthma
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