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Case Study Issue 84: Reflexology for Aggravated Colitis

by Kath Morrell(more info)

listed in case studies, originally published in issue 84 - January 2003

This man in his middle age had been losing rectal blood everyday for three years. He was completely exhausted. His left leg was withered and he was walking with a stick.

His problems had begun about nine years before with severe backache, and the muscle in his left buttock was continually inflamed. Eventually, numbness and pain pervaded down his leg into the calf like an electric shock and the leg became cold. When he awoke in the morning, his foot was ice cold. He also thought he was developing asthma.

He had a few chiropractic sessions, with some improvement, but then he started to lose blood. He had rectal steroid treatment and had a polyp excised from the rectum. There was no change; backache and bleeding were still there.

He saw a top spinal specialist at an orthopaedic hospital and had an MRI scan, all of which revealed nothing. He was told he had wear and tear on the discs. The problems continued. Another endoscopy in hospital revealed nothing.

Then reflexology treatment began. He had had rectal bleeding and loose stools for three years, inflammation of the knuckles and thumbs, cramp and pain in his withered left leg and buttock and a dead leg on waking. His only medication was painkillers.

For the first few treatments the L external malleus and Achilles tendon were excruciatingly painful. These reflexes correspond to the pelvic muscles and lower back, including a rectal reflex. Several toes were completely blocked, indicating chronic congestion in some whole, longitudinal zones of the body. The left little toe was very sore which happens to be in the same zone as the leg, colon and spleen reflexes.

Additional sore reflexes were just about everywhere – head, neck, thyroid, adrenals, small intestine, ileo-caecal valve and left testis. His kidney reflexes were hard and the gluteus maximus reflex excruciatingly painful.

After the first treatment he reported less blood loss, after the second, aching left testis and lack of sleep mainly due to severe aching in the lumbar back. By the third treatment he was beginning to feel better and the blood loss was reduced to 10% of the original. He stopped using all painkillers and made good improvement. But then he reported a bad cough with revolting green phlegm.

There were other aches and pains, which were to do with the detox his body was undergoing, an invaluable result of any reflexology treatment. Then he suddenly experienced a stabbing sensation coming from his left big toe, which may have been a surge of release of blockages. By this time he was sleeping more soundly and his circulatory system was recovering but results of treatment were dramatic. He coughed up more green mucous and at the same time his stools contained large mucousy lumps.

After 14 treatments his bleeding stopped, he had had a painful testicular healing crisis (he had a wart on the left testis which flared up before disappearing), the feeling, circulation and strength had returned to his leg and the backache was minor. At the end of the day he had the energy to kick a ball around with the dog!

This man was working physically hard and doing a lot of driving throughout his treatment, so recovery was not helped by this, as he should have been resting after a treatment, especially with his symptoms.

At various times during the course of treatment, we talked about diet and the possibility of an allergy or some toxin aggravating the colon.

It wasn't until I saw him months later that he told me he had cut out wheat from his diet and was sure that was the problem. (Could this be attributable to pesticides or additives?) He feels the need for a monthly treatment to sustain recovery.

Whenever the rectal bleeding begins to recur, he can associate it with a temporary lapse in his diet, usually when he has been away from home on business depending on food in hotels during meetings, or while travelling.

It is difficult avoiding wheat as so much food is made from it.

Fortunately, at home with the support of his wife, he has made the necessary alterations to avoid wheat and, although difficult to begin with, it is not too antisocial. He is just relieved to avoid the physical problems which were so debilitating.

A positive spin off from treating this busy businessman has been a monthly treatment session at his business to treat not only himself and his wife, but also members of his staff. That way, he is less rushed and able to relax straight away after a treatment. Also, he is showing responsibility for the health and well-being of his staff.

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About Kath Morrell

Kath Morrell, who lives and works in rural mid-Wales, comes from a background of teaching. She has been a reflexologist for eight years, originally training with the British Reflexology Association, and has since become an associate member of the Association of Reflexologists. Her practice is based in a struggling rural community serving the areas of Llanfyllin and Welshpool; about 15% of her work is home visits. She frequently attends specialist courses on reflexology and has trained to do VRT. She can be reached at Tel: 01938 500459; kathmorrell@yahoo.co.uk

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