Q. How long does a Reflexology treatment last?

A. A Reflexology treatment should last one hour. There are lots of different treatments available on the market nowadays but in my experience, the professional practitioner would not offer less than one hour.

Q. How do I know if a therapist is properly trained?

A. If a practitioner has gone through adequate length of training and has a certificate to prove that and can also show public liability insurance, then they are certified to practise. Never be afraid to ask the question of a practitioner that hasn't been personally recommended to you.

Q. Is it okay to receive other complementary therapies while I am having Reflexology?

A. Certainly some therapies can complement Reflexology, like massage, chiropractic, osteopathy but there are some therapies that work in a similar way and it would not be considered a good thing to have too many treatments at the same time. It would not be advisable to have acupuncture, homeopathy and shiatsu at the same time, also you would not really know which treatment was giving the most benefit.

Q. Are Reflexology treatments covered under OHIP?

A. At this present time only Chiropractic and Naturopathy can be claimed under OHIP. Reflexology is not regulated by the Government at this time, but some insurance companies may cover complementary therapies under a general heading.

Q. Can I receive a Reflexology treatment if I am pregnant?

A. Many practitioners and schools will give a different answer to this question. Certainly in the first trimester of pregnancy (up to 12 weeks) there are more risks of miscarriage for the patient. However it is very unlikely that a treatment of Reflexology would cause a miscarriage and it is balancing the body and enabling it to function normally. As a therapist you don't want to be the cause of blame if the patient does have a miscarriage and it would be inadvisable if there was a previous history. Reflexology can give much benefit throughout a woman's pregnancy, with back ache and fluid retention, and it is believed that having regular treatments can shorten the length of labour. As a final note, if either the therapist or the patient have any doubts whatsoever then it is inadvisable to have a treatment.

Q. Should Reflexology be painful?