Reflexology

Can tapping and squeezing the thumbnail and the area surrounding the thumbnail cause a "brain reboot"? No, that's not true: There is no credible information stating that this technique, attributed to reflexology, causes any significant change to the brain. A search of medical and scientific literature turned up no evidence that the action produces a "brain reboot." The claim appeared…

Does clapping your hands three times instantly relieve pain in the heel of your foot? No, that's not true: A podiatrist who is a spokesperson for the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) told Lead Stories "without hesitation" that this is not an evidence-based method to "relieve pain in one's heel." A state and national board-certified reflexologist also confirmed to Lead…

Do acupressure massages on a person's hands and fingers aid digestion or relieve digestion issues? No, that's not true: The director of gastroenterology at the University of Alberta told Lead Stories that this post reflects "inaccurate information." A UCLA medical center dietician confirmed to Lead Stories that the reflexology technique seen in this post "has not conclusively shown to help…

Does pressure application on a particular point in the wrist area help relieve a sore throat? No, that's not true: No credible sources suggest there is any connection between this type of self-massage and expedited recovery from a sore throat. The claim appeared in a video posted on Facebook on April 3, 2023. Its title said: Six Acupressure Points Of…

Will rubbing your hands and fingers together every morning cause you to lose weight? No, that's not true: There is no evidence that such a practice will contribute to weight loss. The claim appeared in a video (archived here) posted to TikTok on July 27, 2022, by the user @medical_acupuncture, who is professionally known as Hiroko Shimoda. In the video,…

Will rubbing your ears increase the amount of energy that goes toward the kidneys? No, that's not true: A nephrologist told Lead Stories there is no scientific evidence that the ear exercises shown in an online video will increase kidney health. The claim appeared on Facebook (archived here) on March r, 2023, with the caption "#healthtips #kidneycare." It opens with…

Does ankle massage relieve migraines and headaches "instantly"? No, that's not true: It is not a widely accepted scientific consensus. While there is some research suggesting that massage may be beneficial to alleviate the impact of stress, one of the migraine's major triggers, the National Institute of Integrative and Complementary Health explains that existing studies show inconclusive results. More importantly,…

Does pressing your elbows provide an effective treatment for relieving back pain? No, that's not true: There is no broadly accepted medical evidence to suggest that pressing the elbows through the use of acupressure or reflexology, the practices of pressuring certain supposed trigger points in the body to treat ailments, is an effective treatment for pain. Some research suggests that…

Do acupressure massages on a person's hands and legs relieve their asthma? No, that's not true: The director of the Asthma and Allergy Clinic at the pediatric hospital Children's Wisconsin told Lead Stories, "Massage therapy has not been shown to help asthma control in any published studies." A professor emeritus who specializes in improving adherence to asthma medications and delivering…

Does the reflexology practice of interlocking and tugging the little fingers improve kidney function? No, that's not true. No authoritative sources suggest that reflexology is an effective tool for enhancing kidney function. The claim appeared on TikTok on February 1, 2023, under the title "The body is a system, recommended pull body practice, more healthy, #wudang #health #chineseculture #TCM #kedney…