It is not unusual that sometimes our immune system is weakened and unable to protect us as it should. This will eventually result in illness. This might happen when we don’t get enough sleep, are under a lot of stress, or have had a prior sickness—all of which weaken our bodies.
Sometimes, what the body needs is what will ease those abnormalities in the body. While foot reflexology will not cure a cough or cold, it will relieve you of the symptoms, including sore throat, headaches, congestion, overall weakness, nasal irritation, and sneezing.
It is essential to know that this does not replace medical care; Rather, it is used with it to aid in the healing process. Hence, the focus of this article is to educate you on how foot massage can help with coughs and colds.
What is Foot Reflexology?
Foot reflexology is part of Traditional Chinese Medication (TCM). It is the application of pressure to certain points and locations on the feet, called reflex points. These reflex points correspond to various areas of the human body, such that massaging them has a positive effect on the overall health of the person.
The art of reflexology is connected to your Qi, also known as your life force energy. Physical symptoms such as a cold or cough might result from an imbalance in your Qi. As a result, the reflex points on your feet that are associated with cold may hurt.
Rub your way through the discomfort. The points will stop hurting when the energy flow returns to its original state. Reflexology on the feet will hurt a little, but it will get the job done.
Your Feet’s Reflex Points
The lungs, sinuses, tonsils and throat, and lymph are the key areas you should target. As previously stated, each section corresponds to distinct parts of the foot. Now, you will see the importance of these points.
The Lungs
Your lung point is the most crucial reflexology point to rub. The lung meridian (of energy) and the “invasion of external evil” (a quirky Chinese way of saying “cold germs”) have a direct relationship in Chinese medicine.
The lung meridian is the body’s first line of defense against harmful microorganisms. It’s between the big and little toes on the ball of your foot. The tightness in your chest will correspond to the position of the tender places on your feet.
Push deeply with your thumbs to massage this area, and when you feel a place that is tender to the touch, press even harder and massage in small circles. Massage the entire lung area for one minute per foot, concentrating on tender points. It will provide an energy boost to your lung meridians.
The Sinuses
The sinus point is another reflex point to get rid of a cold quickly. This is the point of massage if your head is stuffy, especially around your sinuses. There are five sinus reflexology points on each of your feet, but the focus is on the main sinus reflexology point.
This point is on the underside of your big toe, at the tip of your big toe. It’s easy to mistake this for a drawing of your foot’s top.
Assume you’re crushing dried oregano between your fingers to sprinkle on a pasta dish for today. Pinch and rub your big toe with your thumb and forefinger. You will press the pad of the big toe against the thumb. This should take about 30 seconds.
Tonsils and Throat
These are the reflexology points for preventing sore throats. This point works quickly, but it’s also very sensitive when the throat hurts. Touching even the tiniest amount of pressure might cause an unpleasant feeling.
On a brighter note, you’ll completely forget about how sore your throat is while massaging the tonsil/throat reflex points on your feet because your toe will hurt so much. However, if you can bear the discomfort, this point will help to clear energy blockages in your neck and throat, allowing your body to heal faster.
This point also targets the lymph nodes in the neck. Your immune system relies heavily on the lymphatic system. When it comes to fighting a cold, it could use a boost.
There are four points on each big toe, two on top of each other, just below the toe knuckle. Make a fist with your hand to rub these spots.
Then, on either side of the crest of the toe bone, place the knuckles of your index and middle fingers on top of your big toe, just below the toe knuckle. Turn your wrist back and forth to press your knuckles against the points. This should take roughly 30 seconds.
Lymph
The final reflexology point to help you get rid of a cold faster is your armpits’ lymph drainage point. The lymphatic system is your body’s unsung and unappreciated hero. While your heart and blood vessels take center stage, your lymphatic system is hard at work delivering white blood cells throughout your body and removing waste.
Your heart pumps the blood through your circulatory system, while your lymph fluid is only moved around when you move. It’s no surprise that even the tiniest pressure on this reflex point causes excruciating pain.
Writhing in pain will help move lymph fluid through your body, and massaging this point will give your lymphatic system a boost. The webbing between the bones of your big toe and second toe is where this reflexology point is located.
Use the knuckle of your index finger to massage this point. From the base of your toes, press as hard as you can towards the point where the bones meet. Return your knuckle to the base of your toes and continue to stroke downwards. A rep of 30 strokes should do the job.
Conclusion
The entire procedure of applying these massages should take only 5 minutes, so there’s no reason not to do it. Massage these points on an empty stomach or, at least, an hour after or before eating.
Rub these places on BOTH of your feet at the following times four times a day, and do this for at least two days in a row. Follow this routine for an effective outcome:
●When you first get out of bed;
●1 hour before or after lunch;
●Toward the end of the day (about 6 pm);
●Before retiring to sleep
The idea of Traditional Chinese Medicine is to improve your health in a way that you can personally handle.
