A healing crisis is therefore nothing more than a cleansing process. Patients having been fore-warned are prepared to endure a healing crisis in the knowledge that it is a step towards recovery. Occasionally there is no response to the treatment, even after several sessions. The underlying stress may be persistent and of such magnitude that the physical manifestations of it persist. In such cases counselling skills might enable reflexologists to help their patients to formulate their problems, for a clear statement of the nature of the problem often suggests a solution to it.
Reflexology works without a diagnosis if administered correctly.
Cautions It was mentioned earlier that reflexology is safe and that anybody can benefit from it. There are, nevertheless, a few conditions where reflexologists practise caution and often postpone treatment. The most obvious one is damage to the feet, i.e. cuts and bruises, boils, damaged tendons, recent fractures. As reflexology improves the blood circulation treatment is also deferred immediately after an operation, until a doctor has pronounced the wound as healed, owing to the danger of bleeding from the wound. Patients on heavy medication are treated with lighter pressure, because improved blood circulation could result in quicker elimination of the drugs, thus possibly de-stabilising the condition for which they have been prescribed.