Ingham performed intensive study on the physiology and responses. Probing the feet using precise thumb pressure upon certain areas, tender spots were discovered. It is important to note that zones and reflexes have been proven and charted through these and other studies, and that even today, reflexologists still do not know their precise nature. The philosophy of reflexology is often misinterpreted to be the same as massage. Reflexology is not massage, nor is it a replacement for modern medicine.
Reflexology is based on theories that nerve pathways exist throughout the body.
When any of those pathways become blocked, the body experiences levels of discomfort. Reflexology may assist in reviving one's energy flow and bringing the body back into homeostasis, a state of balance. People are sometimes amazed by the simplicity of reflexology and baffled by the results of applying precise pressure to the reflexes in the feet and hands. Imagine you're at the office and you've acquired the most excruciating tension headache. You will be working the tender areas and breaking up any crystal-like deposits.