Reflexology is an alternative therapy that is based on the idea that the body has energy channels running through it. Pressure applied to a certain point may help to alleviate symptoms of illness. It is difficult to scientifically prove or disprove the existence of these energy channels—they do not use chemical, thermal, electrical or mechanical energy.
Practitioners of reflexology claim to be able to successfully diagnose headaches, cataracts and asthma. However, controlled tests have not revealed a diagnosis success rate better than chance. Despite little proof of its efficacy, reflexology continues to be a popular form of treatment for people suffering from a wide range of ailments. Patients do report feeling better after sessions of reflexology. This could be explained by the theory that, as a type of massage, reflexology is simply relaxing and leads to a sense of physical and mental well-being which temporarily alleviates pain or discomfort. Another theory is that the patient experiences the placebo effect, which is when the body heals itself because the patient mistakenly believes that he or she has received effective medical treatment. The placebo effect, though powerful, is very difficult to quantify, predict or explain scientifically.