The following brief descriptions of treatment processes for reflexotherapy of the feet (RTF) are excerpts from well over 1,500 reports, which course participants have kindly been sending us for decades. They have proved their worth as a practical “reference work” in day-to-day RTF treatment.

Here are a few examples, each from 23 indications, in part somewhat abridged.

I work at a rehabilitation clinic for metabolic disorders and colorectal cancer aftercare.

An 82-year-old male patient with colorectal cancer had suffered severe spasms with pain and vomiting for 1 day. Medical diagnosis: Incipient ileus. Infusions, enemas and medication brought no relief.

Treatment: Relatively strong tonifying in the symptomatic zone of the intestine for approximately 10 minutes, stabilizing grips.

Result: After an hour the patient had a bowel movement. He and his wife were very relieved because this meant that he did not have to be transferred to another hospital.

Apart from the above complaint, the 43-year-old female patient had inflammatory changes in the sternoclavicular articulation and was in great pain.

Preliminary treatment: Ten weeks of psychotherapy, 12 PNF (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation) treatment sessions, and leeches, as a result of which the complaints had eased somewhat but by no means disappeared.

Treated zones: Sternoclavicular articulation and shoulder girdle, frequent stabilizing grips as the zones were very painful. Patient mentioned in passing that she had had a capsular injury involving her left second toe a few years ago (zone of the sternoclavicular articulation). As a result, I sedated this area carefully and treated the aforementioned zones again gently and softly.

Result: To our surprise and joy, her left shoulder was free of pain and as mobile as her right shoulder immediately after RTF.

Interesting point: Furthermore, the stomach meridian which, among other things also supplies the sternoclavicular articulation with its energy, ends at the second toe.

A 14-year-old girl, diagnosed with acute tonsillitis by an ENT specialist. Antibiotics were prescribed but not taken.

Treated zones: Approximately 30 minutes’ treatment of the intestine, lymphatics of head, neck, and thorax. Frequent stabilizing grips which relaxed the girl wonderfully.

Reactions: Patient is very tired, sleeps deeply in broad daylight. Footbath in the evening with bath salts, deep sleep again throughout the night.

Result: The next morning her sore throat had gone, she was even able to take part in a class test and felt completely well again.

A 31-year-old neighbor had given birth 2 months previously. Severe back pain radiating into the buttocks, hip, and thigh for the last 5 days. Analgesics and manual forms of therapy without effect.

Treated zones: Three days in succession: lower spine and pelvic ligaments, shoulder girdle. Lymphatics of head/neck and pelvis/thigh. Frequent stabilizing grips, in particular, heel stretching grip to stabilize the autonomic nervous system.

Result: The woman was symptom-free afterward. Repetition of RTF for the same complaints a year later. The next day the pain had already eased by 70%.

A 62-year-old male patient, athletic, slim, used a computer for his work, right-handed. During treatment of a ganglion on the right wrist, he was advised to operate the computer mouse with his left hand.

Treated zones: Both elbows (interestingly the symptomatic zone was inconspicuous), shoulder, temporomandibular and hip joints, excretory organs, and heart. Lymphatic treatment every second RTF session, many stabilizing grips. At the point at which the bladder meridian runs through the elbow zone, tonified particularly vigorously on both sides.

Reactions and outcome: Patient has a “cold” after the third RTF session but does not feel ill. After the fourth RTF session brief swelling on the right elbow; increased and significantly darker urine, although he had not increased his fluid intake. After seven RTF sessions all the symptoms have disappeared.

A 65-year-old female patient with total hip replacement on both sides, various knee operations and scoliosis. Presented with severe pain in the right thigh and hip. Mood swings.

Conspicuous and treated zones: Hip joint, thigh, knee, bony and muscular pelvis, as well as pelvic ligaments and lateral abdominal muscles and entire spine. Inguinal region, intestine, and kidneys/bladder. Alternate tonifying and sedating grips. Six RTF sessions, twice a week.

Result: The patient is free of pain at the end of the course of treatment and can walk for long distances again. This is also emotionally beneficial for her. She is delighted with the result because she had not believed she could be helped further after having resorted to many options in orthodox medicine. It was a great pleasure for me to see her radiant smile!

A 47-year-old male athlete, complicated calcaneal fracture a year ago, underwent several subsequent operations due to repeated infections. Transfer of the microsystem to the macrosystem:

First treatment on pelvis and buttocks in situ at the points corresponding to the injury of the heel (= zone of the pelvis). Tonified relatively vigorously.

Visual inspection: 17 cm long accident scar on the lateral calcaneal border above the ankle (in the pathway of the bladder meridian), elevated and not painful. The whole foot is bluish and swollen.

Zones treated subsequently: Pelvic ligaments, lower spine, bladder, associated teeth, shoulder/nape of the neck with sedating or tonifying grips depending on the quality of the pain. Surprisingly, RTF lymphatic treatment does not alleviate congestion at all.

Therapy homework: Rub cream into the scar daily, treat contralaterally on the other foot, and ensure wrist on same side is well supplied with blood using tonifying grips.

Result: After third RTF session, no more “warm-up” pain when walking, which he had not reported initially. Foot significantly softer, barely congested any more, no longer blue. Patient cycles to work again after having been incapable of work for a year.

In addition, hairline fracture on the scapula. Operation including fixation, titanium plate, start of RTF during rehabilitation.

Treated zones: In addition to the symptoms of the pelvic ligaments, spine, intestine, urinary tract, and genitals. Gall bladder and bladder meridian on the feet very painful. Subsequent RTF scar treatment.

Result: Elevation, retroversion, abduction, adduction significantly improved. Better kidney and intestinal function, deeper, more restful sleep, less muscular pain, patient also feels mentally fortified.

General observations: I look after athletes during the Tour de France. Complete relaxation, normalization of adrenaline levels, beneficial warmth in the legs, and longer respiratory phases in a very short time as a result of RTF. Highly positive RTF experience both while preparing for and during the Tour de France.

Apart from osteopathy and manual lymphatic drainage, the professionals would not want to be without RTF. I have the full support of the team physician.

General experience with four patients: all four had stomach and back pain, flatulence, diarrhea, and bloating. In all four the symptoms had already eased significantly after the first RTF session.

Treated zones: The entire digestive tract, head, neck, lower spine, and pelvic ligaments were always greatly affected. Frequent stabilizing grips. Duration of individual treatment changed.

Result: Symptoms largely disappeared in all four patients. The symptoms were usually triggered by psychological problems. RTF for each patient was always accompanied by a change of diet.

A 40-year-old male patient presented to us at the hospital with hemorrhoids and constipation.

Treatment process: Treatment of the intestinal zones was unpleasant for him and also changed nothing. As the patient was subject to a heavy workload, I treated the zones of his head (“digestion” is not simply a physical process!)

Reactions: The patient heaved a sigh of relief during the very first RTF session, his digestion began working, and the symptoms of his hemorrhoids eased. A subsequent return to the zones of the digestive organs was of no benefit to him either, and so I mainly focused on the zones of the head and stabilizing grips.

A 24-year-old female patient had had only one bowel movement a week since childhood, despite a healthy diet. Started RTF 4 months after the birth of her child.

First RTF: Cautious tonifying of the zones of the digestive organs and frequent stabilizing grips. Two days later: from then on, regular bowel movements every day. Second RTF 1 week later somewhat more vigorous.

Reaction: Bilious attack—the first in her life—with elimination of a stone of which she had been completely unaware. A medical examination revealed more gall stones, an operation was recommended but she declined as she was still nursing.

Personal observation: To my great relief, the patient did not view the bilious attack in a negative light but as the solution to her long-standing bowel movement issues.

Active 75-year-old woman had had bladder infections at intervals for 20 years. Appeared tense, unable to settle down. Scars on left hip, operation in the lower abdomen. Hemorrhoids. Had treatment every 7 to 14 days for 9 months, also for other complaints.

Treated zones: Lymphatic system, urinary tract, lower spine, intestine, all sphincters. RTF scar treatment.

Reactions: Physical: temporary sensations of stimuli in bladder, stomach, rectum, and back. Eyes and nose “start streaming,” more restful sleep. Emotional: grief, crying, rage, sometimes talks a lot during the treatment sessions. During lymphatic RTF she calms down completely; she finds that sphincter treatment clearly invigorates her.

Result:“I finally have the strength to clear up my house, my desk, and my life.” The bladder makes its presence known from time to time in an attenuated form, back problems significantly improved.

A 51-year-old widow, depressed since her husband’s death, very attached to her only son. Came for treatment because of renal gravel and urethral calculus.

Initial findings: Very tense overall, but feet feel as though they have “no energy.” Extremely painful: bladder, ureter, right kidney, organs of the lesser pelvis.

Treated zones: Frequent stabilizing grips, lower spine. Frequent, vigorous stroking of ureter in the direction of the bladder. Pelvic ligaments. Subsequently the head, endocrine system, and parts of RTF lymphatic treatment.

Reactions: Urine becomes darker. Painless elimination of the urethral calculus after second RTF session. Patient is much more stable and relaxed since then, she continues to come for treatment at long intervals and says: “I simply need it.”

Initial findings and treated zones: Thorax, including the shoulder girdle, neck and stomach, pancreas, hips, sacroiliac joint, pelvic ligaments and left knee. Frequent stabilizing grips. Patient needs to talk a lot as she lives alone.

Reactions: Lung problems have become more acute with coughing and yellow-green expectoration. Profuse sweating, diarrhea. After third RTF, temporary earache; after seventh RTF, tooth 43 becomes painful and patient undergoes root canal treatment. Nine RTF sessions, once a week initially and then every 14 days.

Result: After the fourth RTF session the lung complaints had resolved, her blood pressure was normal at the end of the course and she was able to stop taking cortisone after consulting her doctor.

Personal observation: The patient was sent by her daughter and was highly skeptical initially but the course of treatment and the results of RTF convinced her.

For years a 58-year-old female neighbor had had a blocked nose with an extremely nasal voice for hours every morning. As a result of RTF training I learned that the nose could be cleared by tonifying the lymphatics of the neck.

Treated zones the very next day: Repeated gentle tonifying of the lateral lymphatics, intestine, lung, spleen, heart, lesser pelvis and spine. Stabilizing grips.

Reactions and outcome: During the first RTF session the woman was already able to breathe more easily. Copious secretion of mucus from the nose the following morning. Four further treatment sessions followed, after which the cervical lymph nodes were no longer painful and the nose remained clear—this has been stable for 3 years.

A 22-year-old female patient, pale, lifeless facial expression, dull eyes.

Affected zones: All the areas of the head, in particular the base of the skull, neck, shoulder girdle, spine and sacrum/sacroiliac joint, pelvic floor and pelvic ligaments.

Begin treatment sedatingly from the pelvis (counterpart) in the direction of the head, RTF lymphatic treatments. Additional zones of the head–neck area later.

Reactions: After first RTF session significant relaxation; after second RTF session, 2 days without headaches, loosening of the neck and shoulder muscles. Localization of the headache changes. Fifth RTF: posture and gait are full of vigor, the eyes sparkle. After eighth treatment session, hissing and “peeping” in the head due to stress at work which eased significantly with sedation of the head–neck zone.

Result: After 11 RTF sessions, symptoms almost gone. The patient would like another course of treatment in a few months’ time. Feldenkrais recommended to compensate for the imbalance in the musculoskeletal system.

Personal observation: I am extremely irritated that patients with headaches are only given medication usually, despite there being so many alternatives.

A 53-year-old male patient had weekly migraines, pain from the eye to the neck, accompanied by vomiting. Problems in the cervical and lumbar spine, sensitive stomach with heartburn and diarrhea. Various small scars.

Treated zones: Head sedated, stomach/intestine, spleen and lumbar spine tonified. Two lymph treatments. Sphincters. Frequent stabilizing grips; in particular, solar plexus.

Reactions: Headaches become more acute briefly, digestion of more solid consistency. Bouts of coughing with mucus, streaming eyes. Increased stomach complaints “as if the heart is beating into the stomach.”

Result: After the first treatment sessions hardly any more migraine attacks and after the sixth RTF session they have stopped completely. No further heartburn and diarrhea. Lower spine and shoulder-neck pain-free, patient feels “well all-round.”

A 66-year-old female patient had been suffering from severe hot flushes several times a day for 15 years, so severe that beads of sweat appeared on her skin. Usually had cold feet.

Result: After only the fourth RTF session, fewer hot flushes—at the end of the course of treatment they had stopped completely.

A 26-year-old patient had not had menstrual periods for 6 years despite taking the “pill” regularly.

Initial findings, treated zones: Organs of the lesser pelvis, colon, pancreas. Fifth metatarsal dorsal (pathway of bladder meridian). Second to fourth toes. Eutonic grips on the sacrum.

Reactions: Directly after the initial treatment, menstruation starts, coincidentally it occurs during the “pill break.” Severe tension in the temporomandibular joint, neck ache, increased diuresis. Intense itching of the ears, symptoms of a cold, she is clearly aware of her wisdom teeth. Eight RTF sessions.

Result: Patient feels fine and would like to stop taking the “pill” after this course of treatment as she wishes to start a family. Six months later, and following another course of RTF, she is pregnant.

My 26-year-old friend came to me because her gynecologist had found a 6-cm cyst during an ultrasound scan, which had to be surgically removed immediately. I offered her RTF in preparation for the operation.

Treated zones: A lot of stabilizing grips. Tonifying of the spine, heart, spleen, and intestine. In the left ovarian zone I palpated a small nodule of approximately 3 to 4 mm in size. As the site was very painful, I treated the pelvic ligaments thoroughly. During the lymphatic grips, tears came into her eyes, her stomach felt quite warm, and she fell asleep.

Reactions: During the night she had a temperature and pain similar to that during menstruation. She felt as if all her energy was focusing on one point. The next morning, the day of the operation, her mother firmly insisted on another ultrasound scan. The gynecologist consented reluctantly only to then quickly ascertain to his surprise that the cyst was no longer visible. As a precaution, he repeated the scan and obtained the same result.

A 29-year-old primipara was expecting twins. She came to me as her midwife in the 25th week of pregnancy in a state of considerable anxiety because the ultrasound scan had revealed that one of the twins was not receiving an adequate supply of nutrients. Severe back pain, pulling in the abdomen, lacking sleep.

Treated zones: Initially only stabilizing grips—in particular, solar plexus—in order to stabilize the autonomic nervous system. Later: spine, sacroiliac joint, digestive organs, heart, thymus, and endocrine glands.

Reactions: During the first three treatments the woman fell asleep each time. In the course of further treatment all of her symptoms improved significantly. Another ultrasound scan revealed that the second baby was continuing to develop well according to dates. The petite woman already feels heavily pregnant and everything is becoming more difficult.

Water retention in the 31st week of pregnancy. Comprehensive RTF lymphatic treatments alternating with “merima” (= treatment of the meridians in the microsystem of the foot) twice a week until the birth results in good diuresis.

In the 35th week of pregnancy, stagnation of weight gain in the second twin. In the 37th week of pregnancy gynecologist recommends delivering the babies by cesarian section because the smaller twin was lying lower in the pelvis and would therefore be the first to have to undertake the intensive work of birth.

Finally: The babies were well and did not have to go to the pediatric clinic. They were allowed to go home with their mother on the third day (unusual). They were fully breast-fed, not something which is taken for granted with cesarian deliveries.

A primiparous 39-year-old woman was admitted to hospital because of urinary retention; she already had a urinary catheter. The patient was to stay in hospital for 2 to 3 days only, if possible. Our doctor agreed with the decision to try RTF.

Treated zones: Frequent stabilizing grips, in particular, the solar plexus. Gentle tonifying of pituitary gland, urinary tract, intestine, and finally, lymphatic grips. The patient relaxed well, became more open during the treatment and was able to talk about her fears.

Reactions: The woman lay in bed without a catheter the next day after being able to pass water freely; she had already had a bowel movement on the day of RTF and requested a second treatment of her feet. The focus was on the zones of the urinary tract, intestine and, for somewhat longer, the lymphatic regions. The next day she was discharged free of symptoms.

A 27-year-old friend’s baby was thought to be three days overdue. The doctor recommended a cesarian section as her pelvis was too narrow. At the second clinic a decision was taken that labor was to be induced the following day and she was only to have a cesarian section in an emergency.