t’s Mum. I’d do anything,” says British reflexology student Gayle about her decision to apply reflexology to her mother.
Dawn was lying unconscious in the A&E (Accident & Emergency department) after being diagnosed with a “massive” stroke. Read more.
This and other stroke stories (see below) show personal experiences of using reflexology to help those who have experienced stroke. Now, such possibilities are bolstered by preliminary implications of an fMRI reflexology study by Barbara and Kevin Kunz. Read more.
Stroke—the word conjures up thoughts of a health condition with dread results
Ask a medical professional what can be done and you’ll probably receive a shake of the head indicating there’s really nothing to be done. Demonstrating possibilities is research using fMRI (functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging). The study was conducted in 2023 at the University of Minnesota School of Medicine in a project titled Neural Pathways of Applied Reflexology.
The research is based on Kunz and Kunz theories developed during work with individuals who had experienced spinal cord injury (sci). The technique application by Kevin uses a protocol modeled after Kunz and Kunz work with individuals who experienced sci or stroke.
Results are not yet available but preliminary implications note improvements for stroke patient study participants.
What if a reflexology system could enhance stroke care and rehabilitation, speed recovery and help bring back to the stroke patient at least some abilities lost to the stroke?
Reports of the research inspired British reflexology student Gayle to apply reflexology to her mother following a stroke as noted above. A reflexologist in Poland aided recovery from stroke for a client following a protocol developed by Kevin Kunz.
One can only imagine a world-wide citizen army of professional and non-professional reflexologists taking arms against stroke, a disorder that absorbs 34% of the world’s medical care costs not to mention the human cost to countless lives.
Stroke and Reflexology: Stories in Brief
Eighty-seven year old Nadine experienced a stroke resulting in paralysis on her left side. Her daughter Dale was advised to find a “comfortable place” for Nadine to live. Dale thought of this as “warehousing” her mother. Barbara and Kevin Kunz began hand and foot reflexology work 3 weeks after their friend Nadine’s stroke.
Following 13 sessions over 39 days and 68 days after her stroke, Nadine walked out of rehabilitation with assistance and moved into an assisted living facility. READ MORE.
Three weeks after experiencing a stroke an 88 year old man sought the help of Polish reflexologist Sylvia of Poland. Sylvia followed suggestions of Facebook friend Kevin Kunz and helped the man’s life return to normal following two sessions of foot reflexology. Read more.
As said further by British reflexology student Gayle “I got nothing to lose (when I decided to apply reflexology), yeah, other than my mom, you know? Oh yeah, yeah, no, that’s a lot. It’s a lot to lose. I’d say nothing to, you know, it’s a lot to lose.” It had been suggested by consultants in A&E her mother be given morphine and placed in a side room. She thought of the Kunz research and began her reflexology work. Read more.
The Stroke Stories
Report from Polish reflexologist Sylvia Pyrda
A picture may be worth a thousand words but sometimes a few words in an email can have great value.
Knowing of Kevin Kunz’s experiences working with individuals who had experienced stroke, Polish reflexologist Sylvia Pyrda emailed her Facebook friend Kevin.
First email from Sylvia
“I have an old man, 88 years old and 3 weeks ago he had a stroke…tomorrow he will have first foot reflexology. Well, which point on foot would you touch/unblock the most? Head reflexes?”
Second email from Sylvia
“I would like to thank you so much! Your advice about reflexology points after head stroke are priceless! I did it on this man and after 50 minutes he moved his left hand and leg ( before he couldn’t) !! I was so happy and so was his family.
Thank you once again 😊 😊”
Third email from Sylvia
“Hi Kevin. I’m sending you a message to tell you how much grateful am I for your help. That 88 year old man can normally walk and behave, he eats, go to the toliette (sic) and his blood pressure level is getting better and better. Thank you for your help.”
A Mother and Daughter
The prognosis for 80 year old Dawn was not good on that Wednesday. The stroke she had experienced was described as “massive” by the consultant following assessment of a scan of her brain showing the injured area. She was not expected to survive the next 24 hours. If she did it was predicted she would be paralyzed on the left half of her body with the potential loss of sight and hearing abilities. One option was making Dawn “comfortable in a side room and giving her morphine.”
Some sixty days later and Dawn walked out of a rehabilitation facility for outside visits and, weeks later, returned home. There are some lingering effects of her
stroke but the doctor says it should be no problem for her to do things like walk up stairs.
The happy ending to Dawn’s story started with her daughter Gayle’s decision to hold her mother’s hand to comfort her …
The happy ending to Dawn’s story started with her daughter Gayle’s decision to hold her mother’s hand to comfort her while waiting assessment in the UK hospital’s A&E stroke unit. It then occurred to Gayle to apply reflexology while holding her hand. Using knowledge gained as a reflexology student and encouraged by reported results of the Kunz and Kunz fMRI research project with stroke patients (Neural Pathways of Applied Reflexology), she was determined to use reflexology to help her mother.
Progress was evaluated day by day.
Progress was evaluated day by day. On Thursday the consultant saw no progress discounting as spasming Gayle’s reports of her mother moving in response to reflexology application. He decided to extend care another day swayed by, as Gayle tells it, I think he felt sorry for us. She and her two sisters took turns staying by their mother’s bed around the clock. On Friday, perhaps swayed by blood pressure readings, he again made the decision to extend care.
Next came what Gayle describes as their lucky break, a doctor’s strike started Friday evening. She says, “So there were a lack of doctors anyway to deal with anything, so you didn’t have to. So, thank God, we realized, like, you know, just to keep this going, keep this going.
It was just after midnight early that Saturday morning when Dawn awoke.
It was just after midnight early that Saturday morning when Dawn awoke. Gayle was taking a break and her sister Hayley was at their mother’s bedside. Dawn he turned and said, Hi, Hay. She had recognized her daughter Hayley’s voice. On Monday, the family could report to the consultant, Dawn had spoken.
As hospital care continued, Gayle’s reflexology work continued. A stay at a rehabilitation facility followed.
Dawn’s life has returned to normal. She now lives with her daughter Gayle.