الفهرس 
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Abstract
1.1 Alleviating pain in ancient civilizations
Relieving pain is an issue that has concerned human being for a long time…..
This thinking has existed in ancient civilizations, among them Chinese, Inca and ancient Egypt.
One of the natural healing arts which has being used anciently to ease pain and rediscovered recently is Reflexology.
It is the practice of applying pressure to the feet and hands utilizing specific thumb, finger and hand techniques without the use of oil, cream or lotion based on a system of zones and reflex areas that reflect an image of the body on the feet and hands with a premise that such work effects a physical change in the body.
According to a widely widespread theory, reflexology comes from ancient Egypt. Proof of this is provided by a pictogram found in a tomb of a famous priest at Saqqara dating from 2500 to 2330 BC. The stage of pictograph represents four people, two therapists, performing one; a foot massages “Plantar Reflexology”, the other a hand massage “Palmar Reflexology”.
Fig. 1.1: Pictogram showing two therapists trying to relieve the pain of two patients.*
1.2 Pain nowadays
1.2.1 Definition
Pleasure and pain are two major emotions of humans and animals. While the pleasure from different activities is what human and animals are seeking daily, both of them avoid pain (Zhuo 2007). The origin of pain and its dual role as a key physiological function and a debilitating disease has fascinated scientists and philosophers for centuries (Kuner 2010). For its importance, it has been mandated as the “fifth” vital sign after Blood Pressure, Pulse rate, Respiratory rate, Body Temperature by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.
The capacity to experience pain has a protective role: it warns us of imminent or actual tissue damage and elicits coordinated reflex and behavioural responses to keep such damage to a minimum. By contrast, persistent pain syndromes offer no biological advantage and cause suffering and distress, now it is turned to a maladaptive pain (Woolf and Mannion 1999). Depending on pain experience, humans and animals gain knowledge of potential dangerous stimuli in the environment, and pain-related unpleasantness help to form long-term avoidance memory in order to protect themselves (Zhuo 2007