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©The Author(s) 2025. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Clin Cases. Feb 6, 2025; 13(4): 99500
Published online Feb 6, 2025. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v13.i4.99500
Published online Feb 6, 2025. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v13.i4.99500
Evaluating foot reflexology as a proposed treatment for sensorineural hearing loss: A critical review
Carina McClean, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States
Brandon Lucke-Wold, Lillian S. Wells Department of Neurosurgery, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32608, United States
Author contributions: McClean C and Lucke Wold B contributed to this paper; McClean C contributed to the writing, editing, and review of literature; Lucke-Wold B designed the outline and overall concept of the manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: No conflict of interest to disclose.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Brandon Lucke-Wold, MD, PhD, Neurosurgeon, Lillian S. Wells Department of Neurosurgery, University of Florida, 1505 SW Archer Road, Gainesville, FL 32608, United States. brandon.lucke-wold@neurosurgery.ufl.edu
Received: July 23, 2024
Revised: October 4, 2024
Accepted: October 25, 2024
Published online: February 6, 2025
Processing time: 114 Days and 2.7 Hours
Revised: October 4, 2024
Accepted: October 25, 2024
Published online: February 6, 2025
Processing time: 114 Days and 2.7 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: Untreated sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in infants can lead to significant language delays, social-emotional difficulties, and academic challenges. While conventional treatments exist, alternative approaches like foot reflexology are gaining attention despite limited scientific evidence. Some claim that stimulating certain foot areas can influence hearing, but these claims lack support from the scientific community. While some patients may report benefits, these could be attributed to the placebo effect rather than the treatment itself. The medical community should remain cautious, emphasizing the need for rigorous research before considering reflexology as a viable option for treating SNHL in infants.