Drug & supplement interaction

Reflexology + Sertraline

Sertraline brand name: Zoloft.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 13, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Reflexology and Sertraline in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.

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Interaction report

Reflexology and Sertraline

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Sertraline and Reflexology in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — research on Reflexology alongside specific medications may be limited.

Worth understanding: our licensed dataset holds no drug-interaction record for Reflexology at all — not against Sertraline, and not against any other medication we track. This verdict therefore rests on the absence of any recorded data, not on research that looked at this combination and found nothing. We cannot rule an interaction out.

Reflexology is a treatment rather than something you take. Tell whoever provides it which medicines you use, and ask your prescriber whether it is appropriate for your health and treatment. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Reflexology safety at a glance

Reflexology overall Use caution Generally low-risk for most people, but it is not a substitute for medical care.
Pregnancy Possibly Safe When used appropriately. Reflexology has been used during pregnancy with apparent safety. Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Possibly Safe When used appropriately. Reflexology has been used with apparent safety in lactating women. Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — the full detail is in the Special populations card below. Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Sertraline and Reflexology? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Reflexology and Sertraline May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so having Reflexology while taking the medicine can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do.

  • Tiredness / Nausea reported in 6.4% of FDA reports for Sertraline Additional detail

    Reflexology

    “Some practitioners of reflexology indicate that some patients, following a treatment session, can experience symptoms of malaise, fatigue, nausea, or flu-like symptoms. Reflexology is believed to stimulate the body to eliminate metabolic "toxins." These potential side effects are believed to be due to this process; however, there is no reliable scientific evidence to support this belief.”

    Reflexology · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in fatigue.

    1 source cited
    1. 15827. Blunt E. Foot reflexology. Holist Nurs Pract 2006;20:257-9.

    Sertraline

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Sertraline, and in voluntary FDA adverse-event reports. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Effects for Sertraline come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Reflexology come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 214,799 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Sertraline that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Special populations

Reflexology in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy Possibly Safe

When used appropriately. Reflexology has been used during pregnancy with apparent safety.

Lactation Possibly Safe

When used appropriately. Reflexology has been used with apparent safety in lactating women.

DISCLAIMER: This tool is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Patients should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.© 2026 Therapeutic Research Center

Overlapping uses

What Sertraline Is Prescribed For, and What Reflexology Has Been Studied For

These two come up together because they touch the same health topic — not because they do the same job. Sertraline is a prescription medicine with approved uses on its FDA label. Reflexology is a treatment: what follows is what researchers have looked at it for, and how strong that evidence is.

Sertraline is prescribed for: Sertraline treats a range of mental health conditions. All formulations are approved for major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The oral solution (including Zoloft oral solution) and several tablet formulations are also approved for panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social anxiety disorder, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). For OCD specifically, the capsule formulations and some tablet products are approved for use in adults and children aged 6 and older.

Read the rest of what Sertraline is prescribed for

Sertraline hydrochloride tablets (plain, not film-coated) are approved for OCD in pediatric patients as well. However, sertraline is not approved for major depressive disorder in children — only in adults.

Reflexology has been studied for:

  • Depression studied, not established Reflexology has been studied for this. Natural Medicines rates the evidence: Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Read what the research shows

    Reflexology for depression

    A meta-analysis of preliminary clinical research shows that foot reflexology has a large beneficial effect on depression when compared with various types of controls. Patient populations that demonstrated benefit in this analysis included those over 60 years of age who are hospitalized for acute coronary syndrome, patients receiving chemotherapy for gynecological cancer, patients with multiple sclerosis, post-menopau…

    4 sources cited
    1. 107680. Wang WL, Hung HY, Chen YR, et al. Effect of foot reflexology intervention on depression, anxiety, and sleep quality in adults: A meta-analysis and metaregression of randomized controlled trials. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2020;2020:2654353. PubMed
    2. 101629. Bahrami T, Rejeh N, Heravi-Karimooi M, Tadrisi SD, Vaismoradi M. The Effect of Foot Reflexology on Hospital Anxiety and Depression in Female Older Adults: a Randomized Controlled Trial. Int J Ther Massage Bodywork. 2019;12(3):16-21. DOI
    3. 101634. Mahdavipour F, Rahemi Z, Sadat Z, Ajorpaz NM. The effects of foot reflexology on depression during menopause: A randomized controlled clinical trial. Complement Ther Med. 2019;47:102195. PubMed
    4. 88367. Lee YM. Effect of self-foot reflexology massage on depression, stress responses and immune functions of middle aged women. Taehan Kanho Hakhoe Chi 2006;36(1):179-88. PubMed
  • Anxiety studied, not established Reflexology has been studied for this. Natural Medicines rates the evidence: Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Read what the research shows

    Reflexology for anxiety

    Most clinical research shows that foot reflexology is beneficial for reducing anxiety due to various causes, although it may not be beneficial in all patient populations. A meta-analysis of preliminary clinical research shows that foot reflexology has a large beneficial effect on anxiety related to various illnesses or procedures when compared to control.

    6 sources cited
    1. 107680. Wang WL, Hung HY, Chen YR, et al. Effect of foot reflexology intervention on depression, anxiety, and sleep quality in adults: A meta-analysis and metaregression of randomized controlled trials. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2020;2020:2654353. PubMed
    2. 101629. Bahrami T, Rejeh N, Heravi-Karimooi M, Tadrisi SD, Vaismoradi M. The Effect of Foot Reflexology on Hospital Anxiety and Depression in Female Older Adults: a Randomized Controlled Trial. Int J Ther Massage Bodywork. 2019;12(3):16-21. DOI
    3. 107679. Alinia-Najjar R, Bagheri-Nesami M, Shorofi SA, Mousavinasab SN, Saatchi K. The effect of foot reflexology massage on burn-specific pain anxiety and sleep quality and quantity of patients hospitalized in the burn intensive care unit (ICU). Burns 2020;46(8) PubMed
    4. 107684. Davodabady F, Naseri-Salahshour V, Sajadi M, Mohtarami A, Rafiei F. Randomized controlled trial of the foot reflexology on pain and anxiety severity during dressing change in burn patients. Burns 2021;47(1):215-221. PubMed
    5. 107687. Sayari S, Nobahar M, Ghorbani R. Effect of foot reflexology on chest pain and anxiety in patients with acute myocardial infarction: A double blind randomized clinical trial. Complement Ther Clin Pract 2021;42:101296. PubMed
    6. 107686. Murat-Ringot A, Souquet PJ, Subtil F, Boutitie F, Preau M, Piriou V. The effect of foot reflexology on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in patients with digestive or lung cancer: Randomized controlled trial. JMIR Cancer 2021;7(4):e25648. PubMed

Effectiveness ratings and the research summaries above are the verbatim record from the Natural Medicines database, which grades evidence from “Effective” down to “Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate”. A rating below the top of that scale means researchers have looked at it — not that it works, and never that it can stand in for a prescribed medicine. Do not stop or replace Sertraline on your own; if you are taking Reflexology for the same health topic, tell your prescriber, especially if the medicine is being adjusted to a target.

From our Q&A

Questions About Reflexology or Sertraline

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Reflexology or Sertraline, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Sertraline

This page covers Reflexology only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Sertraline page lists 188 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), American Hellebore (major), Arsenic (major), Cesium (major) and Ephedra (major).

By severity: 9 major · 139 moderate · 40 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Sertraline page

“If you take sertraline (Zoloft) for depression, anxiety, or panic, treat this page with real care. Nine of the 188 supplements here carry a major rating, and the biggest issue is how your body clears the drug.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Sertraline interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Reflexology and Sertraline Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Reflexology
Steady interest

#1,174 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Sertraline
Top 10

#5 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Reflexology reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Reflexology and Sertraline records this page draws on were last updated July 11, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Treatment approach

About Reflexology

What is Reflexology?

  • Stress and relaxation
  • Anxiety
  • Pain relief
  • Sleep problems
  • Easing cancer-treatment symptoms
  • General well-being

Reflexology is a hands-on therapy where a practitioner applies pressure to specific points on the feet, hands, or ears, based on the idea that these points map to other parts of the body. Most people find it relaxing, and it appears generally safe, but solid evidence that it treats specific medical conditions is limited. It is best viewed as a complementary, relaxation-focused practice rather than a cure.

Not applicable (a hands-on therapy, not a plant or supplement) · In-person sessions with a trained reflexologist; foot, hand, or ear reflexology

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Reflexology is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Reflexology record says about it on its own.

Reflexology: dosing

There is no standardized "dose" for reflexology because it is a hands-on therapy, not something you take. Sessions commonly last around 30 to 60 minutes, and how often people go varies widely based on personal preference and budget.If you want to try it, look for a trained, reputable practitioner, share your health history, and start with an occasional session to see how you respond.

From our Reflexology monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Reflexology monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Sertraline

What Is Sertraline Used For?

Brand name: Zoloft

Sertraline treats a range of mental health conditions. All formulations are approved for major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The oral solution (including Zoloft oral solution) and several tablet formulations are also approved for panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social anxiety disorder, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).

For OCD specifically, the capsule formulations and some tablet products are approved for use in adults and children aged 6 and older. Sertraline hydrochloride tablets (plain, not film-coated) are approved for OCD in pediatric patients as well. However, sertraline is not approved for major depressive disorder in children — only in adults.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Sertraline

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (218,320 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Nausea 13,865 reports
Fatigue 12,822 reports
Headache 11,106 reports
Anxiety 10,369 reports
Diarrhea 10,339 reports
See full Sertraline drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Reflexology

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Reflexology — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
0Moderate
0Minor
2,829No known interaction
2,829 No interaction
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Reflexology against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,829 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Reflexology list.

See the full Reflexology interactions page
See every supplement checked against Sertraline, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Reflexology References

The 73 references that drive our Reflexology monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. Blunt E. Foot reflexology. Holist Nurs Pract 2006;20:257-9.
  2. Stephenson NL, Dalton JA. Using reflexology for pain management. A review. J Holist Nurs 2003;21:179-91. PubMed
  3. Stephenson N, Dalton JA, Carlson J. The effect of foot reflexology on pain in patients with metastatic cancer. Appl Nurs Res 2003;16:284-6. PubMed
  4. Tipping L, Mackereth PA. A concept analysis: the effect of reflexology on homeostasis to establish and maintain lactation. Complement Ther Nurs Midwifery 2000;6:189-98. PubMed
  5. Mak HL, Cheon WC, Wong T, et al. Randomized controlled trial of foot reflexology for patients with symptomatic idiopathic detrusor overactivity. Int Urogynecol J Pelvic Floor Dysfunct 2007;18:653-8. PubMed
  6. Wilkinson IS, Prigmore S, Rayner CF. A randomised-controlled trail examining the effects of reflexology of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Complement Ther Clin Pract 2006;12:141-7. PubMed
  7. McNeill JA, Alderdice FA, McMurray F. A retrospective cohort study exploring the relationship between antenatal reflexology and intranatal outcomes. Complement Ther Clin Pract 2006;12:119-25. PubMed
  8. Tiran D, Chummun H. The physiological basis of reflexology and its use as a potential diagnostic tool. Complement Ther Clin Pract 2005;11:58-64. PubMed
  9. Mollart L. Single-blind trial addressing the differential effects of two reflexology techniques versus rest, on ankle and foot oedema in late pregnancy. Complement Ther Nurs Midwifery 2003;9:203-8. PubMed
  10. Bishop E, McKinnon E, Weir E, Brown DW. Reflexology in the management of encopresis and chronic constipation. Paediatr Nurs 2003;15:20-1. DOI
  11. Ross CS, Hamilton J, Macrae G, et al. A pilot study to evaluate the effect of reflexology on mood and symptom rating of advanced cancer patients. Palliat Med 2002;16:544-5. PubMed
  12. Williamson J, White A, Hart A, Ernst E. Randomised controlled trial of reflexology for menopausal symptoms. BJOG 2002;109:1050-5. PubMed
  13. Tovey P. A single-blind trial of reflexology for irritable bowel syndrome. Br J Gen Pract 2002;52:19-23.
  14. Oleson T, Flocco W. Randomized controlled study of premenstrual symptoms treated with ear, hand, and foot reflexology. Obstet Gynecol 1993;82(6):906-11.
  15. Gunnarsdottir TJ, Jonsdottir H. Does the experimental design capture the effects of complementary therapy? A study using reflexology for patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery. J Clin Nurs 2007;16(4):777-85. PubMed

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Having Reflexology While Taking Sertraline: Common Questions

Is it safe to have Reflexology while taking Sertraline?
We do not list a known interaction between Reflexology and Sertraline. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
Do Reflexology and Sertraline have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 2 of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
Are Reflexology and Sertraline used for the same thing?
They overlap in purpose, which usually means the real question is whether you need both rather than whether they are safe together. This page lists the shared uses and how strong the evidence is for Reflexology in each. That is a conversation for your prescriber, especially if Sertraline is being adjusted to a target.
Does Sertraline interact with any supplements?
Yes. Sertraline has documented interactions with 188 supplements in our database — Reflexology is not one of them. The Sertraline interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Where next

Keep Exploring

Reflexology monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Sertraline drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Sertraline supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Sertraline, ranked by severity Supplement interaction checker Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z Every drug we’ve checked against herbs & supplements References The 73 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Sertraline and Reflexology?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.