The Benefits Of Aromatherapy
While the term aromatherapy is sometimes misused to refer to many fragranced products, aromatherapy in the hands of a trained professional is a therapeutic technique using essential oils to promote health and well-being. Aromatherapy can increase energy, trigger relaxation, and reduce stress. Professional aromatherapy is part of the larger field of holistic medicine. Many aromatherapists are also herbalists.
Essential oils, which are the basis of aromatherapy, are highly concentrated derivatives of herbs and flowers. They contain the essence of the plants from which they come. In contrast, perfumed oils and fragranced oils are often synthesized from the plants, created in labs, or diluted.
A holistic approach means that a therapy deals with body, mind and spirit (energy). Only about five percent of essential oils available today are used in aromatherapy, and there are 10 to 15 that are the most commonly used. With few exceptions, essential oils should not be applied to the skin; they are best inhaled. Their aroma does the work.
To use essential oils for aromatherapy, only a few drops are needed. Common ways of dispensing aromatherapy oils are in a vaporizer, on a sachet, in potpourri, in bathwater, or in a lightbulb ring. While candles may emit fragrances thought to be therapeutic, they rarely contain actual essential oils.
Here are some of the typical uses and essences of aromatherapy. Bergamot is said to ease depression and anxiety (be careful if you put it in bathwater because it will temporarily make your skin more sensitive to sunlight). Chamomile is for alleviating insomnia and restlessness. Jasmine supposedly restores confidence and decreases apathy. Lemon is a stimulant that is said to improve memory and concentration. Lavender relieves stress and depression and enhances relaxation. Peppermint helps to eliminate fatigue. Both rose and jasmine are said to have aphrodisiac properties as well. Sandalwood helps to offset stress.
November 25th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
Can aromatherapy work even if you can’t smell?
My mom had a head injury a while back that resulted in her not being able to smell very well. Would she be able to get any benefits from aromatherapy if she can't smell it? For instance, Lavender can help with depression. Would it help even if she can't smell it?
My mom can only smell certain things. Would she get benefits from the things she can't smell? Like, if she couldn't smell Lavender, would it still help her relax?
November 25th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
First you said she can't smell "very well", but then you said "if she can't smell it". So I'm a little confused. Does she have ANY sense of smell, even if it's very, very slight? As long as she still has even a small ability to smell things, I think aromatherapy could help her.
She might need a stronger concentration of whatever the aromatic preparation is, but I *do* think she could get at least some benefit from aromatherapy. Probably not as much as "the average person," but hey — it's certainly worth a try! Good luck to your mom.
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November 25th, 2008 at 7:52 pm
First of all a higher concentration of essential oils can cause many different kinds of reactions. They are pure plant and flower essences and very very highly concentrated. Lavender and tea tree are the only two that can be applied directly to the skin with out being diluted first. The term aromatherapy gives the misconception that it only heals through the olfactory system using the "aroma" of the plant essences. The healing power of essential oils is absorbed through the sinuses and into the blood stream weather or not the person can smell or not. The particles can also be absorbed through the skin using a carrier oil as a diluent. The best way to do this is through a massage oil. Use about fifty drops of essential oil to four ounces of carrier oil. The best carrier oil for therapeutic uses is jojoba because it is the closest to the natural sebum of the skin so it is absorbed the fastest. Yes, lavender is good for treating depression, but also try mixing in some geranium, basil, ylang ylang, and clary sage. These herbs have been known to help with depression also. So the answer is yes, aromatherapy works just as well in people that cannot smell. The particles travel straight into the bloodstream and that is where the therapeutic value of the essences really occurs. Hope your mother gets better:)
References :
BS holistic nutrition
November 25th, 2008 at 7:54 pm
Aromatherapy for inhalation would not be recommended for your mom. However, there are some essential oils that are helpful for topical use. Such as tea tree oil for a cut or wound. Works great as an aneseptic.
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CMT
November 25th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
do not increase a dose to compensate because all essential oils pass through the liver and like any other chemical it could overtax the organ(s). aromatherapy works just as well through skin absorption. for a topical application stick to 2 or 3 percent solution in carrier oil. 2 percent in one ounce of grapeseed oil would be 12 drops of essential oil . take the combined mixture and use just enough to spread a thin coat over the area to be treated maybe 3 drops on the neck. also straight lavender oil a couple of drops applied to each temple would also work for depression I believe.
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November 25th, 2008 at 7:58 pm
try therapeutic grade essential oils. they can be taken up transdermally, and give great results. Lavender on the soles of feet works wonders. check out Young Living for more information.
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November 25th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
You did in fact state that your mom can not smell very well - Smell can be extremely strong for some and not so strong for others. It will depend on what smell is that your mother connects with as being positive as well.
For me - smell is extremely strong, it can make me sad, happy and/or unhappy.
Aromatherapy has lots of fantastic attributes, however what one person feels about a smell (due to their past experiences) can mean such a different thing to someone else (also due to their past experience).
I have had customers that have had issues with pure lavender essential oil - due to a previous experience in their childhood (being a bad experience) and a bad experience with geranium essential oil - smell can connect you in so many ways, being bad or good.
I have also had customers - that have had an unpleasant experience with oranges, so that when we were making a refreshing cleanser (which included orange essential oil), then she did not like it due to the orange scent.
Pure essential oils do also travel into your blood stream, so it is not always about smell, through the nose, it can also be channelled through your body.
References :
http://www.thearomaguide.com
November 25th, 2008 at 8:02 pm
There are some excellent answers above so I won't reiterate the fact that Aromatherapy can be used for various applications. Your Mom could certainly benefit introducing Aromatherapy into her life and I would highly recommend it.
One thing I wanted to let you know is that Peppermint Essential Oil can help with anosmia, which is loss of the sense of smell.
References :
http://www.essential-oil-recipes.com/peppermint.html