What is aromatherapy?
Aromatherapy is a form of natural and holistic complementary therapy that uses volatile plant materials, known as essential oils, and other aromatic compounds for the purpose of balancing or revitalising a person’s physical, emotional and spiritual conditions.
What are essential oils?
Essential oils, like medical herbs, are derived purely from various parts of plants including flowers, leaves, stems, barks, roots, fruit skin and seeds, for instance. As secondary metabolites of plants, they are fragrant and highly volatile and their main functions are to protect and to communicate. For us, their significance lies in their medicinal or therapeutic properties, such as anti-microbial, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antispasmodic, sedative, stimulating and others. With proper blending and applications, such as inhalation, massage, bath, compress, mouth wash and gargles, essential oils help balance or promote physical, emotional and psychological well-being.
How does inhaling essential oils help reduce stress and enhance mood?
Obtaining therapeutic benefits by inhalation is a unique application of aromatherapy as a complementary therapy. Any substances that can be detected by the sense of smell would be volatile. The molecules of essential oil are so tiny that they are volatile and can pass through the mucous membranes of nasal cavity to stimulate nerve endings and trigger the transmission of messages, which directly penetrate and affect the cerebral part of the brain, including thalamus, hypothalamus and other structures of the limbic system. These parts of the brain supports a variety of functions, such as the regulation of emotions, behavior, memory, sleeping patterns and the endocrine system. To influence this part of the nervous system, no other application works more effectively than inhalation of essential oils.
What are essential oils good for?
As a complementary therapy, aromatherapy can help soothe a range of ailments and conditions. Some oils like Bergamot or Niaouli have strong anti-viral and immune boosting effects. Others like Lavender are soothing and relaxing.
Essential oils have abundant health benefits. On the whole, their benefits include but are not limited to the following:
- Perform antimicrobial functions against bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites
- Protect and promote our immune system
- Enhance our psyche by lifting our moods, fighting mild or moderate depression, enhancing alertness and memory, instilling sense of peace as well as relieving stress and anxiety
- Relieve insomnia, mood swings, grief, anger as well as physical and mental fatigue
- Assist in natural pain relief
- Energize the body
- Perform anti-inflammatory function
- Rejuvenate, repair and moisturize skin
- Relieve skin issues, including minor cuts, burns, wounds and eczema conditions
- Soothe muscle tension and reduce cramps
- Relieve digestive issues (bloating, stomach gas, dyspepsia, nausea, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome) and improve appetite
- Support and promote the circulatory system to help overcome problems like cold hands and feet
- Protect nerve tissues and restore neurological balance
- Assist the endocrine system, regulating and balancing hormones and secretions
- Support the urinary system and help relieve problems like cystitis
- Relieve PMS, menstrual pain and menopausal syndrome
- Relieve headaches and migraine
- Relieve cold, flu and other respiratory issues such as bronchitis and sinusitis
Can I replace prescribed medication with aromatherapy?
Aromatherapy is not meant to replace prescribed medication, but it can be used as a complement to traditional medical treatment with real benefits.
How is aromatherapy administered?
Aromatherapy works through the use of essential oils in many different ways. The main channels into our bodies are through skin penetration and, inhalation. Oral intake should be administered only with the help of professionals specialized in aromatic medicine. Dermal penetration works as the essential oils enter the body through the skin into the bloodstream(by massage, hot or cold compression, bath etc) , acting directly on the internal organs. Essential oils can also be inhaled through steam inhalation and air diffusing with their molecules entering the bloodstream through the lung or directly stimulating the brain through the olfactory nerve.
Do essential oils have any side effects?
As with any substances that you introduce into your body, essential oils should be used under the guidance of a fully qualified and experienced aromatherapist. Although essential oils are natural and normally safe, their indiscriminate use such as over-dosage can come with negative effects and can even be dangerous. When using them, we need to pay attention to the dosage, purity and application methods of essential oils and their possible interactions with drugs.
Essential oils should not be applied directly on the skin in their undiluted form except for a few types of oils and at most a few drops every time. Some can cause severe irritation and allergic reactions. Certain oils can pose potential dangers to epilepsy patients and pregnant women.
What are the safety guidelines for essential oils usage?
The general rule of thumb is to ensure the essential oils are 100% pure, with their Latin botanical names and country of origins on their labels, before using them. Oral ingestion (without guidance from a qualified aromatherapist) is not recommended. If there is any accidental spillage on your body or clothing, wash with full fat milk or with soap and water. In case of accidental ingestion, drink and wash your mouth with cold milk. Seek medical attention and take the bottle with you. Do not induce vomit on your own unless advised by a qualified medical professional. In case essential oil enters your eyes, wash your eyes with full fat milk or with soap and water. Consult the doctor if pain continues.
Unless with the help of a professional aromatherapist, do not use essential oils:
- If you suffer from high blood pressure, epilepsy, cancer or have undergone a recent surgery.
- If you have a history of miscarriage
- If you suspect you have contra-indicated conditions.
- If you are unsure about the safety of certain oils
- If you are in the first few weeks of pregnancy
- If you have developed skin irritation, redness or soreness due to earlier application. Stop the treatment and immediately clean affected area.
If you have asthma, do not use steam inhalations as concentrated steam can trigger an attack.
Essential oils must always be diluted in a carrier base before direct application on skin, the only exceptions being: one to two drops of
- Lavender on minor burns, cuts or insect bites
- Tea tree, Kanuka and Manuka on minor injuries or insect bites
- Sandalwood on the throat for sore throat and dry coughs
- Geranium or Melissa on cold sores
If any phototoxic essential oils (e.g. most citrus oils) are used over the recommended guideline of 2% concentration, avoid direct exposure to sun/ sun bed for at least 12 hours.
How should essential oils be stored?
Store essential oils in a cool dark place and out of children’s reach. Essential oils are flammable, so they should not be stored with other flammable substances. Exposure to sunlight, heat, moisture or air will accelerate their degradation.