Introduction to Aromatherapy

Source: Healing People Network
Published: Friday, February 22, 2008

The origin of aromatherapy can be traced back to ancient Egypt and India. Five thousand years ago, essential oils were utilized for healing, cosmetics, perfumery, and religious rites. Now, the benefits of this natural-healing treatment are being explored by medical researchers around the world.

Ironically, essential "oils" aren't oils at all, but non-oily volatile hydrocarbons that are insoluble in water. These substances emit complex fragrances that have been virtually impossible to reproduce synthetically.

Aromatherapy is used for a vast array of ailments. It can reduce stress, enhance relaxation, and relieve anxiety and other emotional disorders. Even more amazing therapeutic uses of oils include treatments for arthritis, postpartum discomfort, and impotence. Research is being done to understand the chemistry of essential oils and the scientific basis for their effects in healing.

There are certified aromatherapists that you can contact for supervision, but many people simply use the oils unsupervised. Here are some of the standard ways they are administered:

Inhalation: For respiratory problems, try 6 to 12 drops added to a bowl of steaming water. Place a towel and breathe in the scented vapors deeply.
Diffusion: It is also suggested to spray oil-containing compounds into the air. Simply add 10 drops of an essence to 7 tablespoons of water, shake, and spray. If you aren't going to use the entire amount, add a tablespoon of vodka or pure alcohol which acts as a preservative.
Massage: Rubbing scented oils into the skin may help soothe muscle soreness. It can also create a calming effect. Add 5 drops of an essential oil to a light base oil. Be careful not to add too much, which may cause irritation.
Bathing: Use up to 8 drops in a tubful of water. More can be added, 10 to 15 drops total, if you are using a hot tub. For just hands and feet, use 3 to 4 drops.
Hot and cold compresses: To help heal muscle soreness, add 5 to 10 drops of oil to about 4 ounces of water. Soak a cloth in the solution and apply to the area of soreness.

Aromatherapy didn't see widespread practice in North America until the early 1980s. In a search for a natural treatment with fewer side effects than conventional medicines, people professed that these oils were a practical therapy for everything from viral and bacterial infections to depression and memory enhancement. Its practitioners assert that by stimulating certain regions of the brain, odor-sensing nerves send impulses to the limbic system - the area believed to regulate memory and emotions. Also, some proponents believe aromas stimulate the adrenal glands, among others, to produce hormones that fight pain and inflammation.

Certain properties have been assigned to essential oils by aromatherapists. Here are a few:

Lavender: Heals burns and cuts; kills bacteria; reduces inflammation, headaches, muscle aches, and menstrual cramps; soothes bug bites; and lowers blood pressure. Peppermint: Useful for motion sickness, digestive problems, decongestion, and cleaning wounds.
Eucalyptus: Fever reduction, clearing sinuses, cough suppressant, boils and pimples.
Rosemary: Relieves pain, increases circulation, reduces swelling, and relieves depression; Used for gas and liver problems.
Tea Tree: Fights fungal, yeast, and bacterial infections; clears vaginitis, bladder infections, and thrush.
Thyme: Helps with laryngitis and coughing; fights bladder and skin infections; reduces joint pain.

As with any other medical home remedy, check with your doctor before administering aromatherapy. Some essential oils can trigger bronchial spasms and allergic reactions, and asthmatics can have an adverse reaction to some oils.