A specific scent can create a specific impact on your mind or body, or both. Most people are aware of how scents can trigger certain memories or emotions. The warm vanilla notes in a perfume can remind you of your mother's warm embrace, for example, or the smell of sea spray can take you back to a particularly happy and carefree summer.
It's no wonder, then, that a natural and complementary form of therapy has been developed around the idea of improving a person's physical and psychological well-being through scents, and that's called aromatherapy. One of the most well-known forms of natural therapies today, this therapy makes use of aromatic plant oils to create a therapeutic blend — each blend is unique to each patient, depending on their individual situation — to bring about the desired responses.
How is aromatherapy performed?
There are different ways of using the oils to achieve the results being aimed for:
· Topical application
· Inhalation (e.g., vaporised in an oil burner)
· Massage
· Water immersion (e.g., added to bath water)
Incidentally, ingestion of all aromatic plant oils isn't allowed since these oils can be toxic.
What oils are used?
Aromatherapy makes use of aromatic plant oils, which includes essential oils. Essential oils are extracted from plants through the use of water distillation or steam. After the plant materials are heated using water or steam (or both), the essential oil then vaporises. As it cools, the oil will then condense.
The most popular essential oils used by practitioners include:
· Lavender - Used for aches and pains, insomnia, burns and headaches
· Rosemary - Ideal for muscular pains and stimulating mental activity
· Tea tree - Used to address respiratory problems and tapped for its antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties
· Peppermint - Great for digestive disorders
· Sweet orange - Helps relieve anxiety and depression
· Sandalwood - Ideal for nervous tension, depression and anxiety
Generally, aromatherapy can help manage symptoms, serve as a complementary therapy to modern medical practices and treat a variety of conditions such as:
· Aches and pains
· Mood disorders
· Skin conditions
· ENT infections
· Autoimmune diseases
· Digestive disorders
· Respiratory conditions
· Reproductive issues
A qualified aromatherapy practitioner communicates closely with patients to determine and understand their particular physical and psychological condition. This information is then used to create a customised remedy using aromatic plant oils, as well as a specific method of application, to address the patient's unique needs.
Treating physical pains, emotional disturbances and psychological issues is often thought to involve nothing but visits to the doctor, clinical examinations, medication, surgery and other common methods. Aromatherapy, on the other hand, offers a calming and often deliciously sensual complementary healing experience. By approaching a fully qualified aromatherapy practitioner, you can gain firsthand experience of how aromatic plant oils can positively affect the human mind, body, and emotions.
For more natural therapy options, contact or visit a physiotherapist near you.