Aromatherapy is a form of alternative medicine aimed at managing and curing common health complaints through the administration of essential oils. Treatments tend to be administered topically during massage. Aromatherapy is becoming increasingly popular and widespread, and its benefits are said, by many patients, to be extensive and wide ranging.
History
Aromatherapy has its origins in ancient Chinese, Egyptian and Indian culture, where the use of plant oils as a healing and cosmetic agent has been commonly practiced for many thousands of years. Aromatherapy was originally linked with religious practices, particularly those of ancient Egyptians, who burned incense from aromatic wood and herbs in honor of their gods. However, the healing properties of this process became quickly noted and as a result, the use of aromatherapy to treat varied conditions became much more widespread.
Essential Oils
The essential oils used in the practice of aromatherapy are made up of a number of different chemical components, each with their own complex characteristics and origins. These oils are most commonly taken from a whole variety of different species and sections of plants and extracted from the leaves, flowers and roots in particular, although ingredients derived from peels, resins and barks are also commonplace.
Treatable Conditions
Much of the benefit derived from aromatherapy is associated with the treatment of the direct consequences of insufficient stress management. These consequences specifically include the inability to sleep sufficiently, general anxiety, muscular aches and pains, and headaches. However, aromatherapy is also used in the treatment of disorders of the digestive system, and conditions arising from menstrual and menopausal problems.
Procedure
The first step in all treatments by aromatherapy should be a detailed consultation with a qualified aromatherapist, focusing on diagnosis of a patient's symptoms and an investigation into which essential oils might be best suited to the individual. Aromatherapy is usually practiced through the massaging of essential oils into the skin and scalp of the patient, and focuses on holistic practice, aiming to treat the whole patient and not just addressing a single ailment.
Effects
Although little detailed study has been carried out on the effects of aromatherapy, benefits are commonly considered to include restoring stress to manageable levels, general improvements in relaxation, improved sleep patterns and durations among sufferers of insomnia, minimizing agitation levels among sufferers of dementia, and helping cancer patients to manage their disease more effectively.
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