Aromatherapy for Massage

Aromatherapy is the use of natural essential oils or blends of essential oils to affect physical and psychological well being, according to AromaWeb, a website devoted to the practice of aromatherapy. Essential oils applied to the skin can be absorbed directly into the blood stream, making massage an easy and effective method of aromatherapy application.

Benefits

Cherie Perez, a supervising research nurse in the Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, says that essential oils can help boost the immune system's ability to fight infections, stimulate lymphatic drainage, manage anxiety, and promote sleep and relaxation. In a study conducted at Marie Curie Cancer Care in London, 103 cancer patients received massage either with or without essential oils. The study concluded that patients who received aromatherapy massage with Roman chamomile essential oil showed more improvement in physical and psychological symptoms than massage without aromatherapy. Although, regular massage also effectively improved quality of life.

Expert Insight

A pilot study conducted by Lavender Day Hospital studied the effects of aromatherapy massage on eight subjects over an eight-month period. Anxiety and depression levels were rated using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale before the first massage and again after the study was completed. Six out of the eight participants showed improvement in their levels of anxiety and depression based on their Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale test results.

Features

According to AromaWeb, aromatherapy practitioners use a blend of carrier oil with volatile plant oils, such as essential oils that are distilled directly from plant leaves, roots or flowers. This combination is used for massage. Carrier oils are generally cold-pressed vegetable oils, such as sweet almond oil, apricot kernel oil and grapeseed oil. Essential oils can be used alone or combined in a synergistic blend for a specific therapeutic purpose.

Identification

AromaWeb asserts that holistic aromatherapists use natural, plant-extracted volatile oils and try to avoid synthetic perfume oils because synthetic chemicals don't provide the same therapeutic benefits as naturally-produced essential oils. Be aware that aromatherapy products aren't regulated by the United States Government and AromaWeb informs readers that "...the term essential oil is sometimes used as a blanket term to include all natural, aromatic, volatile, plant oils including CO2s and absolutes."

Warning

Most massage therapists lacking proper training for working with volatile plant oils according to AromaWeb. Before getting an aromatherapy massage, make sure you verify your practitioner's credentials. "Ask the therapist to define aromatherapy and to explain to you what cold pressed vegetable oils and essential oils are," recommends AromaWeb.