Aromatherapy & Massage Therapy

The Mayo Clinic lists massage and aromatherapy as two alternative therapies that can help to ease the pain and stress of cancer treatments. You can find them together in settings as diverse as hospitals and day spas. Clinical research studies are underway on aromatherapy, and the National Institutes of Health's National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine recognizes the effectiveness of massage for some patients.

History of Aromatherapy

The use of essential oils, or plant extracts, dates back over 6,000 years, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. The Indians, Chinese, Greeks and Egyptians used them for ceremonial, cosmetic and medicinal purposes. While examining the properties of essential oils in his laboratory, French chemist René-Maurice Gattefossé burned his hand. He treated his wound with the first salve available, lavender oil. This led him to study the healing properties of essential oils on soldiers during World War I. He officially founded the science of aromatherapy in 1928.

History of Massage

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine notes that as early as 460 B.C., Hippocrates defined massage as "the art of rubbing." Writings about massage therapy appear in the ancient Arabic nations, Rome, Japan and China. Ayerveda, which dates back to India 3000 B.C., places significant emphasis on massage treatment with medicinal oils and spices. Classic massage gained popularity in Europe during the Renaissance. Two brothers who were both physicians, George and Charles Taylor, studied massage in Sweden, and brought the practice to the United States in the 1850s.

Aromatherapy Intake in Massage

Despite its name, aromatherapy uses several methods of essential oil intake besides inhalation. A knowledgeable aromatherapist may prescribe taking essential oils by mouth. Ingestion should only be done with professional guidance and under the direction of a physician, since some essential oils are poisonous or may interact with medications. You can also absorb essential oils through the skin. Massage with essential oils takes advantage of the aromatherapy benefits of inhalation and absorption. Rubbing the skin can increase blood flow to speed the intake.

Aromatherapy and Massage in Practice

Essential oils come in concentrated forms and without dilution can be caustic to the skin. To make a massage oil, create a 1 percent solution by mixing essential oil with a carrier, such as avocado oil, in a ratio no stronger than one drop of essential oil to 1 tsp. of carrier oil. Test the oil on a small patch of skin, and watch for any allergic reaction before applying the massage oil to a larger area.

Research

According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, research on the effectiveness of massage and aromatherapy on specific conditions is still inconclusive. However, studies are beginning to show that massage and aromatherapy may bring relief for certain patients. A review of 13 clinical trials on massage in 2008 showed massage may be useful for chronic low-back pain. A study at Ohio State University published in "Psychoneuroendocrinology" in 2008 found no evidence that exposure to the scent of lavender or lemon affected pain ratings or wound healing. However, those who smelled lemon reported feeling uplifted, while those who smelled lavender reported no change in mood.