If you are exploring natural ways to alleviate stress and promote relaxation, you may consider self-administering lavender aromatherapy treatments at home, or paying for professional lavender aromatherapy sessions at your local spa. Although you can enjoy the treatment alone, or in combination with a therapeutic massage or acupuncture session, you should not undergo a lavender aromatherapy treatment as the sole treatment for any physical or mental illness. Instead, speak with your doctor about how lavender aromatherapy can complement, or jeopardize, your already existing conventional medical treatment regimen.
Identification
Lavender aromatherapy is the art of using essential oils extracted from the fresh flowers of the Lavandula officinalas shrub plant, indigenous to the Mediterranean region, to treat mental and physical imbalances throughout the body. Lavender aromatherapy is either administered by a professional aromatherapist in a spa setting, or at home through the use of herbal vaporizers, oil burners, baths and body wraps.
Theories/Speculation
Aromatherapists and herbalists use lavender aromatherapy to treat a variety of disorders including acne, exhaustion, headaches, joint and muscle pain, eczema and fungal infections, says University of Maryland Medical Center. However, it is not known exactly how lavender works to treat disease, notes Dr. Arthur Schoenstadt and Kristi Monson, PharmD of EMedTV.com.
Clinical Trials
In a study, 54 patients who underwent lap band surgery, also called laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding, received either lavender aromatherapy treatments or nonscented baby oil treatments applied with oxygen face masks. The patients who received the lavender aromatherapy treatments needed less pain medication immediately following their surgeries than the patients who received the nonscented baby oil treatments, reports the National Institutes of Health. In another study, 30 healthy men between the ages of 24 and 40 years old were given lavender aromatherapy inhalation treatments to determine whether the treatment would affect coronary, or blood, circulation. After the study, the NIH reported that the lavender aromatherapy induced relaxation in the men and also improved coronary circulation.
Considerations
Lavender aromatherapy may initiate unpleasant side effects such as nausea, chills, vomiting and headaches, says the UMMC, when ingested or applied to the skin. Lavender aromatherapy can also cause drowsiness, and you should use caution if you drive or operate heavy machinery after a treatment, warns the NIH.
Warning
Do not undergo a lavender aromatherapy treatment if you are pregnant or nursing, except under the direct supervision of your doctor. Also, speak with your doctor before you take a lavender aromatherapy treatment if you take a central nervous system depressant, such as Ativan, Valium, Xanax, morphine or Oxycontin, says the UMMC, as lavender may heighten the effects of these drugs.
Member Comments