What is Aromatherapy and How does it Work?

Aromatherapy basically consists of the medical use of essences or essential oils, mainly vegetables, to alleviate certain diseases or conditions. These essential oils are present in many plants and are characterized by their pungent odor.

Essential oils are not only used in aromatherapy but are also present in the food industry, in the cosmetics industry, in cleaning products and a long etcetera.

So, What is Aromatherapy?

The objective of aromatherapy is not to replace or replace traditional medicine in any case, but to serve as a compliment and make its effects more rapid and lasting. Aromatherapy in itself has no curative effects, but it does create an emotional environment that awakens that healing energy in the body.

In aromatherapy plant species are used that have a sweet and pleasant “aroma”, and from there treatment or therapies are designed whose goal is to introduce the organism in a more balanced and harmonious state.

The healing potential of aromatherapy comes from its ability to promote relaxation and, at the same time, generate a sense of joy or tranquility in the recipient.

What are aromatherapy treatments?

An aromatherapy session is very similar to a massage session, but it maintains certain differences. Before attending one of these sessions, the person who submits to it must be clear that during the time that their thoughts last they must focus on themselves and their well-being.

Many specialists in aromatherapy advise reserving a space of time before, during and after the session, so that the beneficial effects of the treatment are enhanced.

Normally, aromatherapy sessions begin with an analysis of the general health status. From this analysis, the specialist assesses which physical or psychological problems are more relevant and from there the session is oriented.

We insist on an important aspect, the odors that the essential oils give off are quite intense, that is why sometimes they are diluted in other substances to avoid irritations or burns. Once proven that the smells are not unpleasant for the client and do not cause any kind of negative impact, the treatment begins, which is similar to a traditional massage.

Aromatherapy is based on applying these essential oils together with a base oil in the affected areas. Depending on the client’s response, the aromatherapist will continue to use these oils in subsequent sessions until the health problems are mitigated.

In nature, there are almost as many essential oils as plants, so it is very difficult to list them all. They are usually cataloged or grouped according to the ailments or diseases they can alleviate.

What is aromatherapy for?

Aromatherapy offers more beneficial effects for minor ailments: digestive problems, premenstrual syndrome, diseases related to stress and some skin problems.

For more serious diseases, aromatherapy is not as effective, and should never be used as a substitute therapy. However, this alternative technique can be used as a means to alleviate psychological stress and calm the moods experienced by people suffering from serious diseases.

Considering the effect they generate in the organism, essential oils are grouped according to their most frequent uses. In this way we find relaxing, revitalizing and stimulating essential oils.

Types of Oils

The most popular relaxing essential oils are the following: lavender (also with antiseptic effect), jasmine, frankincense and myrrh (some caution must be observed with these last two because they can irritate if applied to the skin or used in the bath) , neroli, orange, tangerine and ylang-ylang (the latter causes headaches if you inhale excessively).

The revitalizing oils for their part are: the lemon (irritates the skin if exposed to the sun), grapefruit seed, cinnamon, juniper (presents antiseptic properties), vanilla, geranium and rosemary among others.

Application Modes of Oils

In aromatherapy, there are many ways to apply essential oils. The massages, aromatic baths or inhalation are the most common, and their use will depend on the ailment to be treated.

The inhalation is the most common mode, it can be carried out directly or indirectly. If the essential oil is very intense, one solution is to mix or dilute the aromatic essence with water or other substances. Aromatherapy by inhalation is a treatment often used to treat respiratory problems and even certain skin disorders.

In addition to locating the inhaler or inhalers near the patient, another alternative is the use of diffusers that allow the movement of the particles in the air.

In the event that aromatherapy is practiced through massage, the essential oils should be applied directly on the affected area and massaged. The intensity of the massage will depend on the problem to be treated. Massage Aromatherapy is widely used to relieve muscle contractures.

A final way to apply aromatherapy is through aromatic baths. This option is more indicated for problems related to blood circulation. A good aromatherapy session using aromatic baths is based on a hot water bath with a few drops of essential oils.

For the session to offer the appropriate results, it is important to calculate the temperature of the water every so often, in this way an ideal degree of relaxation is obtained and the risk of suffering injuries is reduced.