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Description
Not your everyday treatment. Your whole body is dry brushed with a
special boar-bristle brush to remove dead skin cells. The stimulation
also promotes an increase in blood flow. This is followed by an
aromatherapy massage. After an interview to determine your specific needs, our aromatherapist
will prepare the correct selections of essential oils into the proper
carrier oil for your massage treatment. The oils may be applied
topically or inhaled using a steam vaporizer while you receive a gentle
massage. Essential oil therapy may require additional time to maximize
it's beneficial effects. Accordingly, your therapist will advise you on when
to take your next shower or bath.
Key Benefits
- Relaxation
- Reduction of Stress
- Increased Circulation
- Improved Respiration
- A dramatic sense of well being
Treatment Data
Please read this additional information...
Author: Leonard C. Bruno
Definition
Aromatherapy is the use of fragrant, concentrated oils from parts of
plants, such as their flowers, fruit, stalks, roots, and bark, for the
purpose of improving a person's Health and well-being.
Purpose
Aromatherapy is a branch of herbal medicine that uses the essential oils
found in plants for their healing or medicinal properties. Although its name
suggests that it is primarily a form of aroma or smell therapy, the
essential oils are, in fact, intended mainly to be absorbed into the body
via the skin, through massage, and the lungs, through inhalation.
Aromatherapy is widely used to reduce stress, as well as to rejuvenate and
detoxify the body. It is also used to treat a wide variety of other
conditions.
Precautions
There are several things to be concerned about when using essential oils,
in addition to the purity of the oils themselves. Some individuals
experience a skin reaction (dermatitis) to certain oils when they are
applied, whereas others suffer skin irritation from overuse. More serious
are instances in which oils are incorrectly taken internally. Individuals
with conditions like high blood pressure or epilepsy should never treat
themselves, and young children and pregnant women should be especially
careful.
Description - Detailed
As a holistic therapy, aromatherapy is believed to benefit both the mind
and the body. As far back as the time of the Egyptians, fragrant oils were
recommended for bathing and massage, and plant fragrances were used against
the plague in both ancient and medieval times. However, not until the 1930s
was aromatherapy formalized by its advocates as a specialized branch of
herbal medicine.
Aromatherapists select particular oils for certain conditions, using a
plant's essential oils or aromatic essences, which are the concentrated
substances produced by plants for specific purposes such as repelling
insects or enemies, storing energy, or attracting pollinating insects. Each
oil has its own scent, as well as its own claimed healing characteristics.
Some are considered antiseptic, some anti-inflammatory, and others
stimulating or relaxing.
These oils enter the body through inhalation and absorption. Inhalation
can be as simple as putting a drop of oil on a handkerchief (to promote
relaxation) or a few drops into steaming water (to relieve congestion).
Massage is the most common form of absorbing the oils directly into the body
through the skin, and is considered the most effective method. A visit to an
aromatherapist could last as long as one and a half hours and usually begins
with an interview. After the therapist gains an understanding of the
patient's concerns and needs, whether for stress relief or a physical
condition, the therapist will select a blend of oils and mix them in a
neutral carrier like vegetable oil. After the patient undresses and lies on
a massage table covered by a towel, the therapist begins the massage. A full
massage may last as long as 45 minutes and is usually fairly gentle. For
maximum results, the patient may be advised not to shower for a few hours.
Proponents of aromatherapy argue that it works on the mind as well as the
body. The body is affected directly, since the tiny molecular structure of
the oils allows them to penetrate the skin and be absorbed into the
bloodstream. Then, depending on the particular "healing properties" of the
specific oil, the oil produces an internal effect that can be diuretic,
anti-inflammatory, or antiviral. Other oils support the immune system or
energize, pacify, or detoxify the body.
The mind is affected by aromatherapy via the sense of smell. Whether
inhaled directly or as a result of the fragrance emitted by an oil massage,
the concentrated aroma is said to initiate a complex chain of events within
the body. First, the aroma enters the nose and is received by the cilia or
fine hairs that are linked to the olfactory nerve, which then transmits its
converted, electrical message to the brain itself. This message is received
in the limbic system, the more primitive part of the brain, which has been
called the "emotional switchboard of the brain." Stimulation of the brain's
limbic system is considered a direct pathway to influencing an individual's
mood, emotions, and overall alertness. Aromatherapists emphasize that
essential oils can affect the chemical activity of the brain and therefore
produce both psychological and physical changes. Consultation with a
well-trained, skilled aromatherapist may determine the effectiveness of the
treatment on specific conditions.
Risks
Essential oils can be dangerously toxic if taken internally. Oils applied
externally also can have a powerful, unintended effect, such as producing
uterine contractions in a pregnant woman. In general, it is important not to
overestimate the healing properties of oils. A physician should be consulted
if a critical situation occurs.
Normal results
Certain scents are known to soothe and relax the body and mind.
Aromatherapists claim regular relief for patients with physical conditions
like headaches and emotional situations like anxiety and irritability.
Key Terms
-
Anti-inflammatory - The ability to relieve inflammation, such as
irritation, infection, or pain.
-
Antiseptic - The ability to kill germs or microbes.
-
Dermatitis - Inflammation of the skin.
-
Detoxify - To remove the effects or counteract the toxic properties of
a poison.
-
Diuretic - Any agent that increases the amount of urine produced and
excreted.
-
Holistic - A term describing that which pertains to the entire person,
including the body, mind, and spirit.
-
Limbic system - That part of the brain thought to control emotional
and behavioral patterns.
-
Olfactory nerve - One of a pair of nerves that arise in the mucous
membrane of the nose and connect with areas of the brain associated with
the sense of smell.
Further Reading
For Your Information
Books
- Bradford, Nikki, ed. Alternative Healthcare. San Diego, CA: Thunder
Bay Press, 1997.
- Burton Goldberg Group. Alternative Medicine: The Definitive Guide.
Puyallup, WA: Future Medicine Publishing, 1993.
- Guinness, Alma E., ed. Family Guide to Natural Medicine.
Pleasantville, NY: The Reader's Digest Association, 1993.
- Kastner, Mark and Hugh Burroughs. Alternative Healing. New York: Henry
Holt and Company, 1996.
Periodicals
- "Aromatherapy Arrives." Health (November 1989): 63.
- Kallan, Carla. "Probing the Power of Common Scents." Prevention
(October 1991): 39-43.
- Wartik, Nancy. "Making Sense of Aromatherapy." American Health
(October 1995): 73-74.
Organizations
- National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy. PO Box 17622, Boulder,
CO 80308-0622. (800) 566-6735 or (415) 564- 6785.
- Pacific Institute of Aromatherapy. PO Box 6723, San Rafael, CA 94903.
(415) 479-9121.
Source: Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine. Gale
Group, 2001.
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