Aroma, touch and well-being: following the mind to wellness (original) (raw)
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The Science and Art of Aromatherapy: A Brief Review
2013
Aromatherapy is defined as "the art and science of utilizing naturally extracted aromatic essences from plants to balance, harmonize and promote the health of body, mind and spirit". Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils from plants for healing. Essential oils have been used for therapeutic purposes for nearly 6,000 years. The ancient Chinese, Indians, Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans used them in cosmetics, perfumes, and drugs. Essential oils were also commonly used for spiritual, therapeutic, hygienic, and ritualistic purposes. By the 1950s massage therapists, beauticians, nurses, physiotherapists, doctors, and other health care providers began using aromatherapy. Aromatherapy did not become popular in the United States until the 1980s. Today, many lotions, candles, and beauty products are sold as "aromatherapy." Aromatherapy is used in a wide range of settings from health spas to hospitals to treat a variety of conditions. In general, it seems to relieve pain...
Aromatherapy is categorized as a form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and has been steadily gaining popularity in today's society. The word aromatherapy is used to describe the use of essential oils for aromatic inhalation, compresses and topical application through massage. The inhaled aroma from these "essential" oils is widely believed to stimulate brain function. Essential oils can also be absorbed through the skin, where they travel through the bloodstream and can promote whole-body healing. There are a wide number of essential oils available, each with its own healing properties. The present review focus on scenario of aromatherapy, modes of application, mechanism of action, types and health benefits.
Aroma Therapy: An Art of Healing
Indian research journal of pharmacy and science, 2018
Aroma therapy is one of the most ancient healing arts & traces its origin to 4500BC, when Egyptians used aromatic substances in medicines. The term Aromatherapy was coined by Prof. Gatte`Fosse, a French cosmetic chemist. Aromatherapy is a holistic healing treatment that uses natural plant extracts from flowers, bark, stems, leaves, roots or other parts of plants to enhance psychological and physical well-being. The inhaled aroma from "essential" oils is widely believed to stimulate brain function. Essential oils can also be absorbed through the skin, where they travel through bloodstream and can promote whole-body healing. Aromatherapy activates areas in nose called olfactory receptors, which send messages through nervous system to brain. The oils may activate certain areas of brain, like limbic system, which plays a role in controlling emotions. They could also have an impact on your hypothalamus, which may respond to the oil by creating a good feeling in brain. Its use ranges from pain relief, mood enhancement and increased cognitive function to treat asthma, insomnia, fatigue, depression, inflammation, alopecia, cancer, arthritis, erectile dysfunction, menstrual disorders, menopausal syndromes, etc. According to the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy, the most popular essential oils include fennel, geranium, lavender, lemongrass etc.
Clinical evaluation of aromatherapy
International Journal of Aromatherapy, 2004
This paper addresses how the clinical effectiveness of aromatherapy may be evaluated. Aromatherapy may work through a mixture of physiological and psychological processes. These may work in synergy. Any evaluation must also be conducted in the messiness of the clinical situation and must be economic, i.e., there are not the resources to conduct the large scale randomised double-blind trials typical of pharmaceutical testing.
Aromatherapy is the practice of using volatile plant oils, including essential oils, for psychological and physical wellbeing. Aromatherapy is a therapeutic remedy that has helped millions of people down the years. Aromatherapy has a variety of helpful properties, which include antibiotic, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, antifungal agents and so on. Essential oils, unlike prescription drugs, work only on those areas that are 'broken', which means they do not go on the healthy tissues and work there. They travel around the body, look for illnesses and target those alone. Aromatherapy is often used in conjunction with massage therapy, acupuncture, reflexology, herbology and other holistic healing therapies.
Aromatherapy and Essential Oils: A Map of the Evidence
2019
Background The purpose of this review is to provide the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) with a broad overview of the effectiveness of aromatherapy and essential oils (EOs), and the health conditions for which these interventions have been examined. Data Sources and Study Selection We searched multiple databases through February 2019 for systematic reviews (SRs) of aromatherapy and EOs for health conditions. Using pre-specified inclusion criteria, all abstracts and full-text articles were dual-screened for inclusion. When there were several qualified reviews for the same health condition, we selected a single review based on its recency, methods, scope, and applicability. Data Abstraction From each review, we abstracted the focus of the SR, the number of controlled trials included, combined number of participants, duration of trials, condition treated, and relevant findings from controlled trials. We abstracted separate data for each of 5 outcome categories: psychological outcom...
Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 2008
Individuals in emotional distress are often treated with psychotherapeutic agents, but other treatment options exist. One safe and effective adjunct for the prevention and treatment of emotional distress is aromatherapy. This article describes the physiological effects of scent, reviews the research on aromatherapy, presents practical information on the use of clinical aromatherapy for emotional distress, and suggests resources for additional training and education.
The International journal of neuroscience, 2009
A systematic review of scientific experimentation addressing olfactory effects on mood, physiology and behavior was undertaken. From this review, 18 studies meeting stringent empirical criteria were then analyzed in detail and it was found that credible evidence that odors can affect mood, physiology and behavior exists. To explain these effects, pharmacological and psychological mechanisms were explored and a psychological interpretation of the data was found to be more comprehensive. Methodological problems regarding dependent measures and stimuli, which led to inconsistencies in the data were discussed, as were the mediating variables of culture, experience, sex differences, and personality.
The psychological aspects of aromatherapy
International Journal of Aromatherapy, 2005
For many years, aromatherapists have largely ignored psychological factors that may be involved in, and play a part in their discipline. One possible explanation for this is that they feared they would add fuel to the already critical and disapproving attitude of the general medical profession that aromatherapy is just a pleasant experience at best, or, at worst, a scam [Vickers A. Massage and aromatherapy: a guide for health professionals. London: Nelson Thornes;]. However, for a long time, medical professions have been content to admit that psychological effects, or what is commonly termed 'the placebo effect', play a large part in the effectiveness of the administration of drugs and even surgery.