by Sarah Stevens
Beginning aromatherapy can be a little discouraging. There’s SO many oils to choose from, with an incredible array of effects, and an equally incredible array of safety warnings. Where is one to start? Well, like learning anything new, the important thing is to actually get started - buy a few bottles of inexpensive, yet broadly appealing and effective oils and give them a try. It’s really more simple than you might think to use essential oils for things like stress reduction and minor wound healing. At the same time, you’ll be venturing into an entire branch of natural medicine, one in which European doctors even specialize in for addressing a wide variety of ailments. There are many, many excellent books available to advance your knowledge; just remember that essential oils are potent medicines: start slowly, use essential oils that are considered safe in all applications, and keep learning to expand your area of expertise.
Aromatherapy really has a bad name in North America. Kinda soft and fuzzy, and maybe a little too ‘new age’ for many folks. But essential oils share many traits with other natural medicines; they’re really concentrated plant extracts that just happen to smell exceptionally good. ‘Volatile-Plant-Extract-Therapy’ would be a much more appropriate name. ‘Volatile’ simply means ‘easily evaporated’ - in this sense, essential oils are more like alcohol than oil. But unlike alcohol, essential oils are made up of very complex molecules that have a great breadth of healing properties. These properties vary greatly depending on the plant from which the oil was extracted. Many oils are known potent antibacterials, antivirals, anti-inflammates, and stimulate wound healing. Of course, their aroma’s DO have profound effects as well; laboratory studies have conclusively shown this in clinical settings. Inhalation is the simplest method of using essential oils, and is an excellent place to start with aromatherapy. (more…)
by Julia Sabinzky
A combination of massage therapy and accupressure are commonly use in combination with aromatherapy for a wonderful and therapuetic experience. Many physical conditions and afflictions should not be treated with aromatherapy and massage/accupressure. The reason for this avoidance is due mainly to the many different benefits and effects that one gets from the herbs and botanicals used for most of the aromatherapy massage oil mixtures. Therefore, it is essential that you check with a medical proffessional before trying aromatherapy treatments for specific ailments.
One needs to be aware of the benefits and dangers of using some specific aromatherapy massage oils in order to be safe and healthy. Most of the oils used for aromatherapy massages are not applicable for use in an aromatherapy oil burner.
Warming Up And Cooling Down
Amongst the many benefits of using aromatherapy massage oils are their abilities to both warm or cool muscles. Some tense or overused muscle conditions will benefit from a warming oil which will allow the muscles to relax and recover. Sesame(warming), peppermint(warming), arnica(cooling), and sandalwood(cooling) are some of the most popular oils used for massage therapy when muscles are in need of warming or cooling.
Treating Muscle And Joint Pains
Aromatherapy treatment is often used to give relief to people who suffer from muscle and joint pain. Amongst some common conditions relieved by aromatherapy are arthritis, rheumatism, and cramps. Aromatherapy massage oils can be effective in lessening inflammation and relaxing tight muscles that are often the cause of cramps. Muscle pain will often benefit from the massage therapy, but when combined with aromatherapy, it becomes even more effective.
Once again, massage itself does wonders for sore and tires muscles. But when combined with the relaxing properties of aromatherapy massage oil, there are more benefits for the person.
Creating The Mood
Aromatherapy can change the ambience of the place where the person is being massaged. If you have ever received a proffesional massage, you probably have noticed the scent of lavendar in the air. There are many aromatherapy oils available in the market today that you can use to set the mood. Try differenct scents - see which gives you the best feeling of well-being and relaxation.
About the Author:
Julia Sabinzky is the owner and writer of a blog about how aromatherapy works. Julia is knowledgeable in many aspects of aromatherapy. You can get more great and free information at her aromatherapy site. Get a totally unique version of this article from our article submission service
