How Is Aromatherapy Done?
Aromatherapy (oil therapy) is a holistic healing treatment using natural plant extract to promote well-being and health. The oils used are aromatic essential oils that medicinally help improve our spirit, mind, and body.
The healing practice has been used for thousands of years, particularly in ancient cultures like Egypt, India, and China. Despite this being considered an older medical and religious treatment, many still use it. To learn more about how aromatherapy is done, see below:
How does aromatherapy treatment work
Aromatherapy treatment works by utilizing the sense of smell and skin absorption of the following products:
- Inhalers
- Diffusers
- Clay masks
- Bathing salts
- Facial steamers
- Aromatic spritzers
- Hot and cold compresses
- Body oils, creams, or lotions for massage or topical application
Typically, the treatment will include one alone or a combination, depending on personal preference and type of aromatherapy.
When you're undergoing aromatherapy, you'll be offered various essential oils. Depending on where you go, there will be hundreds. However, what are the best options?
What essential oils work best?
With aromatherapy, there are many different chemical makeups and fragrances to select. Depending on your condition, the person doing the treatment might recommend an essential oil. If not, we highly recommend choosing one of the popular options below:
- Lavender oil - The aroma of lavender is calming to many individuals. It's frequently employed to ease tension and anxiety and to encourage restful sleep.
- Lemon oil - Many individuals believe that the zesty aroma of lemon oil improves their mood.
- Peppermint oil: There's some evidence that using peppermint essential oil in an enteric-coated might help ease the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). When administered topically, it might alleviate tension headaches as well.
- Tea tree oil: This essential oil, also known as melaleuca, was utilized for wound healing by the Aboriginal people of Australia.
Ideally, if you're undergoing the treatment with minimal guidance, then choosing one of the above is more than worth the consideration. With these popular options, you can obtain essential benefits that help your mental and physical well-being.
Aromatherapy benefits
Aromatherapy benefits range depending on the type of essential oil used during the treatment. However, you will be surprised about what's possible to obtain. Here's a brief breakdown of the several advantages of the treatment:
- Manages pain
- Boost immunity
- Improve digestion
- Soothe sore joints
- Improve sleep quality
- Ease discomforts of labor
- Fight bacteria, viruses, or fungus
- Improve hospice and palliative care
- Reduce stress, agitation, and anxiety
- Alleviate side effects of chemotherapy
Compared to the available benefits, this is a small section. But you should be able to understand the possibilities of trying out aromatherapy.
Summary
The above briefly breakdowns how aromatherapy is done. It uses essential oil's smell and absorption capabilities during the treatment to offer various benefits focusing on the body, mind, and spirit.
Despite its older history dating back thousands of years, it still has a purpose. Nowadays, it's recognized in the field of medicine and science because of its natural healing capabilities.