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Aromatherapy – Help or Hype?

There’s a lot of information whirling around out there about aromatherapy. Some say it’s all hype while others praise its healing benefits. How do you decide just who’s right?

First…a definition of aromatherapy from the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy, (NAHA), “Aromatherapy is the skilled and controlled use of essential oils for physical and emotional health and well being."

Now for some history…aromatherapy has been in existence since the time of the ancient Egyptians who used herbal oils to embalm their dead. During the 11th century, a Persian invented a coiled pipe to distill rose oil, much the same way as we distill essential oils today. In the 12th century, Germany distilled lavender, to use for medicinal purposes. In later years, pharmaceutical companies caught on to the idea of distilling essential oils because of their healing abilities.

So…how do essential oils work along with aromatherapy?

Essential oils arouse your sense of smell and can have a considerable effect on the way you feel. For example, certain studies on brain wave activity show increases in alpha waves, associated with relaxation, when a subject smells Lavender, while the scent of Jasmine stimulates beta waves, which are associated with alertness.

More than 220 different essential oils exist; some alternative and natural healers claim that each has different properties that can positively affect many conditions. However, an April 2008 research study, using 56 subjects at Ohio State University, examined the effects of lemon and lavender aromatherapy on immune system response, wound healing and pain management; the study concluded that there was no significant improvement.

Natural health and wellness medical doctor and expert, Dr. Andrew Weil, comments, “Researchers…have been looking into the effects of aromatherapy on sleep, pain and anxiety, as well as trying to determine whether it can reduce the respiratory congestion of colds and flu, relieve constipation and post-operative nausea, and even help grow hair. There is already good evidence that certain scents can help induce relaxation and improve sleep.”

The bottom line? If you find that the use of essential oils in aromatherapy is beneficial for you, then by all means, use them.

And…while aromatherapy is considered to be relatively harmless, remember that some essential oils are toxic if taken internally and that misuse can cause headaches, nausea, burns and allergic reactions. So please, use them with care.

If you are interested in our opinion on the effectiveness of aromatherapy, by all means, please ask us when you come in for your next chiropractic adjustment.