Aromatherapy is a form of treatment using essential oils, which have been extracted from natural products such as plants, herbs, trees, and resins. They each have their own therapeutic properties and may be made up in a blend of two or three different oils to meet the specific needs of each client.
The most popular method of using essential oils is in a massage, where a
blend of oils are used. They are absorbed through the skin and carried around the body via
the body's extra cellular fluids. In addition, they are inhaled, having a direct effect on
the brain and releasing various neurochemicals, e.g. the relaxing hormone, serotonin, is
released by using the relaxing oils such as lavender and chamomile, whilst the stimulating hormone, noradrenalin, is released by using the mentally stimulating oils such as rosemary and lemon. In massage, essential oils are never used neat on the skin because they could cause an unpleasant skin reaction. They are always diluted with vegetable-based carrier oil such as almond or grapeseed oil. This carrier oil also has its own therapeutic effects.
Essential oils may also be used in the bath, inhalations, vaporisers, diffusers, light bulb
rings, humidifiers, oil burners, mouth washes, gargles, compresses or even on a handkerchief
or tissue.
A blend of oils is carefully chosen, taking into account the needs of the client, physically, mentally and emotionally. A full massage is given using these oils, which lasts approximately an hour. The massage itself is geared towards improving the body's immune system, lymph drainage and circulation. Although the joints, muscles and nerves are also cased greatly by aromatherapy massage, there is not as much manipulation given with this form of massage as there is with the more manipulative Swedish or therapeutic massage.