How Does Aromatherapy Work?

If you've heard of aromatherapy,the alternative health treatment using essential oils, you may have wondered: How does Aromatherapy Work? First, let's take a look at what aromatherapy is in the 21st century.

Historically, aromatherapy has referred to the treatment of various ailments using essential oils extracted from aromatic plants, flowers, seeds, leaves, bark and fruit. Today, aromatherapy is practiced to enhance standard medical treatments, or in massage to treat physical and sometimes emotional conditions. Most often today, aromatherapy is relegated to a purely aesthetic value as a beautiful scent enhancement using special diffusers or burners in the home or added to bath water.

Essential oils are a key aspect to aromatherapy and can be used in three ways, through inhalation, topically and orally. Aromatherapy works on both physical and nonphysical levels. It works holistically by addressing the physical body, mind and soul. Aromatherapy works when essential oils enter the body by absorption through the pores of the skin or inhalation through the nose. Because the nerves of the nose are connected directly to the limbic system of the brain, an area of the brain associated with emotions and memory, aromatherapy can have a profound affect on the user.

Aromatherapy works by linking physical, mental, and emotional levels of concern and actually works best when it is used by the mind and body simultaneously. Aromatherapy works subtly, through the senses as you absorbe impressions. It targets different neuro-chemicals in the brain, to lift up, stimulate, sedate or create euphoria. Aromatherapy works harmoniously with all anxiety reduction techniques like meditation, relaxation techniques or yoga.

When asking how does aromatherapy work, it is important to first understand some facts about our brain, our memories and emotions, and in particular, our sense of smell. The sense of smell, is the least understood of the human senses, but we do know that aromas have the most immediate effect on the body and mind. Smells can trigger vivid memories, involving sights, sounds and emotional impressions of events even in our distant past. Have you ever smelled something you love baking in the oven and been brought back to an earlier, happier time? If you allow it, aromatherapy has the ability to heal as well.

Aromatherapy benefits include stress and headache relief, sleep improvement, mood boosting, regulation of hormones, immune system stimulation, muscle relaxation, blood circulation, healing of skin disease, etc. Aromatherapy can be used for everything from acne, chapped skin and lips, insect bites, athlete’s foot, bronchitis, sore throats, and it is even now being used to treat Alzheimer’s Disease patients. Aromatherapy can be incredibly effective and because it is much safer to use than more conventional treatment methods, it is great for people who are looking for natural treatment alternatives. Aromatherapy can distract you from current stress, induce positive memories and emotions, or treat an emotional state. The technique affects conscious thought and emotional reactions.

Aromatherapy is one of the fastest growing fields in alternative medicine and is slowly entering into conventional medicine. How Does Aromatherapy Work? In so many ways.