About Aromatherapy

Ahhhh… Aromatherapy

The sense of smell is one of the more powerful senses we experience daily. It can cause instant nausea in a pregnant woman, bring memories and feelings back from childhood, or change our mood within moments.

The scent of the oils and how they make you feel emotionally is not the only aspect of the powerful essential oils used in aromatherapy. They can act as strong anti-biotics, anti-virals, and anti-fungals, can have hormone-like effects on the body, help wounds heal faster, and even help to diminish pain. In combination with other therapies, such as massage and acupuncture, aromatherapy can enhance the desired effects of a treatment and speed the process of healing. The scents of aromatherapy almost always have an effect on a person’s mood, so a session with these oils can be tailored to a person’s specific emotional needs and levels of stress, depression, worry, etc..

Aromatherapy can be useful in treating many conditions in pregnancy, such as nausea, edema, and anxiety. It is also great for post-partum blues, and for babies and children, for boosting their immune system and helping them fight off disease, as well as calming them down for a better night’s sleep. Using aromatherapy may also be a good adjunctive therapy for a woman in labor, to help ease her tension and pain, and calm any fears or anxiety associated with the birthing process, while at the same time helping to increase the strength of uterine contractions and acting as a natural analgesic.

Methods of Use

Essential oils can be applied several ways, and can either be used neat (undiluted), or mixed in a carrier oil or lotion. They can be massaged onto the body, or applied to specific areas only according to what needs to be addressed. They can be added to a bath, diffused through-out a room, or even just soaked on a cotton-ball and kept in a baggie to smell as needed. Some are even safe enough to ingest, but only as recommended by an expert aromatherapist.

Aromatherapy can be useful in many ways, and to fully understand its applications might require the help of an aromatherapist. To find one in your area, visit our Directory of Professionals. For more information on how aromatherapy might be able to help you, visit our Articles section, browse through our Blog, or post a question in our Forum.