Once you begin to look into aromatherapy as a source of soothing and healing, you cannot but be amazed at all the actions essential oils can have.
Your sense of smell is a wonderful thing. There is only a thin barrier from the nose to your brain, so anything you smell has an almost immediate effect. You like the smell or you hate it, right away.
But, that's not the only way aromatherapy oils work. They pass through your skin and have actions at the point where they are rubbed in or massaged on.
It's a two-pronged attack to help you get over whatever ails you.
Some people wonder why they are called essential oils. Well, they are essential to the plant ? not to you. The plant needs them to form part of its own immuneOne of the most popular of complementary and alternative therapies must be aromatherapy. There's something very system. They give the plant resistance to attack from infections and insect and other predators.
The theory is that if they protect the plant and help it heal from damage and illness, they can do the same for you and me.
Some of the oils used today originated many hundreds and even thousands of years ago, and have been used across the generations. While oils such as lavender are hugely popular everywhere, others are less so. And some have a positively ancient feel, so maybe have become disused for no real reason.
One or two have been reinvented, in a way, (although they have never been away) and have been shown to retain their activity in certain circumstances. And I want to mention two of them today.
It's a long time since Frankincense and Myrrh came to the fore in the Bible, but these two things are becoming popular once more. This time as essential oils used to treat common aches and pains.
This time, however, their names have been changed to the botanical versions. I think this is to let everyone know the plant species they come from. These are Boswellia carteri for Frankincense, and Commiphora myrrha for Myrrh.
Both oils are derived from the resins that exude from the plants when they are damaged, and are now the main ingredients of some aromatherapy-based creams.
A brief check of want the respective oils can do shows the basis for using them together in this way..
Frankincense essential oil tones the skin, eases pain and numbness, while the aroma calms stress and tension.
Myrrh essential oil fights inflammation, helps healing and kills infections.
Together Frankincense and Myrrh or Boswellia and Commiphora give you the best of both worlds ? fight infection, ease pain and inflammation, and promote healing. And, at the same time their aromas help sooth and calm your anxious mind. (Remember the two-pronged attack of aromatherapy oils I mentioned before.)
And, there are few, if any, side effects or untoward problems with rubbing them into your skin. Neither is toxic when diluted in a cream.
So there you have it. A useful, healing cream with little chance of side effects that can help treat aches and pains of all types, including arthritis and rheumatism. And all by combining two essential oils from the aromatherapy range, oils that have been around for thousands of years.
They aren't alone either. Other essential oils are used to treat pain by adding them to warm baths, hot compresses or massaging them into the affected areas. Part of their action is the relaxation, calmness and soothing tensions associated with their use. But these two aromatherapy oils have direct actions on damaged and painful parts as well.
It just goes to show that aromatherapy really does have a place in modern treatments.
So, welcome back to Frankincense and Myrrh. You've probably never been away.
Next time you are shopping for a general purpose cream for aches and pains why not search out a Boswellia and Commiphora cream to add to your first-aid kit?
Heal pain using a massage oil therapy based on the use of essential (concentrated) plant oils. The oils are usually massaged into skin, put in a bath or inhaled. It's not known exactly how aromatherapy works, but there is some evidence to show that it does, and that it can be helpful as an alternative or complement to conventional medical treatment. The concentrated essential oils aromatherapists use to treat conditions are aromatic and volatile (ie which evaporate easily) elements from plants. The oils are not concentrated from whole plant parts - unlike herbal medicines - but are extracted, generally by steam distillation, from flowers, leaves, roots, grasses, peel, resin or bark.
How can essential oil help to heal pain? Essential oil is now used to treat a whole range of conditions and is believed to work on people both physically and psychologically. The first part of the theory is that when you smell an essential oil, it triggers your limbic system - the part of the brain that controls emotions and stores and retrieves learned memories - and relaxes you. The other part of the theory is that the essential oils are absorbed through the skin, and have medicinal properties which act on the cause of the problem.
Just some of the conditions essential oil is used to treat are:
Anxiety, stress or insomnia Muscular aches and pains Headaches Asthma Eczema Digestive problems Menstrual or menopausal problems You can choose to be treated by an aromatherapist, or you can buy certain essential oils over the counter at pharmacies and health shops, and treat yourself. If you visit an aromatherapist, he or she will probably massage oils into your skin. If you treat yourself, you can add them to your bath, or inhale them using steaming water, a diffuser or an incense burner. There is also a wide range of toiletries containing essential oils available, some of which may claim to increase wellbeing or have some healing properties.
Does essential oil therapy work? Despite a lack of good research proving that essential oils could work by either stimulating your sense of smell or being absorbed through your skin, in theory it is possible to predict the effects of the oils based on their chemical make up. However, there is no conclusive scientific evidence that the theories are true - or false - and there has been little research to try and prove them right or wrong. There have been good quality trials studying the effects of aromatherapy on groups of people including studies that compared aromatherapy with the effects of a placebo (a dummy treatment) and no treatment at all. A review of these suggests aromatherapy can help with some conditions.
Are there any concerns? Aromatherapy products such as toiletries contain only small amounts of essential oils. But in their concentrated form the oils can be very powerful and should always be handled with care - you only need a few drops in a bath for example. More could cause irritation, and some essential oils are toxic if used incorrectly - such as eating or drinking them. Essential oils can have side-effects - nausea, headaches or an allergic reaction for instance. Some of them, including citrus oils such as orange, lemon and bergamot, react with ultraviolet light and can cause skin to burn more easily in sunlight. Essential oils should almost never be used neat on skin - exceptions are lavender oil and tea tree oil in small amounts. You should only ever take them internally on the advice of a fully trained professional therapist, and some professional organizations advise against using the oils in this way at all. You can buy a range of essential oils over the counter in pharmacies, health food shops and even supermarkets. Check the labels as some are already diluted whereas others are pure oils.
"Always keep the oils in tightly-sealed containers stored in a cool dark place. Like all medicines, they should be kept out of the reach of children." http://onestoptreatment.com/Essential-Oils.php
Both James Brunton & Darren Brent are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
James Brunton has sinced written about articles on various topics from Types of Cancer, Food and Drink and Essential Oils. James wants to show you just how useful alternative therapies can be. His newsletter and site have lots of useful on current health con. James Brunton's top article generates over 9900 views. to your Favourites.
Darren Brent has sinced written about articles on various topics from Skin Care, Acne Treatment and Dry Skin. Darren Brent writes for the www.onestoptreatment.com We provides information on all aspects of finding Essential Oils,The information provide by our SKIN CARE EXPERT!. You can find more details and tips about Essential Oils in our education center.. Darren Brent's top article generates over 2900 views. to your Favourites.