Aromatherapy: Benefits, Risks, and Treatment

Divya Tripathi

, Health A2Z

What is Aromatherapy?

Aromatherapy is the ancient science of relaxing, healing, and energizing by the use of plants and their parts. The word aromatherapy is derived from two words ‘aroma’ and ‘therapy’ which means smell and healing respectively.

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Aromatherapy is the practice of using the natural oils extracted from flowers, stems, bark, leaves, roots or other parts of a plant to enhance physical as well as psychological well-being.

The inhaled aroma from these “essential” oils is widely believed to stimulate your brain function. These oils can also be absorbed through the skin, where they pass through the bloodstream and can help in healing the whole body. Aromatherapy is gaining momentum as a substitute for medicine. It is used for a variety of applications, including mood enhancement, pain relief, and increased cognitive function.

Which Essential Oils are Used for Aromatherapy?

According to the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy, the most common essential oils are:

  • Eucalyptus
  • Geranium
  • Clary sage
  • Cypress
  • Lavender
  • Fennel
  • Lemongrass
  • Ginger
  • Helichrysum
  • Peppermint
  • Lemon
  • Rose
  • Mandarin
  • Neroli
  • Patchouli
  • Rosemary
  • Roman chamomile
  • Vetiver
  • Tea tree

You can use these essential oils in a different number of ways. For example, add them to carrier oils or body lotions, and then apply them typically. Try enhancing a shampoo, facial toner, or conditioner with essential oils. Or incorporate them with liquid soap, mouthwash, or toothpaste. You can also spray the oils throughout a room or pour them into a bathtub.

Which Plants are Used for Aromatherapy?

These are the most popular aromatic plant oils and their uses for the following symptoms include:

  • Peppermint – digestive disorders
  • Rosemary – mental stimulant, muscular pains
  • Sandalwood depression, nervous tension, and anxiety
  • Sweet Orange – anxiety, and depression
  • Tea Tree – antifungal respiratory problems, antiviral and antibacterial.
  • Lavender – headaches, insomnia, aches, and pains.

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What are the Benefits of Aromatherapy?

Aromatherapy has an array of benefits including :

  • Manage pain
  • Improve sleep quality
  • Reduce stress, agitation, and anxiety
  • Soothe sore joints
  • Treat headaches and migraines
  • Alleviate the side effects of chemotherapy
  • Ease discomforts of labor
  • Fight bacteria, virus, or fungus
  • Improve digestion
  • Improve hospice and palliative care
  • Boost immunity

Which Conditions can be Treated by Aromatherapy?

Aromatherapy can help to treat many conditions, including:

What are the Risks of Aromatherapy?

Some aromatic plant oils are toxic and should never be used at all – for example, pennyroyal, camphor, and wintergreen.

Aromatic plant oils are very strong and should never be applied undiluted to the skin or swallowed. People with conditions like asthma or prone to nosebleeds should use caution when inhaling any vaporizing oils. Do not use aromatic plant oils in any orifice such as mouth ears, or vagina.

Essential oils can be poisonous for children if consumed by mouth. All aromatic plant oils should be kept out of reach of children and secured.

People with certain conditions, including epilepsy and high blood pressure, or Pregnant women should consult their doctor before using any essential oils. Some oils can be risky during pregnancy.

Conclusion:

Well, here we have discussed aromatherapy and the best essential oils. It is one of the best ways to get relax and rejuvenate yourself. you can use these essential oils in many different ways like massage, along with daily body lotion or body wash. But, while these oils take proper caution that it should not be consumed by mouth, it can be dangerous for you as well as your children if they used it.

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