Aroma therapy

Overview Aromatherapy is the use of organic compounds to improve your mood, mental state, or health. Those organic compounds are called essential oils. They’re made from various plant parts, such as roots, seeds, leaves, and blossoms. They can be used alone or blended to create different combinations. You can diffuse essential oils into the air, dissolve them a bath, apply them during a massage, or use other methods to spread their aroma. If you have depression, don’t rely on aromatherapy alone to treat it. Instead, consider adding aromatherapy to your larger treatment plan. Using aromatherapy alongside other treatments may help boost your mood and relieve stress. Experts aren’t sure how aromatherapy works. Chemicals in essential oils might trigger smell receptors in your nose that send messages to the part of your brain that controls your mood, suggests the More research is needed to learn if aromatherapy can help treat depression. But some evidence suggests it might have benefits. For example, a review published in the However, you shouldn’t rely on it alone to treat depression. Instead, consider using it alongside other prescribed therapies. The following essential oils might be helpful: • jasmine • sandalwood • ylang-ylang • clary sage • basil • bergamot • rose • geranium • neroli • petitgrain • lavender • chamomile There are a few different methods for incorporating the benefits of essential oils. When making your decision on which options to purchase, look for produc...

Essential oils are everywhere. These potent, fragrant plant extracts have made their way into lotions, household cleaners, massage treatments, and even Their purported benefits are also wide ranging, from improving sleep and decreasing anxiety, to lowering pain and easing headaches, to taming a queasy stomach and fostering deeper relaxation. Here, we explain what essential oils are, how they work, their potential health benefits, safety considerations, and how to find quality oils. In the Western world, French chemist René-Maurice Gattefossé is credited with founding the science of aromatherapy in 1928, drawing upon its ancient, global roots. He began analyzing the chemical properties of essential oils after witnessing the healing properties of lavender oil when applied to a burn on his hand. However, aromatherapy didn’t gain popularity in the United States until the 1980s. Essential oils are made by steaming or pressing various parts of a plant to capture the compounds that give the plant its unique fragrance. Those oils can then be inhaled, added to a carrier oil for direct application on the skin, consumed orally (some, not all), or used in household products to clean and sanitize. When inhaled, the molecules in essential oils travel up the nose and interact with scent receptors, which stimulates the olfactory nerve that connects to the brain. “The oil itself doesn’t go up into the brain, but it stimulates a response that typically affects different aspects of the brain...

Aromatherapy is the therapeutic use of essential oils and other plant materials to improve a person’s health, What Is Aromatherapy? Aromatherapy seeks to enhance an individual’s physiological, emotional, cognitive, and psychological well-being through the controlled use of pure essential oils and other aromatic plant compounds. These naturally extracted aromatic oils are usually diluted with carrier oil or cream, applied topically, and massaged into a person’s skin. The aroma from these oils may also be directly inhaled through the nose. Other applications include adding the diluted essential oils to a warm bath, adding oils to a cold compress placed on the skin, or using an aromatherapy oil diffuser to produce an aromatic vapor. While some oils may have particular benefits, aromatherapy is not used to target specific symptoms; rather, the approach aims to promote holistic healing by supporting the body’s natural ability to regain balance and recover from health-related setbacks. Aromatherapy may be offered as a type of alternative medicine or as a complementary therapy in company with a more established treatment approach. It is also fairly common for aromatherapy to be incorporated into certain types of How Does Aromatherapy Work? There are two major theories that attempt to explain the mechanism by which aromatherapy works. The first claims the essential oils are absorbed through the skin and into the somatic tissues. When massaged into the skin, essential oils may acti...

Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. “Essential oils are fantastic. They have many benefits,” says integrative medicine specialist Here’s information on 11 essential oils, their benefits and how best to use them. What are essential oils? Essential oils are concentrated plant extracts. “Plants are made of structural materials and phytochemicals. These chemicals have properties that not only benefit the plant but benefit people, too,” explains Dr. Lin. It takes a tremendous amount of plant material to make essential oils, which can make some of them expensive. For example: • About 250 pounds of lavender flower make 1 pound of lavender essential oil. • About 5,000 pounds of rose petals or lemon balm make 1 pound of rose or lemon balm essential oil. “Because it takes so much of the plant to make an essential oil, it’s a powerful botanical medicine,” Dr. Lin says. Benefits of essential oils Essential oils can be used in aromatherapy, a kind of complementary medicine that uses smell to improve your health or applied topically to the skin. Studies have shown that essential oils may help: • • Improve job performance through reduced stress and increased attentiveness. • Improve sleep. • Kill bacteria, funguses and viruses. • • Reduce inflammation. • Reduce nausea. • Relieve headaches. Here are some common essential oils and their benefits: Lavender oi...

• Afrikaans • العربية • Български • Català • Чӑвашла • Čeština • Cymraeg • Deutsch • Eesti • Ελληνικά • Español • Esperanto • Euskara • فارسی • Français • Galego • 한국어 • हिन्दी • Hrvatski • Bahasa Indonesia • Italiano • עברית • ಕನ್ನಡ • Қазақша • Latviešu • Lietuvių • Magyar • Македонски • मराठी • Bahasa Melayu • Nederlands • नेपाली • 日本語 • Norsk bokmål • Polski • Português • Română • Русский • Simple English • Slovenčina • Slovenščina • Српски / srpski • Suomi • Svenska • ไทย • Türkçe • Українська • Žemaitėška • 中文 • v • t • e Aromatherapy is based on the usage of aromatic materials including Aromatherapists, people who specialize in the practice of aromatherapy, utilize blends of supposedly therapeutic essential oils that can be used as topical application, massage, inhalation or water immersion. There is no good History [ ] The use of Oils are described by In the era of modern medicine, the naming of this treatment first appeared in print in 1937 in a French book on the subject: Aromathérapie: Les Huiles Essentielles, Hormones Végétales by [ A French surgeon, [ Choice and purchase [ ] The examples and perspective in this section may not represent a You may ( June 2020) ( Aromatherapy products, and essential oils, in particular, may be regulated differently depending on their intended use. There are no standards for determining the quality of essential oils in the United States; while the term "therapeutic grade" is in use, it does not have a regulatory meaning. Analysis ...

Isaac Winter is a fact-checker and writer for Real Simple, ensuring the accuracy of content published by rigorously researching content before publication and periodically when content needs to be updated. Highlights: Helped establish a food pantry in West Garfield Park as an AmeriCorps employee at Above and Beyond Family Recovery Center. Interviewed Heartland Alliance employees for oral history project conducted by the Lake Forest College History Department. Editorial Head of Lake Forest College's literary magazine, Tusitala, for two years. Imagine if a whiff of a particular scent could shift your mood, While this practice has become more mainstream in recent years, it's worthwhile to analyze its true benefits, drawbacks, and effectiveness. We spoke with experts to understand how smell impacts our overall health and well-being. Consider this your 101 guide to creating an aromatherapy ritual. 6 Beauty Products That Will Relieve Your Stress in Minutes What Is Aromatherapy? Nova Covington, a certified aromatherapist and the CEO of In their best form, essential oils are pure, unadulterated botanical oils, highly concentrated extracts made from plants, leaves, citrus peels, and flower petals, says Covington. We should think of aromatherapy as a holistic healing treatment that uses the natural goods from Mother Nature to promote vitality, happiness, and health, she adds. Avid aromatherapy fans use their oils for a variety of purposes, but some popular wellness goals include: • ...

Essential oils have been getting a lot of buzz recently for helping with everything from headaches to sleep to sore throats. But do these concentrated plant-based oils work? Essential oils can make a positive impact on your health and well-being as long as you use them in a safe way. Want to give essential oils a try? Learn what conditions they may help treat and how to find quality essential oils, since not all products are created equal. What Are Essential Oils? Essential oils are basically plant extracts. They're made by steaming or pressing various parts of a plant (flowers, bark, leaves or fruit) to capture the compounds that produce fragrance. It can take several pounds of a plant to produce a single bottle of essential oil. In addition to creating scent, essential oils perform other functions in plants, too. What Is Aromatherapy? Aromatherapy is the practice of using essential oils for therapeutic benefit. Aromatherapy has been used for centuries. When inhaled, the scent molecules in essential oils travel from the olfactory nerves directly to the brain and especially impact the amygdala, the emotional center of the brain. Essential oils can also be absorbed by the skin. A massage therapist might add a drop or two of wintergreen to oil to help relax tight muscles during a rubdown. A skincare company may add lavender to bath salts to create a soothing soak. What Are Essential Oils Good For? Although people claim essential oils are natural remedies for a number of ailm...

× This Dr. Axe content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure factually accurate information. With strict editorial sourcing guidelines, we only link to academic research institutions, reputable media sites and, when research is available, medically peer-reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses (1, 2, etc.) are clickable links to these studies. The information in our articles is NOT intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. × This article is based on scientific evidence, written by Our team includes licensed nutritionists and dietitians, certified health education specialists, as well as certified strength and conditioning specialists, personal trainers and corrective exercise specialists. Our team aims to be not only thorough with its research, but also objective and unbiased. The information in our articles is NOT intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. What Is Aromatherapy? 9 Ways It Benefits Health By Jillian Levy, CHHC September 24, 2022 Alternative treatments, such as aromatherapy, are now offered in therapeutic practices, including massage centers, yoga studios and spas, even hospice settings and chiropractic offices. So what is aromatherapy, exactly? Aromatherapy For over 5,000 years, aromatherapy has been a trusted practice among cultures spanning the globe. Natural healer...

Essential oils have been getting a lot of buzz recently for helping with everything from headaches to sleep to sore throats. But do these concentrated plant-based oils work? Essential oils can make a positive impact on your health and well-being as long as you use them in a safe way. Want to give essential oils a try? Learn what conditions they may help treat and how to find quality essential oils, since not all products are created equal. What Are Essential Oils? Essential oils are basically plant extracts. They're made by steaming or pressing various parts of a plant (flowers, bark, leaves or fruit) to capture the compounds that produce fragrance. It can take several pounds of a plant to produce a single bottle of essential oil. In addition to creating scent, essential oils perform other functions in plants, too. What Is Aromatherapy? Aromatherapy is the practice of using essential oils for therapeutic benefit. Aromatherapy has been used for centuries. When inhaled, the scent molecules in essential oils travel from the olfactory nerves directly to the brain and especially impact the amygdala, the emotional center of the brain. Essential oils can also be absorbed by the skin. A massage therapist might add a drop or two of wintergreen to oil to help relax tight muscles during a rubdown. A skincare company may add lavender to bath salts to create a soothing soak. What Are Essential Oils Good For? Although people claim essential oils are natural remedies for a number of ailm...

Isaac Winter is a fact-checker and writer for Real Simple, ensuring the accuracy of content published by rigorously researching content before publication and periodically when content needs to be updated. Highlights: Helped establish a food pantry in West Garfield Park as an AmeriCorps employee at Above and Beyond Family Recovery Center. Interviewed Heartland Alliance employees for oral history project conducted by the Lake Forest College History Department. Editorial Head of Lake Forest College's literary magazine, Tusitala, for two years. Imagine if a whiff of a particular scent could shift your mood, While this practice has become more mainstream in recent years, it's worthwhile to analyze its true benefits, drawbacks, and effectiveness. We spoke with experts to understand how smell impacts our overall health and well-being. Consider this your 101 guide to creating an aromatherapy ritual. 6 Beauty Products That Will Relieve Your Stress in Minutes What Is Aromatherapy? Nova Covington, a certified aromatherapist and the CEO of In their best form, essential oils are pure, unadulterated botanical oils, highly concentrated extracts made from plants, leaves, citrus peels, and flower petals, says Covington. We should think of aromatherapy as a holistic healing treatment that uses the natural goods from Mother Nature to promote vitality, happiness, and health, she adds. Avid aromatherapy fans use their oils for a variety of purposes, but some popular wellness goals include: • ...