Aromatherapy

Although Aromatherapy itself dates back to the Ancient Egyptians, the ‘father of medicine’ was born in Greece 460 BC. Hippocrates the Ancient Greek Physician incorporated the use of essential oils into massage therapy and is today believed to be the founder of medicine and the ‘holistic approach‘.

This is a massage therapy which makes use of essential and pre-blended essential oils.

The theory is that during massage, the aromatherapy oils penetrate the skin and have many effects on the client, both physiological and psychological. This differs from that of other massage therapies where the therapist uses certain massage techniques to achieve the desired effect.

Although the massage techniques used in Aromatherapy are used to work the oil into the skin faster, the power of touch can have a massive effect on the client so it is important to maintain a smooth, flowing technique to induce a feeling of relaxation and nurture.

Physiologically, the blended essential oils used for the treatment will help to either relax or stimulate the muscles and surrounding tissues, allowing them to be easily manipulated through gentle massage.

It is important to choose the correct blend as these oils will also be inhaled and by passing through the Olfactory system, can induce many psychological effects which may be both pleasant and unpleasant. The reason for this is that the human brain will associate certain smells with circumstances throughout the client’s life and when it recognises these scents, the memory will be triggered to that event, thus encouraging good or bad emotions.

Everyday Uses

Essential oils have many everyday uses for example:

Lavender

This herb can be crushed in the hand and the aroma inhaled to calm nervous tension or the flowers used to make a relaxing and soothing tea. As this essential oil is relaxing in nature, it’s great for encouraging a calm and restful sleep.

Eucalyptus

As this essential oil is a natural anaesthetic, it is a good oil to use with steam inhalation to help relieve sinus pain and congestion.

Tea Tree

This essential oil has antifungal and antiseptic properties so is great for the use of cleaning and deodorising around the house.

Tea tree products to be used in washing can also be purchased in chemists and shops. These make for a really fresh, clean feeling.