An Overview
- Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils from plants (flowers, herbs, or trees) as a therapy to improve physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.
- Aromatherapy may be used with other complementary treatments, such as massage or acupuncture, as well as with standard medical treatments to manage symptoms caused by cancer or cancer treatment.
- Essential oils are most often used by inhaling them or by applying a diluted form of them to the skin.
- Safety testing of essential oils has found very few side effects. Lavender and tea tree essential oils have been found to have some hormone-like effects.
- Studies of aromatherapy have shown mixed results. There have been some reports of improved mood, anxiety, sleep, nausea, and pain. Other studies reported that aromatherapy showed no change in symptoms.
- Aromatherapy products do not need approval by the FDA and are not regulated by state law, and there is no licensing required to practice aromatherapy in the United States. Practitioners often combine aromatherapy training with another field in which they are licensed, for example, massage therapy, nursing, acupuncture, or naturopathy.
About Aromatherapy
What is aromatherapy? the use of essential oils from plants to improve the mind, body, and spirit. It is used by patients with cancer to improve quality of life and reduce stress, anxiety, pain, nausea, and vomiting caused by cancer and its treatment. Aromatherapy may be used with other complementary treatments like massage therapy and acupuncture, as well as with standard medical treatments, for symptom management.
Essential oils are the fragrant (aromatic) part found in many plants, often under the surface of leaves, bark, or peel. The fragrance is released if the plant is crushed or a special steam process is used. There are many essential oils used in aromatherapy, including those from Roman chamomile, geranium, lavender, tea tree, lemon, ginger, cedarwood, and bergamot. Each plant’s essential oil has a different chemical make-up that affects how it smells, how it is absorbed, and how it affects the body. Essential oils are very concentrated. For example, it takes about 220 pounds of lavender flowers to make about 1 pound of essential oil. The aroma of essential oils fades away quickly when left open to the air.
How is aromatherapy given or taken? Aromatherapy is used in several ways:
- Indirect inhalation: The patient breathes in an essential oil by using a room diffuser, which spreads the essential oil through the air, or by placing drops on a tissue or piece of cotton nearby.
- Direct inhalation: The patient breathes in an essential oil by using an individual inhaler made by floating essential oil drops on top of hot water.
- Massage: In aromatherapy massage, one or more essential oils is diluted into a carrier oil and massaged into the skin.
- Essential oils may also be mixed with bath salts and lotions or applied to bandages.
- There are some essential oils used to treat specific conditions. However, the types of essential oils used and the ways they are combined vary, depending on the experience and training of the aromatherapist.
Have any side effects or risks been reported from aromatherapy? Safety testing on essential oils shows very few side effects or risks when they are used as directed. Most essential oils have been approved as ingredients in food and fragrances and are labeled as GRAS (generally recognized as safe) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Swallowing large amounts of essential oils is not recommended.
Allergic reactions and skin irritation may occur when essential oils are in contact with the skin for long periods of time. Sun sensitivity may occur when citrus or other essential oils are applied to the skin before going out in the sun.
Lavender and tea tree essential oils have been found to have effects similar to estrogen (female sex hormone) and also block or decrease the effect of androgens (male sex hormones). Applying lavender and tea tree essential oils to the skin over a long period of time was linked in one study to breast growth in boys who had not yet reached puberty.
Additional Links and Resources
- American Herbal Products Association -AHPA
- Alliance of International Aromatherapists –AIA
- Aromatherapy Registration Council –ARC
- Aromahead Institute’s Component Database: a database that makes it simpler to blend for specific health concerns from a researched scientific perspective.
- Aromatherapy Acology Today: enjoyed by aromatherapists, nurses and medical staff, health care workers, natural therapists, students – in fact, anyone who has a strong interest in aromatherapy.
- Canadian Federation of Aromatherapists –CFA
- Dropsmith: provides a visual, contextual and holistic approach to essential oils and blending
- International Federation of Professional Aromatherapists –IFPA
- Japanese Society of Aromatherapy –JSA
- National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy –NAHA
Doctors should dish out LAVENDER OIL as a first-line treatment for people with anxiety instead of addictive drugs, psychiatrist claims –Daily Mail
Lavender Key Points
- Lavender is native to the Mediterranean region, the Arabian Peninsula, and Russia. It is grown in Europe, the United States, and Australia.
- Lavender has a long history of use to boost appetite and mood, as well as relieve gastrointestinal problems and anxiety. It was also used in ancient Egypt as part of the process of mummifying bodies.
- Today, people use lavender as a dietary supplement for anxiety, depression, intestinal problems, and pain. People also apply it to the skin for hair loss, pain, and to improve emotional health. People may also inhale a lavender vapor to help sleep, to reduce pain, and agitation related to dementia.
- Tea can be made from lavender leaves. A vapor for inhalation can be made by mixing lavender oil (an essential oil) with boiling water. Lavender oil is used for massage and in baths. Lavender is also found in capsules and liquid extracts.
How Much Do We Know?
- Many studies have investigated lavender’s effectiveness for a number of conditions, such as pain, anxiety, stress, and overall well-being, but several were small and of poor quality.
What Have We Learned?
- There is little scientific evidence of lavender’s effectiveness for most health uses.
- Studies on lavender for anxiety have shown mixed results.
- Results of a 1998 study suggested that massaging the scalp with a combination of lavender oil and oils from other herbs may help with hair loss from a condition called alopecia areata.
What Do We Know About Safety?
- Topical use of diluted lavender oil is generally considered safe for most adults, but reports suggest it can cause skin irritation.
- There’s not enough evidence to determine its safety when inhaled as aromatherapy.
- Some evidence suggests that some topical applications containing lavender oil may affect sex hormone activity.
- Lavender oil may be poisonous if taken by mouth.
- Lavender extracts may cause stomach upset, joint pain, or headache.
Keep in Mind
- Tell all your health care providers about any complementary or integrative health approaches you use. Give them a full picture of what you do to manage your health. This will help ensure coordinated and safe care.
