Aromatherapy Essay Research Paper AromatherapyAromatherapy is a

Aromatherapy Essay, Research Paper

Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is a .branch. of herbal medicine that centers on using fragrant

substances, particularly oily plant extracts, to alter mood or improve individuals.

health or appearance. The alleged benefits of aromatherapy range from stress

relief to enhancement of immunity and the unlocking of .emotions from past

experiences.. But skeptics cite a lack of credible supportive studies published in

reputable scientific or medical journals.

Scents of Well-Being.

.Aromatherapy. is a buzzword used by the cosmetics, fragrance, and

alternative-medicine industries. Although the method has ancient roots,

proponents did not call it .aromatherapy. before the 1930s. This expression

derives from the French word aromatherapie, coined by Rene Maurice

Gattefosse, a chemist whose book of the same name was published in 1928.

After a lab explosion Gattefosse conveniently plunged his badly burned hand into

a vat of lavender oil. He noticed how well it healed, and thus began the

development of modern aromatherapy, which French homeopaths Dr. and Mme.

Maury revived in the 1960s.

Proponents of aromatherapy maintain that the tools of the trade–wood-resin

distillates and flower, leaf, stalk, root, grass, and fruit extracts–contain

antibiotics, antiseptics, hormones, and vitamins. Some proponents have

characterized essential oils–i.e., oils that are volatile, aromatic, and

flammable–as the soul or spirit of plants. Indeed, one of the aromatherapy.s

premises is that essential oils have a .spiritual dimension. and can restore

.balance. and .harmony. to one.s body and to one.s life. One of its principles,

the .doctrine of signatures,. holds that a plant.s visible and olfactory

characteristics reveal its .secret. qualities. For example, because the

configuration of the violet suggests shyness, proponents hold that the scent of

violets engenders calmness and modesty.

Aromatherapy en-compasses topical applications of essential oils, bathing in

water to which essential oils have been added, sniffing essential oils, and even

ingesting them. Products marketed under the .aromatherapy. umbrella are

legion, including shaving gels, aftershaves, facial cleansers, bath salts, bath

soaps, shower gels, shampoos, hair conditioners, .body masks,. moisturizers,

sunscreen preparations, lipsticks, deodorants, candles, lamps, diffusers, pottery,

massage oils, massage devices, and jewelry.

.the most common aromatherapy field is aesthetic, the sense of well-being

derived from enjoying perfumes, scented candles, baths, and other fragrances,.

stated Jane Buckle, R.N.,M.A., who claims the world.s first master.s degree in

clinical aromatherapy, from Middlesex University in London. At the opposite end

of the spectrum, says Buckle, .is medical aromatherapy, also know as aromatic

medicine. Practitioners of medical aromatherapy include massage therapists,

naturopaths, nurses, and a smattering of medical doctors..

The alleged beneficial effects of aromatherapy are numerous. Supporters claim,

for example, that essential oils from lavender or peppermint clears .negative

energy.; that essential oil from bergamot normalizes emotions; that essential oils

from roses or sandalwood increases confidence; that essential oils from

eucalyptus alleviates sorrow; and that patchouli creates a desire for peace.

Essential oils can have side effects, however, and even proponents warn about

risks. Essential oils from cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger can burn the

skin; ingestion of essential oils from pennyroyal can cause miscarriage.

Rapheal d.Angelo, M.D., is a Colorado family practitioner who began

incorporating aromatherapy into his practice over two years ago. D.Angelo uses

eucalyptus oil and peppermint oil adjunctively in treating respiratory disease. He

alludes to .studies indicating these oils not only have soothing properties, but

reduce mucous production, as well as possessing antiviral and antibacterial

properties.. But these studies, he adds, .were conducted in Europe, and the

degree of scrutiny and peer review they underwent was not necessarily as high

as the usual degree of such in the United States..

Can You Trust Your Aromatherapist.

Outside the U.S. aromatherapy is widely accepted. In France, medical students

are taught how to prescribe essential oils; in Britain, hospital nurses use

aromatherapy to treat patients suffering anxiety and depression and to make

terminal-care patients more comfortable.

But the science behind aromatherapy is meager, and in the United States no

legal standards exist concerning education in aromatherapy, certification therein,

or the occupational practice of aromatherapy. Dr. d.Angelo is taking courses

offered by the Australasian College of Herbal Studies, a nonaccredited

correspondence school in Oregon who six-less

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