uk Therapy

The Benefits of an Aromatherapy Treatment

What are the benefits of having an aromatherapy treatment? How would you recognise whether the therapist is any good and the oils the therapist uses have any benefits?

It is really important to go to a well trained aromatherapist who uses the best high quality pure essential oils for the most relaxing, rewarding and beneficial treatment.

There are many therapies but aromatherapy is THE therapy for relaxation. Aromatherapy has been defined as 'a natural treatment which uses the concentrated herbal energies in essential oils from plants in association with massage, friction, inhalation, compresses and baths … a holistic form of treatment which works with the body to promote health.'

But what does relaxation mean? The dictionary definition of relax is:

• To make (muscles, a grip etc) less tense or rigid
• To become looser or less rigid
• To take rest, as from work or effort
• To lessen the force of (effort, concentration etc) or (of effort) to become diminished
• To unbend
• From the Latin ‘relaxare’ to loosen - laxus to loose
• Relaxation is a form of rest or recreation
• In physics relaxation is the return of a system to equilibrium after a displacement from this state. And to be well balanced is what I strongly believe in!

How would you, as a client, recognise a good aromatherapist?

By looking, smelling and talking. The good therapist will clearly be enthusiastic and have an affinity with essential oils.

• Look for an accredited and qualified aromatherapist. You will know this by seeing valid insurance and qualification certificates from a recognised aromatherapy organisation which the therapist will display prominently. You, as the client, will therefore benefit by being reassured that the therapist is properly trained in anatomy, physiology, massage and aromatherapy and has reached at least a basic standard of safety and care. There are about 12 of these organisations in the UK. Examples of such organisations are IFA and IGPP or Embody, which you may have heard of, and schools such as the Tisserand Institute. A therapist often goes on further specialised courses as continuing professional development.
• Smell - A pleasant blend will calm you. Ask to smell the blends! At the very least, this will benefit the nervous system. Everyone has their own likes and dislikes of what they prefer based on their early associations of events. For instance, though Lavender is one of the most useful essential oils there are some people who dislike the smell because it reminds them of something negative and in these cases Lavender would be avoided. Do ask the aromatherapist if you can smell the blend before he or she applies it to your body. A good rule of thumb is that if you don’t like the smell then it is unlikely to benefit you therapeutically.
  • Many people are aware that essential oils are highly concentrated and volatile and consequently can be dangerous. To illustrate how concentrated they are let me tell you of how a physiotherapist asked me why she had felt dizzy and sick after massaging Lavender on her client’s shoulders. It turned out that she had applied 10mls of the highly concentrated essential oil directly onto the skin! The smell must have been overwhelming as well! It is so important to dilute the essential oil.
  • There are safety guidelines available on the correct dilution of essential oils in a good quality vegetable oil. The vegetable oils tend not to smell as that would detract from the aroma of the essential oil blend. It is interesting to note, that vegetable oils have their own therapeutic benefits. For example, Jojoba (technically a wax) rebalances the natural sebum in the skin. It is especially good for oily skin.

There is a considerable skill in blending. A trained aromatherapist can take years to create a beautiful aroma that is therapeutically useful. The therapist will gain an affinity to each and every essential oil and their knowledge can be catching and enthusing.

• Talk to the therapist
  • Ask where are the certificates? They should be visible.
  • Ask if the essential and vegetable oils give any therapeutic benefits? The therapist should know about them. Drill down and ask questions about the benefits of using vegetable oils. They are more than a ‘carrier’ for the essential oils.
  • Ask about the quality of the essential oils. Are they of the highest quality? The best essential oils are grown either organically, in the wild or non-commercially. This is a big subject and the therapist could have quite a lot to say about this.
  • Ask who supplied the therapist with the oils? Was the essential oil supplier a member of the Aromatherapy Trade Council (ATC)? For instance, if the therapist is using the supplier, Fragrant Earth, then you are benefiting as much as is possible. Fragrant Earth has a reputation for quality that is unmatched. The oils they offer are the very best that money can buy as they are as near to nature as possible. All oils are quality controlled by GLC analysis. “As plant extracts they should represent or contain the nature or essence and biochemistry of the plants from which they were obtained. It follows that the starting material should therefore be of the best grade or highest quality. The plant itself – growing method – soil – position – country of origin – seasonal conditions and harvest method, will all play a part in the final determination of quality.” This is important as essential oils can be adulterated. It is well known, that the perfume industry uses more rose, each year, than the world’s annual production of the essential oil!
  • Ask what are the benefits of having a treatment? What kind of treatment is suitable for you? If you have certain conditions the therapist may advise specific blends for use at the clinic or for home use. The greatest benefit comes from a client having a full body aromatherapy treatment as this enables you to detoxify the most, giving you space and time to fully relax. Routines vary depending on the therapist’s training. You will relax and get some relief from any aches or pains.
  • Ask what are the benefits of using essential oils? They are tiny molecules which penetrate through the skin directly into the blood stream within a short space of time. There is a shortage of natural material. Demand frequently outstrips supply so cheap prices reflect poor quality. If you want fair trade then you have to have fair prices. It means that we should want to have essential oils where nothing has been added in or taken out. It should mean that an essential oil represents solely the plant it comes from, with no other additives, either synthetic or natural. Aromatherapy has a very long history which goes back to the early herbals and into Chinese and Egyptian history. There are many essential oils and their power and penetration is quite remarkable:
    • Inula - how the beautiful Elecampine used Inula
    • Rose - how Aphrodite loved rose (an oil with thousands of years of history)
    • Rosemary - how Queen Izabella of Hungary changed her life
    • Tea Tree - how Captain Cook discovered Tea Tree
    • Ylang Ylang (flower of flowers) - how the Victorians used this as Macassar oil
  • There are many blends that can be made up by the therapist (after a thorough consultation) and here are some possibilities:
    1. Relaxing - blends for depression or headaches.
       • Antidepressant – Neroli, Jasmine or Rose … or a blend of Clary sage, Geranium and Lavender
       • Cephalic – clears the mind – blend of Lemongrass or Peppermint in a burner or fragrance diffuser - useful for exam situations
    2. Skincare – the mature face, possibly sensitive or cracked feet
       • A grounding and balancing blend such as Geranium and Patchouli
       • Camomile, Rose or Sandalwood are good for broken capillaries
       • Older skin can benefit from a blend of Frankincense and Rose
       • Peppermint, Tea tree or Myrrh help refresh tired feet
       • Scar tissue or burns - Lavender and Tepescohuite, the Mexican skin tree herbal oil.
    3. Aches and pains – soothing stiff muscles or joints
       • Grapefruit and Juniper, a detoxifying blend especially good for arthritis
       • Black pepper, Ginger or Eucalyptus with Marjoram are excellent for deep seated aches such as whiplash or frozen shoulder.

What happens in an aromatherapy treatment?

How long does it last?

• Half an hour for a consultation on the first appointment
• An hour for a full body treatment with aftercare advice
• Half an hour for the back, neck and shoulders. Most therapists will offer this.

The Consultation

• client gets to know the therapist
• the therapist understands the client’s needs and can then provide the most appropriate oils. Some conditions respond very well to essential oil blends with massage such as stress, arthritis and whiplash.

A full aromatherapy treatment – the Micheline Arcier method.

Routines vary depending on the therapist’s training. Aromatherapy started in the 19th century with Gattefosse who burnt himself in his laboratory yet had no scars after plunging his arm directly into a tub of pure Lavender essential oil. He was followed by Madame Maury, Dr Valnet and Micheline Arcier. The latter brought aromatherapy into the UK in the 1960s.

• The client modestly removes clothing except underpants so that the clothes are not creased or stained and the oils can be applied directly to the skin where they give most benefit.
• With this method, the client lies face down on the couch and is modestly kept warm with towels and blankets.
• The treatment begins with the head and then the hand blended oils are gently massaged over the back.

Pressure is applied to points along the occipital bone to alleviate muscle contractions and fluid infiltrations. Then the body oil is applied with a movement of effleurage. Using both thumbs, pressure is applied on either side of the spine to stimulate the nerve influx. The same movement is then repeated but using a sliding motion to stimulate currents along the spine. (Effleurage is any sliding movement that is soothing to the skin.)

The nervous influx is liberated by a sequence of sliding movements of the fingers away from the spine, working on each side of the spine alternately and moving from the buttocks to the shoulders.

With a fanning movement, the kidney area is well massaged from the centre to the sides of the body. Massage over the kidney area helps to eliminate and disperse fluid retention and improves lymphatic drainage.

The hands are placed on both shoulders to give a movement of petrissage, which helps to release tension. (Petrissage works deeply on the muscles by lifting them up, and then pressing and releasing them alternately).

Concentrating on one shoulder at a time, both hands are used alternately to give a deep petrissage movement, which releases tension. Then, with one hand on each shoulder, a soothing movement completes the release of tension in the muscles.

The client deeply relaxes. The treatment continues with the back limbs and feet. Circular movements with the thumbs on the soles and then the heels of the feet stimulate the reflex points which, in turn, stimulate the corresponding organs in the body. (This is a reflexology movement).

On discreetly and skilfully turning the client with great care, the therapist massages the soft tissues of the face, stomach and front limbs. Oil is applied all over the face and neck with a movement of effleurage. Pressure points over the forehead stimulate the energy centre and release tension. A soothing movement is applied to the cranium working in an upward direction. Pressure is applied round the shoulders to help release tension. Both hands are placed flat at the back of the neck which also helps to release tension. A circular movement of the fingers on the trapezius muscle in the shoulder area de-contracts and relaxes the muscle.

The therapist uncovers the stomach area, ensuring the towels do not move from other covered areas for modesty and warmth. An anti-clockwise movement on the solar plexus, using the right hand and resting the left hand on the client’s arm, releases tension. Then, the right hand is laid over the left hand for a moment to relax all the nerves centred in this area. Circular movements of the fingers around the ankles relieve fluid retention. From the ankles, the movement is continued by sliding the hands firmly up the legs to help both circulation and lymph flow. Finally, the hands are placed flat on the soles of the feet. This is always done at the end of the treatment to rebalance the flow of energy.

Often, there is some time for the client to continue to relax at the end of the treatment while the therapist makes notes of any observations and prepares some aftercare advice. Aftercare Advice – this depends on the aromatherapist’s knowledge of other therapies but usually covers areas such as:

• General advice on nutrition and exercise
• Referrals to a GP or other practitioners. For example, for a frozen shoulder that doesn’t respond to deep massage then a referral for manipulation to a chiropractor, osteopath or physiotherapist is usual
• Specific advice such as:
  • having an evening aromatic bath which can be very relaxing, analgesic and antidepressant. Lavender is beneficial for those who find relaxation difficult.
  • Facial products advice – such as floral waters for face toners and moisturisers for different skin conditions and for home use.
  • Skincare - feet moisturisers such as tea tree or peppermint (recommended by chiropodists) or myrrh.
  • Aches and pains – self help is administered by massaging a cream base with essential oils into a stiff knee (vitamin E with Juniper & Niaouli)

These are some of the benefits of going to a well trained aromatherapist who uses good quality oils.

Remember, only consult an accredited and qualified therapist.

Bibliography:

Desk Reference by Jan Kusmirek, published by Fragrant Earth

Aromatherapy by Micheline Arcier

The Practice of Aromatherapy by Jean Valnet, MD

A Modern Herbal by Mrs M Grieve

Aromatherapy, an A-Z by Patricia Davis

Pamela Knowles is a trained Neuro-Linguistic Programmer and Aromatherapist with her own practice, Nonsuch Therapies, living in Surrey. She trained locally and has had further training with Micheline Arcier. She is a member of the prestigious ESIPF and is fully insured with Embody (IGPP). She was Treasurer of the Aromatherapy Organisations Council for a year. Pamela give talks and workshops on aromatherapy and it’s history and enjoys participating at shows.

She can be contacted at pamela.knowles@ntlworld.com.