The Science Behind Aromatherapy

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

I've recently become interested in aromatherapy and set out to learn more about it. I have always found that a bath with lavendar essential oil does wonders to ease tension and relax my mind and body. I met a man who swears that diffusing essential oils pretty much takes care of his asthma and he doesn't require inhalers anymore, which is tempting for me to try. Some people use essential oils for skin conditions or internally for digestive issues, or topically to relieve pain. It seems there are a thousand uses for it but most of what I've learned about it's effectiveness is anecdotal.  I've also heard that aromatherapy can be helpful for animals. Apparently there are aromatherapists who specialize in treating animals.

I'd like to better understand the science behind it (if there is any). I did a little research this morning and found this article that basically says there is no evidence that it is effective. https://www.scimednet.org/sapphire/main.php?url=/aromatherapy. However, it's hard to ignore the claims that people make about how it's cured this ailment or that. This brief article says that it hasn't been well studied http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/aromatherapy/AN02140 and I've seen articles that offer some support to it's effectiveness. How do you know what to believe, and is there any harm in experimenting with this stuff if you enjoy it and it feels good so long as you're not substituting it for medicine?

If I happen to find the scent of lavendar soothing, would synthetic artificial lavendar scent have the same effect on me as pure essential lavendar oil? Aromatheraptists would say no, and so does my own personal experience, but I'm not sure I understand why.

Anybody have any experience with essential oils for aromatherapy?

[F, Calla & Luca]

Of course one of the ways natural healing is dangerous is when conditions go untreated. Rheumatic heart disease is nothing to take lightly and kidney infections too. But not that I am saying this about these essential oils but many things absorbed into the skin can be dangerous too. Hormone creams are an example of utilizing this property in a benefiical way. But topical application of many things can be a dangerous if not life threatening problem.

[Camilla and Darwin]

True, true F. So be careful all around. :-)

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Amen to that, F. I know a woman whose mother believed as Camilla's MIL does about treating strep throats, who nearly died of rheumatic heart disease which was only discovered when she delivered her first child. It broke her heart when that child ended up being her only one because of it.

 

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

That's really sad Karen.

[Adina P]

Agreed.  And even when 'natural' stuff may very well work (which it could because nature has plenty of powerful chemicals), without some assurance of dosage and side effects, etc (because after all natural doesn't mean it is good in any amount and WON'T have side effects) I just don't trust it. 

[Camilla and Darwin]

Exactly, it's not that I don't think you can get a powerful drug or remedy from nature. Only that these "alternative" or "natural"  remedies are not regulated, have no real science behind them and don't have specific dosages or correct usage cases either. Unfortunately there are lots of people taking advantage of this by selling these as cure-all medicines and make doctors out to be the bad guys.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Amen.

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

I've always thought that diffusing oil has a theraputic/psycological impact only, which I think is just fine if you are using the oils to energize or relax or whatever. But I think aromatheraptists believe that there is more to it, that it actually has healing qualities by inhaling it or rubbing in the skin. That's the part I really don't understand. I'll have to do some more research on it.