What Aromatherapy Does

At the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago, neurological direct Alan Hirsch, M.D., has spent his career focusing on what happens when we lose our sense of smell.  He has also spent the majority of the last 15 years studying the scientific basis of aromatherapy.  His brain-wave studies show that some scents (such as chamomile and rose) increase the alpha brain waves associated with relaxation, while other scents (such as rosemary and sage) boost the beta waves that make us more alert.

Dr Hirsch has also found that the scents of:

• Green apples reduce migraine headaches in duration and severity 
• Cucumber and green apple reduces claustrophobia 
• Mixed floral smells increase the speed of learning by 17% 
• Lavender and pumpkin pie enhance male arousal
• Licorice and cucumber enhance female arousal

Additional and cumulative studies have shown that aromatherapy helps heal anxiety, colds and flu, headaches, muscle aches, obesity, and stress.

In Europe, aromatherapy is more widely accepted by the medical profession.  Aromatherapy remedies for jet lag are offered on many Europe-based overseas flights.  Aromatherapy is even taught in French medical schools. 

Britain, however, is the international headquarters for aromatherapy, with many organizations based there, aromatherapy is a widely accepted practice.  At the Royal Liverpool University Hospital in England, for example, nurses use aromatherapy fragrances to relieve tension in patients before they undergo treatments.

Here in America practitioners of aromatherapy will probably be schooled in other alternative medicine modalities, such as herbal medicine or massage therapy.  The goal of your session will likely be to help you find the scents that evoke positive emotions, in the hope that smelling, inhaling, or applying them topically through massage will help you feel less stressed and help relieve pain.

In ancient times, essential oils have been known for thousands of years to lift the mood and affect virtually every system in the body, including circulation, nervous system, and digestion.

Be true to yourself.  If you're feeling uncomfortable or threatened in any way, you should look elsewhere.  Watch out for any therapies that don't respect your value system or where you feel that your autonomy isn't respected.  Even though you're going to an expert or practitioner for their guidance, you should feel that the process involved a free exchange of ideas.

Always tell your doctor if you are using an alternative therapy or if you are thinking about combining an alternative therapy with your conventional medical treatment. It may not be safe to forgo your conventional medical treatment and rely only on an alternative therapy.