Our sense of smell is the first sense we use as babies to recognise our parents and what is happening around us.  Smell can evoke memories, such as when you smell a pine tree you may remember Christmases of childhood and this in turn evokes feelings in you.  Aromatherapy can be used by the warming of oils in an oil burner or vaporiser to create an ambiance within the home or can be used in a medicinal way, for example warming Eucalyptus oil to help with nasal congestion when someone has a cold.  Neroli and Chamomile oils are good for vaporising when someone has difficulty sleeping, but care must be taken to use only a few drops in water.

The blending of essential oils into a base oil is used for Aromatherapy Massage.  Each essential oil has different properties which affect the mind, body and skin.  When the blend is massaged into the skin, the client (and therapist) will inhale the smells, which in turn, can help to alleviate stress and create a state of relaxation and will help achieve a more effective treatment.  The oils are absorbed into the blood stream to prolong the effect of the specific blend used.  Some oils such as Rosemary and Black Pepper have an analgesic effect to help with pain relief in tight muscles.  Lavender has many properties and is also an adaptogen.  This means Lavender can adapt to what the body needs, either calming and soothing during times of stress or stimulating when lacking energy, depending on what the body needs at that time.  Adaptogens help the body to achieve homeostasis (stability in the body) and so provide what is needed to achieve this.

Oils such as Peppermint or Lemon work well in the sick room to help keep the room fresh.  Frankincense is a wonderful essential oil to blend with other compatible oils as it lowers the heart rate and aids meditation, thus helping with stress and anxiety.  When used blended with a base oil or included in face creams it is a good anti-ageing treatment.

Essential oils can be used in beauty products or added to baths, but if the latter, then only a few drops should be used after being added to a tablespoon of base oil or full fat milk, then dispersed in warm water in the bath.

The medical World is now recommending Aromatherapy as well as other Complementary Therapies for Cancer patients or those with life limiting conditions.  Aromatherapy works well with massage to help patients cope with anxiety, pain, depression and tiredness and although many essential oils can’t be used for those with Cancer, some oils can help with symptoms of sickness during Chemotherapy.  Only qualified practitioners should be used to provide Complementary Therapies to Cancer patients (or any client) and under the guidance of the GP or specialised Cancer care unit.

When a person is undergoing Chemotherapy their sense of smell and taste can change dramatically and so extra care must be taken when using Aromatherapy oils as sometimes a once favourite smell can suddenly cause them to feel sick or ill.  It is recommended not to use a single essential oil for clients who have Cancer but to use a very light blend so that no one smell can be identified.  This is because that person may associate a certain essential oil with a time when they felt ill if say, only Lavender was used.

Please note, only use a qualified Aromatherapy Practitioner if considering using Aromatherapy.