Living with pain can be very difficult and overwhelming, especially over a long period of time. The use of natural pain relief remedies such as Aromatherapy Essential Oils has become very popular, as generally people do not want to take pain killers over an extended period of time as they are addictive and have nasty long term side effects.

The Aromatherapy benefits on pain relief have been well studied and documented and for many have become the preferred method of healing pain and many common ailments today.

Essential oils can be used safely to assist with pain relief. There are many different oils which can be used to assist with the relief of pain and discomfort. These pure essential oils can be added to a base oil or cream and rubbed or gently massage into the affected area.

The 5 Commonly Used Pure Essential Oils Used For Pain Relief

1. Curry – Helichrysum italicum is excellent for pain relief as it has antispasmodic and anesthetic properties as well for relief of deep pain.

2. Peppermint – Mentha piperita has been used through the ages for headaches, aches and pains, backache and arthritis. Peppermint has excellent pain relief properties and is also know as a powerful anti-inflammatory.

3. Basil – Ocimum basilicum which is very good for any type of muscle or nerve pain. Basil is excellent muscle relaxant and also contains powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-spasmodic properties as well.

4. Marjoram – Origanum majorana also has muscle soothing properties for any type of muscular or nerve pain and is also very beneficial for headaches.

5. Clove – Syzygium aromaticum which is well know for relief from toothache. It has analgesic properties along with anti-inflammatory, analgesic properties and anesthetic properties.

Aromatherapy oils are generally safe and easy to use and people have been successful using Aromatherapy pure essential oil either on there own or combined in a blend to assist with pain relief.

Do not apply any pure essential oils directly on the skin as severe reaction or intolerance may occur. Always blend pure essential oils with a suitable base oil or cream.

The holistic benefits of combining aromatherapy pure essential oils and massage therapy, is well known to assist with relief from pain and discomfort and is suitable for people of all ages.

Coping with pain or any form of discomfort is emotionally taxing and distressing. Other pure essential oils can be used to help cope with the psychological aspect of dealing with pain including Lavender Oil which is excellent for people who are suffering from emotional pain, anxiety or distress. Lavender promotes a feeling of calmness, confidence and relaxation. Lavender also soothes the spirit and provides relief from anger and exhaustion whilst restoring and healing the body.

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Memories, Emotions And The Nose

The olfactory system involves the nose and the sense of smell.  The olfactory system is connected to the limbic system, which is the portion of brain associated with emotions and memories.  With the right scent, you can stimulate moods.

Our brain develops memories with the aid of our five senses.  When you relive a memory, you are remembering the things that you have seen, touched, heard, tasted and smelled.  In this way, memories can be triggered by scent.

A Psychological Healing Effect

To answer the question of how does aromatherapy work, the answer is aromatherapy works on a psychological level.  Aromatherapy can distract a person from their stress, induce positive memories or emotions or treat an emotional state.  When aromatherapy is used in conjunction with massage, a bath or other aromatherapy treatment, the positive response of well- being and relaxation is even stronger.  Aromatherapy is able to affect conscious thought and emotional reactions.

Aromatherapy affects other systems such as the hormonal or endocrine system, which in turn stimulates the nervous system.  Stimulation of the hormonal system can influence stress levels, digestive system, circulatory system, insulin production and appetite.  These are all powerful systems in our body that are affected by aromatherapy.

Reduce The Ailments Caused By Stress

Since our body can be negatively affected by stress and negative emotions, it is possible to reduce stress caused conditions such as headaches, neck strain, anxiety, depression, insomnia, cardiovascular disease, weight gain or loss, hypertension, digestive complaints and many other physical changes brought about by stress.  With the right essential oils, you can use these answers to the question of how does aromatherapy work to heal yourself.

You can choose essential oils that are for stimulating many moods including relaxation or peace.  You can also choose essential oils that are known to reduce heart palpitations, anxiety, high blood pressure, debilitation and depression.  These are only a few of the positive effects from aromatherapy.

How does aromatherapy work?  It works by stimulating the olfactory system, limbic system, nervous system and the endocrine system.  You can use these facts about how does aromatherapy work by incorporating the healing and relaxing effects of essential oils in your life for positive effects.

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Not only that, but as well aromatherapy does not come with the annoying and often unavoidable symptoms that are often associated with conventional treatments.

Aromatherapy is the systematic use of volatile plant oils known as essential oils which are oils that consist of tiny aromatic molecules that are readily absorbed into the skin.

Herbal Aromatherapy

There is the more basic aromatherapy practice and then there is herbal aromatherapy. The major difference of herbal aromatherapy is that it is more based on herbs than on essential oils which are typically used. These herbs are used to activate the limbic system and emotional centers of the brain and kill microbes and fungi.

There are literally hundreds of herbs that are used in herbal aromatherapy, and this includes birch, citronella, cajeput, clove, fir, gardenia, ginger, basil, lemon grass, lime, mandarin, jojoba, lavender, jasmine, grapefruit, nutmeg, pine, rose, marjoram, sage, sassafras, spearmint, thyme, ylang ylang, rosemary, sandalwood, and patchouli.

Chamomile is one of the most commonly used herbs in herbal aromatherapy, and with its distinctive apple aroma this herb aids in sleep and helps to soothe tired muscles. As well it helps by encouraging emotional peace and calm within the body. Geranium works by refreshing and relaxing the body and helping them to release fears and ease mood swings.

Also frequently used in herbal aromatherapy is lavender, an herb which helps accent sensitivity and self expression, especially for the embarrassed or shy. It helps in the treatment of a variety of ailments and illnesses, everything from arthritis, joint aches, chest aches, to the common flu and cold.

This form of aromatherapy is extremely popular around the world and one of the major benefits to aromatherapy in general is that it helps to treat the actual problem rather than just cover up the symptoms associated with it. This means that patients will experience more long term effects rather than short term satisfaction.

Aromatherapy in general is usually incredibly if not completely effective and without the usual symptoms and side effects of conventional measures.

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The Grand Wailea Resort Hotel And Spa

The Grand Wailea Resort Hotel and Spa is the one Maui spa aromatherapy destination that is sure to provide you with a host of treatment facilities thanks to its fifty thousand square feet of area that offers as many as five different aromatic baths that will each provide the complete range of aromatherapy benefits. In fact, this Maui spa aromatherapy resort is also better known for what is termed as Terme Wailea Hydrotherapy that will cost you five thousand dollars and which will afford you the opportunity to indulge in even a Sandalwood Serenity wrap that will rejuvenate, revive as well as completely relax you.

The upshot of using Maui spa aromatherapy is that if you go in for body massage, you will enjoy the gentle though powerful techniques that will engage different parts of your body’s energy systems, especially the central nervous system. In fact, the massage will take the nerve endings in your body and activate them and also stimulate your body’s metabolism and thus helps in speeding up any healing that you may be undertaking through relaxing the muscles and also through the elimination of metabolic wastes.

You can also take a special kind of sunset Maui spa aromatherapy that you can avail of and which will help to warm up your soul while learning how best to relax in the famous Maui sunsets. You may also want to try out another type of Maui spa aromatherapy and that is the one known as Purify Aromatherapy Massage that will give your immune system a major boost through use of fresh as well as cleansing blend of tea tree, red thyme as well as lemon and even lavender.

The bottom line as far as availing of Maui spa aromatherapy is that you get a means whereby you can relieve your mental as well as physical fatigue and if you are feeling any pain, then this will be effectively reduced as too will tension and anxiety while at the same time your muscles will become suppler. Need we say more other than that taking Maui spa aromatherapy will bring you to a more relaxed state of being and if you have the monetary means, then by all means you should use it so that you can avail of this most relaxing and rejuvenating treatment.

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Defining Essential Oils

Essential oils are often concentrated and therefore should never be used without diluting it with carrier oil, particularly if the essential oil is meant for the skin. The aromatherapy benefits from the use of these essential oils are produced by chemical reactions and absorption through the body. Mixed with carrier oils, essential oils are absorbed through the skin and enter the bloodstream while others are inhaled and trigger a brain response.

Each essential oil is usually derived from various plants, trees and other living things with each having its own properties and should thereby be directed towards particular functions. For instance, lavender is a popular herb which is turned into essential oils to calm the senses and even calm the digestive system, depending on how it is used. The aromatherapy benefits of lavender stretch far and wide and this herb is used in massage oils, sachets, bubble bath and even stomach remedies.

Taking Precautions

While the aromatherapy benefits are many, you have to take care in how you conduct treatments because some essential oils cannot be use without carrier oils and some may even trigger adverse reactions with existing medications you may be taking. Before trying any aromatherapy treatments, always ask your doctor about possible reactions, especially if you are being treated for a pre-existing condition.

Studying up on the essential oils and their various aromatherapy benefits, you will discover that there is a plethora of information on the subject. Some essential oils used can multi-task and offer more than one type of benefit while others have one use only. One of the more versatile essential oils is peppermint because it can be inhaled, used topically and with proper care, ingested as well. Inhaling the aroma of peppermint wakes up the brain and provides alertness and using it topically will reduce fatigue in tired muscles.

Acne, psoriasis, colds, flu, lymphatic drainage, cuts, bruising, nausea and sore muscles are just a few of many conditions that can reap the aromatherapy benefits that come from using essential oils. Emotional and physical well-being can be achieved with essential oils and while there may not be definitive proof with some of them, as long as you feel better after using them that is all that counts. After all, people for thousands of years, especially the ancient Romans and Egyptians reaped aromatherapy benefits through the use of essential oils.

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Treating Depression and Anxiety

Lavender aromatherapy is a successful treatment for those people with depression because of its calming properties. The smell of this herb is light and easy on the nose all the while producing a feeling of general well-being. New moms going through post partum depression would benefit from lavender as well as people with Seasonal Affective Disorder and other related depressive conditions.

The cells in your brain react to the smell of lavender aromatherapy to create small chemical reactions which help lift the fog from your brain, calm the irrational senses and ease anxiety. Dementia and other agitated states could also benefit from the lavender as the herb seems to “speak” to the brain cells involved in creating the anxiety and similar conditions.

How to Carry Out Your Aromatherapy Plan

There are a few ways to carry out your lavender aromatherapy plan in order to reap the general well-being you would like. First of all, you can purchase the lavender essential oil and put a drop or two into your warm bathwater so not only would you be inhaling it in you would also be soaking in it as well with the result being silky soft skin.

As part of your lavender aromatherapy, you should mix some of the lavender with carrier oil and use it for body or foot massages, producing a languid feeling. The plant itself can be picked to brew for tea or to boil up to create recipes such as one to ease an upset stomach.

Breathing in the aroma of lavender is the most popular way to benefit from lavender aromatherapy as well as being the most popular. The lavender can be put into potpourri around the home or even on cotton balls that could then be placed in drawers and around the home. Diffusers and light rings are other ways that lavender aromatherapy can be practiced and are also top ways to eject the lovely smell of this purple herb into the area for you to breathe in. All in all, lavender aromatherapy is one of the more popular and widely accepted forms of alternative health care.

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No Cheap Mixtures

And, as man has found more scientific evidence that shows how essential oil therapy can benefit the human in more ways than one it is now becoming a very popular alternative to drug based treatments. What you should make sure of however is that the essential oils used in essential oil therapy are of good quality and avoid any that have been mixed with extending agents.

The benefits of essential oil therapy are many since the essential oils can prove effective for many different problems and there are eight main areas in which they function most effectively including congenital, organs, bioelectric parts of the body, infections, immune systems and structural components are benefited as too the endocrine glands and also it has effect on neuro-psychological functioning.

Essential oil therapy is wonderful for preventing health problems from developing and also as a means to treat chronic as well as acute ailments. In addition, the essential oil therapy can be used individually or in a combination as too in office treatments and a very well known essential oil therapy is Raindrop Therapy which helps with problems that are physical and also is useful in improving health.

Another common form of essential oil therapy is known as Emotional Release Therapy which is effective in removing emotional blocks and also is helpful in resolving psychological problems. Yet another form of essential oil therapy is known as Spiritual Enhancement Therapy which aims at improving awareness of the spirit and to make a person well developed and more open, and if you want better results it has been found that doing them in sequence can be especially useful.

Thus, you may want to start with Raindrop Therapy and continue with the others in the sequence described above, and if you have sinus problem then you may want to try out nasal lavage which also helps you to have reflex points inside your nose to be stimulated in much the same way as is affected when using acupuncture. Finally, you can also get the essential oils to be blended according to your particular needs if you want to get the best results.

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Most people have their own personnel experiences to relate to how a specific smell brings back a sensory memory.  Maybe it’s the lavender perfume grandma use to wear or the warm inviting smell of baking cookies.  Aromatherapy uses this same effect to help with many health issues. Certain aromatherapy scents can trigger reactions within the body, causing the body to become relaxed, alert, and even help with pain management.

Aromatherapy Scents And Their Use

Essential oils are used alone or in combination with each other to create specific scents to be used for a variety of reasons.  Scientists have conducted studies by using aromatherapy scents on mice to evaluate if there is a response.  It was noticed that certain scents like, lavender and sandalwood helped calm agitated mice. 

Aromatherapy scents are useful and they cover a wide array of conditions. For example Clary Sage, that contains a scent that has a warm, soothing smell, can help with conditions like muscular aches and pains, asthma, throat infections and colic among others.  Eucalyptus is used for rheumatoid arthritis, colds, and flu and skin conditions.  Geranium is one of the aromatherapy scents that have a soothing, relaxing scent; another is, Petitgrain. 

Both of these aromatherapy scents help with skin problems including acne, bruises, broken capillaries and many more.   Lavender is one of the aromatherapy scents with the widest range of usefulness.  It can be used in nervous disorders, depression, shock, skin problems, insect bites, sprains, asthma, sunburns, flu and many more.  Additional useful scents include Jasmine, Lemon, Peppermint, Rosemary, Sandalwood, Tea Tree and Ylang Ylang.  There are more, but these aromatherapy scents are some of the most important basic scents needed.

Historically, aromatherapy scents have been successfully used to help cure ailments, induce relaxation, and assist patients become healthier in body and spirit.  Today, certain aromatherapy scents are being used in commercial application.  Studies have shown that when a Lavender scent was gently used with senior patients, they began having less difficulty falling asleep, and many stopped needing sleeping pills.  Japanese research has concluded that when certain scents, Lavender, Jasmine and Lemon, mistakes in keyboard typing were dramatically reduced.  The Lemon scent caused the biggest drop in mistakes, they went down 54%.  Discovering the mind, body and scent connection can lead towards a new path in wellness.

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For The Bath

Lavender essential oils are known to have relaxing properties as well as antiseptic properties; as a bath oil, it makes for a wonderfully fragrant tub to kick back and distress in.  But oils for aromatherapy are potent, so you don’t need very much!  About 10 drops in the water will give you a well-scented bath that won’t invite skin irritation.  If you have particularly sensitive skin, try adding those 10 drops to a carrier oil, which is a neutral oil such as jojoba oil, which will give you a less concentrated solution that you place in the water, making mixing easier.

For Illness

Peppermint oil for aromatherapy has stimulating properties, with its brisk, almost cold feel when the scent tickles your nose.  When you’ve got a bad cold, though, you can use it as an expectorant, clearing out passages that are clogged with mucus.  One way of doing this is by mixing three drops in a bowl of warm or cool water, soaking a cloth in that water, then wringing it out before application.  You can also make a body lotion that will help when applied to the skin by adding about 50 drops per 16 ounces of unscented body lotion.  Stir to combine and apply.

Without Use On The Body

Even in diluted amounts, you may decide that you don’t want to use oils for aromatherapy where they’ll be in contact with your body.  In this case, you should use an aromatherapy diffuser in order to get aromatherapy oils to your nose.  A diffuser is a device that works through electricity or using a candle to provide heat energy.  When aromatherapy oils are heated, they evaporate, adding the scent to the air. 

So, you can use a candle diffuser to scent your bathroom while you’re in the bath with no problems, or you can use an electric diffuser as you sleep to help bring a little relief to your clogged sinuses as you sleep by adding a little peppermint oil.  But whether you choose to use diluted oils that come in contact with your skin or using a diffuser for the hands-off approach, you can enjoy the benefits of using aromatherapy oils at home.

Photo by Jenny Rollo

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As A Medical Practice

The basis of aromatherapy comes from the use of essential oils, which are extracted from plants using distilling processes, resulting in concentrated liquids that are often very fragrant. In France, where aromatherapy is used in concert with traditional medical practices, but it’s for the antiseptic properties of the essential oils more than anything. In France, essential oils are sometimes prescribed and administered by a physician to target harmful organisms that might lead to bacterial, viral, or fungal infections.

If you’re wondering where the “aroma” part of aromatherapy comes in, there are traditional medical practices in the United States in which the scents of various compounds result in an alleviation of symptoms of illness. The one most people are familiar with is the use of things such as Vicks VapoRub or Halls cough drops to help drain clogged sinuses and throats. Aromatic chemicals such as menthol and eucalyptus bring an alleviation of those symptoms, which are often associated with colds.

As Stress Therapy

When you start to venture out of such applications and begin to talk about alleviating stress with aromatherapy, then you start to get into ideas that come less from observed scientific evidence than from common theories. Aromatherapy is often suggested as a way to reduce symptoms of stress in people and for other effects. For instance, basil oil is often suggested to ease the effects of depression and to help you to concentrate, while lavender is used for relaxation.

While many of these supposed effects aren’t determined through scientific study, it’s easy enough to notice that pleasant scents can make people feel cheerier. In that respect, it wouldn’t hurt to practice a little aromatherapy at home; at best, it really will help and at worst, you still end up surrounded by nice scents. So, whether you’re using it for medical purposes or just to relax, aromatherapy offers something for you.

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