5Ws+1H: What It's About: Aromatherapy helps with different symptoms

Skyler Hammons, Tahlequah Daily Press, Okla.
·2 min read

Nov. 17—While aromatherapy has been studied since the early 1800s, according to the Puressentiel website, the use of organic fragrant substances to alleviate pain and other symptoms continues.

Donnita Armstrong, a therapeutic massage therapist for the Skin Spa and Boutique and other massage services, said aromatherapy uses essential oils to help the person reach a goal, such as stress management, relaxation, and/or pain management.

"Different things have different health effects on people," said Armstrong.

Armstrong said one of the main components of aromatherapy is the essential oils, which are made from items such as leaves, flowers, tree bark, resin, etc.

According to the Healthline website, essential oils are created through a distillation process, which uses steam and/or water. Mechanical methods, like cold pressing, are also used during the procedure , depending on the materials being made into an essential oil. Once an extraction of the aromatic chemicals takes place, a carrier oil is combined to finish the product for use.

Each essential oil can cause a variety of reactions; some can uplift moods, while others may help to calm an individual. Armstrong said some essential oils can be beneficial, while others can cause problems.

"There are times when you use them and certain situations when you aren't supposed to use them, so it's good to have a base knowledge of what they do," said Armstrong.

She said when she uses aromatherapy on a client, she normally incorporates it with a massage. While using a type of muscle therapy is common with essential oils, she said there are other ways to administer essential oils.

A few examples include using a diffuser in the home, ingesting, and applying it to the skin. The certain need and type of essential oil will define how to administer the substance, as not all can be used interchangeably.

Armstrong said including a natural substance, rather than a type of synthetic chemical, can be helpful to humans when trying to alleviate certain symptoms.

"It comes from nature, so it's not a bunch of synthetic chemical things, and that's why it's really important to use a good-quality and reputable essential oil, because some makers of essential oils use synthetic instead of what nature provides," said Armstrong.

She said some of the most expensive essential oils are rose oil, frankincense, and myrrh, due to the elaborate extraction processes and the need for so many materials to make one bottle.

While some people can have reactions to the fragrance of a certain essential oil, Armstrong said substances made with synthetic material are often the type that cause allergic reactions.