What Is Aromatherapy ?

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Thursday, August 16th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed

Aromatherapy was first coined by French chemist Rene Maurice Gattefosse in the 1920’s. It applies to the distilling or extraction of essential oils from plants and herbs. These essential oils are used to heal ailments or treat disease. Gattefosse himself stumbled upon the idea when he burned his arm during an experiment. He placed the arm into lavender oil and noticed how it relieved the pain. This set him on the path to further study and the field of aromatherapy was the result.

The essential oil, also known as the essence of the oil, is the result of extracting the chemical properties of that oil or plant so that it may be utilized for therapy. In France, some essential oils are considered to be so potent that they cannot be used without a doctor’s consent. However in most countries aromatherapy is not seen as a legitimate form of treatment for diseases but has been marketed as a way to relieve mild depression, minor ailments or reduce stress.

Aromatherapy as fragrance or scent therapy is probably what it is best known for however this is a misnomer. The accurate definition is the use of the chemical properties of the oils, and their supposed ability to cure disease by applying them directly to the patient, as opposed to the strength of their scent.

Criticism of Aromatherapy

There is not much credible scientific research to back up the claims made by practitioners of aromatherapy. The principle criticism is that the essential oils just make the room smell nice and that they cannot cure diseases. The pleasant fragrance that the oils produce does not reduce stress levels. The thought of lighting a fragrant candle or oils might be a byproduct of psychological processes going on in the body that have already quelled surging adrenaline or cortisone levels.

Medical Associations bracket aromatherapy in the same category as acupuncture and other alternative medicines. Many therapists claim that their oils and treatments are effective and have testimonies to back this up. The problem is that there is no value in conducting a truly scientific study on oils and their effects because you really cannot patent an oil treatment. If there is no money to be made then there is usually very little interest in researching something.

As alternative medicines become more popular in many western countries, particularly the United States, many Medical authorities are beginning to take a closer look at these practices. This is true for aromatherapy. The industry is largely unregulated and as more people use the services, the medical authorities feel obliged to protect the public.

Essentially aromatherapy is about distilling plants down to some bases chemicals that are applied to the body in the hope that they will heal the person from some ailment or disease. Which plants are used to form the therapeutic chemicals and how the chemicals are formulated are still largely left to the aromatherapists.

This can lead to many problems, not least that a person may be allergic to the chemical and develop more problems as a result of the treatment. Thus it makes sense that medical authorities look into the practice more thoroughly.

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