Aromatherapy involves the use of essential oils. These are extracted from seeds, stems and leaves, needles, berries and rinds, flowers and petals, woods and resins, roots and rhizomes, and grasses.
Studies indicate that aromatherapy may decrease pain in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), and pain related to hemodialysis treatments. However, a facility must first ensure buy-in from major stakeholders and develop a champion to lead the program.
Anxiety
Anxiety is a feeling of fear or dread that makes you sweat, feel restless and tense, or have a fast heartbeat. Anxiety is often a normal reaction to stress, but it can also be an ongoing problem that affects your life. Talk to your health care provider about treatment options for anxiety.
Some treatments for anxiety include psychotherapy or “talk therapy” that helps you learn different ways to think and act. One type is called cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT. It teaches you to confront the things that cause your fears. Other types of therapy for anxiety include exposure therapy and systematic desensitization.
Aromatherapy with certain essential oils, like bergamot orange and lavender, may help reduce anxiety. But before trying an essential oil, talk to your health care provider and make sure it is safe for you.
Depression
Depression is a serious mood disorder that affects how you think, feel and behave. It causes sadness and loss of interest in things you normally enjoy. It can also make it hard to get along with others.
Studies show that aromatherapy can help reduce symptoms of depression. Aromatherapy uses distilled oils from plants like lavender, sweet orange and chamomile to create an inhalant or topical agent that can enter the bloodstream. Lavender and yuzu oil can improve sleep, and chamomile is an effective sedative.
Medications can treat depression by changing brain chemistry, but they take time to work and can have side effects, such as drowsiness or gastrointestinal problems. Non-pharmacological treatments may help, including psychotherapy (talk therapy) and exercise. Other therapies, such as acupuncture and aromatherapy, can be used in addition to medication.
Dementia
As experts continue to search for a cure for dementia, many caregivers are turning to aromatherapy and essential oils to help ease symptoms and improve moods. Caregivers can use these oils to inhale, apply to the skin or put in food. A few studies have shown that aromatherapy may also help people with dementia relax and improve their cognition.
One clinical study found that smelling different scents each night for 28 days (known as olfactory enrichment) improved cognitive abilities in people with mild dementia. The researchers believe this improvement is related to a boost in activity in a part of the brain called the uncinate fasciculus. However, more rigorous clinical trials are needed to confirm these findings.
Pain
Pain is a common problem, and treating it can be difficult. Aromatherapy is a natural treatment that may help ease pain.
Studies have shown that the use of certain essential oils can decrease menstrual pain, migraines, and even cancer pain. Aromatherapy can also reduce the need for opiate medications.
Renal colic, a serious medical condition that causes severe abdominal and groin pain, can be relieved with aromatherapy. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, patients treated with rose oil in a vaporizer experienced less pain than those treated with conventional therapy alone.
The IASP task force concluded that the current definition of pain and its accompanying notes should be revised to reflect improved knowledge of pain in biopsychosocial terms. They rephrased some concepts and updated the wording, and the task force’s recommendations were unanimously accepted by the IASP Council earlier this year.
Stress
Stress is a normal part of life, and everyone experiences it. However, how you manage stress affects your mental and physical health.
The body’s built-in stress response helps you adapt to changes and challenges. But too much stress can be harmful.
Distress is the bad kind of stress that can lead to disease and other problems. Eustress, on the other hand, is a good type of stress that can make you feel energized and motivated. It can also help you perform better on a test or meet a deadline.
Some forms of therapy can treat stress like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR). But aromatherapy may be a simple way to reduce your stress levels. This study found that bergamot essential oil was effective in relieving nurses’ psychological perception of fatigue.
