Practitioners of both western and eastern medicine may be converging on one commonality: aromatherapy. Some claim the ancient practice has only a placebo effect, but medical professionals of varying degrees employ its use.
“There is quite a bit of research,” Sharon Roemmel, Oregon School of Massage L.M.T. and Registered Aromatherapist, said. “It’s been used for thousands of years in some traditions, like in Egypt and China, and more doctors and hospitals are using them.”
The herb-based therapy is a holistic practice that uses essential oil for everything from treatment of physical pain such as headaches to emotional and mental issues like grief.
“Peppermint, which is used for headaches, will impact at an energetic and emotional level,” Roemmel said. “You can’t use aromatherapy and have it not be holistic. It is an art and science of using aromatic substances to heal the body, mind, and spirit because oils interact with the nerve impulses in the brain that affect moods and emotions.”
Aromatherapy is not a licensed profession such as massage therapy but there is a certification that is available.
Registered aromatherapists, such as Roemmel, undergo a minimum of 200 hours of training.
“We’re required to take a test every five years and there is some continuing education that is also necessary,” she said. “I was the only one who took the test in 2000 at the site in Portland.”
Roemell, who also works at her own massage practice in Salem called Massage Mentoring, explains that the science of the oils lies in their botanical characteristics, such as the antibacterial properties of eucalyptus and tea tree.
“Every oil has a number of chemical constituents,” she said.
Essential oils are typically absorbed through the skin or ingested aromatically. Oils are usually diluted to ensure safety, and often combined with massage.
“They go so well together because the essential oils are safe when diluted in massage oils,” she said. “When incorporated this way it’s both topical and aromatic.”
Roemmel insists that the effects of interactions depend on each individual.
“It’s also the science of how the oils interact with the body,” she said. “Art comes from knowledge of the oils and the person who you are working with.”
Topical use is the most common method, and the most old-fashioned is inhalation.
“Inhalation is the most effective for respiratory conditions,” she said.
Ingestion is the third method used in aromatherapy though it is not commonly used in this country.
“Tissue and organ damage has occurred in some patients,” Roemmel said. “It’s not a great idea; that’s a safety concern.”
Herbs and oils are often mixed, too.
“Essential oils can be mixed with stone chips like an elixir, but instead of drinking it you place it on the skin,” Carma Cole, owner of Crystal Mirror, said. “The oils can also be heated. The more heat there is, the more scent.”
Certain oils are known to work well for particular conditions.
Rosemary is commonly used for pain or insomnia; lavender is said to work for stress and muscle or skin disorders.
Cole remarked that her best selling oils are lavender and cedar.
For cosmetic needs, geranium is used for skin care, according to Roemmel. Basil, rosemary, and peppermint are her recommendations for those who look to grab a cup of coffee to stimulate mental capacity.
“There’s a whole range of ways people incorporate them into their lives,” Roemmel said. “Most use them for stress, pain relief, and skin care.”
For those who suffer from sensitivities, either topical or respiratory, aromatherapy can still be used.
“When I’m working with people with sensitivities some just aren’t comfortable. Others we go slow by using a small amount and seeing how it works,” Roemmel said. “I conduct a patch test inside the crook of the elbow or use a diffuser to put the scent in the room.”
Citrus and tree oils should usually be avoided by those with sensitivities, as the oils become rancid quickly due to oxidation.
“Many times people are reacting to the artificial,” Roemmel said.
Essential oils can also be purchased in an organic form, though not all are available.
“I do think it’s important,” she said. “Essential oils are plant matter that is concentrated and thus represents pounds and pounds of plant materials, so all of those herbicides and pesticides would be concentrated, too.”
Organic varieties do cost more.
Ten-milliliter bottles of lavender oil made by companies such as Eden Garden cost approximately $4.25, whereas a 100-percent certified organic variety from Hood River Lavender costs $16.90.
“It’s hard to find quality oils as they can be misrepresented and adulterated,” Roemmel said. “They don’t have the same therapeutic effects.”
Each bottle of oil is unique unto itself. Each variety smells different every time it is purchased.
“Even the climate, time of year it’s harvested and elevation can have an effect on its therapeutic effect; that’s a good thing,” Roemmel said.
To skeptics of aromatherapy itself, Roemmel contends that many decongestants, such as cough drops, have an essential oil as an ingredient or have a derivative.
“Most people are using them somehow,” she said.
