Aromatherapy is a natural technique based on the use of essential oils extracted from fresh plants for a therapeutic purpose. The substances used in aroma therapy are not fragrances or aromatic mixtures used in the perfume industry but pure essential oils, volatile substances extracted from diverse parts of plants which have curative property. -PubMed.
The reason Aromatherapy is considered as a form of alternative medicine is the energy of essential oils help heal’s one body and mind. Essential oils have been found to provide psychological and physical benefits, essential oils can be used through inhalation or absorption through the skin.
Essential oils that are inhaled into the lungs offer psychological and physical benefits. Not only does the aroma of the natural essential oil stimulate the brain to trigger a reaction, but when inhaled into the lungs, the natural constituents supply therapeutic benefit. The essential oils in aromatherapy activate the smell receptors in nose, which send messages directly to the brain’s limbic system. The limbic system affects the emotions, memory, learning, appetite, and sex drive.
Essential oils that are applied to the skin can be helpful with skin care and addressing topical and muscular concerns. There is evidence that oils applied to the skin enter the bloodstream. Whether the effect will be calming and cooling, warming and invigorating, toning or tonic to the body depends upon the chemistry of each essential oil.
“There is a high-quality evidence that essential oils are effective in treating viral, bacterial, fungal and parasitic infections, and in providing relief from sleep difficulties and pain,” says Dr. Wolfgang Stefiltsch, Vice President of the Austrian Association of Aromatherapy and Aroma Care. “The oils may also improve moods, such as anxiety, depression, and reduce stress.