Aromatherapy
What Is Aromatherapy?
Plainly put, Aromatherapy is the therapeutic use of essential oils. Essential oils are not actually oils at all, rather they are the aromatic principles of plants, smelled from a crushed Mint leaf or a Lavender blossom rolled between the fingers. They are the very essence of the plants from which they originate, extracted and concentrated mostly by distillation. From some plants the yield of essential oil can be as low as 0.01%, and they are often costly. However, their fragrances are so intense that a single drop is enough to scent a room, and a blend of oils for an Aromatherapy massage typically contains just 8-10 drops of plant essence.
Aromatherapy is effective when employed in massage for several reasons: the molecules of essential oils are generally very small and light - hence their highly aromatic quality - and are able to penetrate the skin and underlying tissues with ease, when they then enter the bloodstream and exert a systemic effect. More locally, say for an arthritic joint, anti-inflammatory and pain-reliving oils would be used to penetrate the tissue and act on the joint itself. Some oils are used for their direct effect on the skin, for example when treating persons with eczema. Whatever the use, the outstanding feature of essential oils is their fragrance, and it is through this olfactory route that they mainly effect the emotional system. As the aromatic compounds come into contact with the olfactory nerve in the nose, they effect both the nervous system and the emotional system; the latter lies in the same area of the brain as the olfactory centre and there is an often observed link between them. Therefore, the strong emotional and recollective quality of smells is not accidental, and Aromatherapy makes use of this biological relationship when treating people suffering from stress, anxiety, insomnia, and other conditions.
For Aromatherapy treatment, the essences are often used in carrier oils to combine the therapeutic properties of essential oils and massage and this is the most common and familiar form of the therapy. However, Aromatherapy also encompasses the use of essential oils in creams, ointments, compresses, baths, and other preparations.
How is Aromatherapy Beneficial?
Aromatherapy Massage shares the benefits of Holistic Massage - relaxation, stress relief, pain
relief - and adds to them the diverse benefits essential oils. The essences help to reduce pain, increase circulation, relax busy anxious or nervous minds, lift low moods, encourage sleep, lower blood pressure, and ease digestive problems, among many other actions.
Additional preparations - creams, ointments, bath oils, and steam inhalations, among others - mean that treatment continues between appointments, exponentially increasing therapeutic effectiveness.
What Should Be Expected In A Treatment?
The
first consultation will include the taking of a detailed history, with
medical, lifestyle, and dietary information, in order to form a detailed
therapeutic picture. Joseph will then blend essential and carrier oils suited to
your specific needs. These will leave a residue on your skin, so please be
aware of this when dressing for a day on which you will be having
massage. If additional preparations will be of benefit to you they will then be discussed and possibly prepared.
When Might Aromatherapy Not Be Suitable?
Aromatherapy Massage
does have some contraindications. Persons with heart conditions, thrombosis, phlebitis, or oedema are urged to check with their GP's before making an appointment. Additionally, persons
with some serious conditions - including cancer - may not receive
massage without the express consent of their doctors. If you are in any doubt or under
medical supervision, check with your doctor before making an appointment.
It is not advisable to drink alcohol or use non-prescription drugs in the 24 hours before and after your massage.
Prices For Aromatherapy:
Evening appointments are available.
60 Minutes £45
90 Minutes £60
