Aromatherapy is a branch of herbal medicine that uses the medicinal properties
of the essential oils of plants and herbs. The use of plant essential oils dates back to the ancient times in Egypt,
Italy, India,
and China. French chemist Rene-Maurice Gattefosse coined the
term aromatherapy in 1937, when he witnessed first-hand the healing power of lavender oil on healing skin burns.
Today, aromatherapy is widely practiced in Europe North America. It is often integrated into holistic treatments,
and is used in spa treatments and products such as candles, massage oil, and other relaxation products.
The essential oils used in aromatherapy are plant volatile oils from the flowers, leaves, stems, buds, branches, or
roots that have been extracted using steam distillation, water and stem distillation or cold-pressing.
Aromatherapy can be used for a variety of health conditions, such as allergies, stress, bruises, burns, earache,
premenstrual syndrome (PMS), energy, insect bites, relaxation, poor digestion, headache, menopause, insomnia, nausea, bronchitis,
colds, flu, sinusitis, sprains, wounds, shingles (herpes zoster), muscle and joint pain, arthritis, nervouseness, restlessness,
and scars
For
further information about aromatherapy, please visit:
The International
Federation of Aromatherapists at www.ifaroma.org
