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Aromatherapy, commonly associated with complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), is the use of volatile liquid plant materials, known as essential oils (EOs), and other aromatic compounds from plants to affect someone's mood or health. The word was coined in the 1920s by French chemist René Maurice Gattefossé, who devoted his life to researching the healing properties of essential oils after a lucky accident in his perfume laboratory. (In the accident, he lit his arm on fire and thrust it into the nearest cold liquid, which happened to be a vat of lavender oil. Much to his amazement, the burn quickly healed without a scar.)
The main branches of aromatherapy include:
- Home aromatherapy (self treatment, perfume & cosmetic use)
- Clinical aromatherapy (as part of pharmacology and pharmacotherapy)
- Aromachology (the psychology of odors and their effects on the mind)
Materials
Some of the materials employed include:
- Essential oils: Fragrant oils extracted from plants chiefly through distillation (e.g. eucalyptus oil) or expression (grapefruit oil). However, the term is also occasionally used to describe fragrant oils extracted from plant material by any solvent extraction.
- Absolutes: Fragrant oils extracted primarily from flowers or delicate plant tissues through solvent or supercritical fluid extraction(e.g. rose absolute). The term is also used to describe oils extracted from fragrant butters, concretes, and enfleurage pommades using ethanol.
- Phytoncides: Various volatile organic compounds from plants that kill microbes. Many terpene based fragrant oils and sulfuric compounds from plants in genus "Allium" are Phytoncides, though the latter are likely less commonly used in aromatherapy due to their disagreeable smells.
- Hydrosols: The aqueous by-products of the distillation process (e.g. rosewater). Hydrosol used are limited to plants such as rose and camomile since most hydrosols have unpleasant smells.
- Infusions: Aqueous extracts of various plant material (e.g. infusion of chamomile)
- Carrier oils: Typically oily plant base triacylglycerides that are used to dilute essential oils for use on the skin (e.g. sweet almond oil)
Aromatherapy
Massage Therapy :: Complementary and Alternative
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Absolute Aromas - Details of essential oil products manufacturered. No purchase - links to retail suppliers.
Ager School of Aromatherapy - Syllabuses for I.F.A accredited courses in Aromatherapy and Classical Massage. Online ordering of essential oils and accessories.
Meta Description: [ Ager School of Aromatherapy -Courses in massage and aromatherapy, supply of Essential oils and related products. ]
Amateur Aromatherapy - Designed as a reference library for amateur aromatherapists.
Aroma Trading Limited - Supplier of organically grown and certified essential oils, vegetable oils and related products, plus useful product information.
Meta Description: [ Supplier of high-quality essential oils and vegetable oils, many from source, plus useful product information ]
Aromaclear - Information about aromatherapy-based treatment for headlice developed by Sue Finn, reflexologist and aromatherapist in N.E. England.
Meta Description: [ Head Lice treatment using pure Essential Aromatherapy Oils ]
Aromatherapy and Allied Practitioners' Association - Represents aromatherapists, reflexologists and other therapists and training colleges. AOC, BCMA and Reflexology Forum member. Open membership to qualifed therapists.
Caddy Profiles - Unique method of learning the chemical compositions of essential oils. Books and software for online purchase suitable for use by teachers, students and home users.
Meta Description: [ Caddy Classic Profiles are a colourful new way of looking at Essential Oils used in Aromatherapy ]
Lavender Touch - A charity which aims to provide an aromatherapy service for patients in the Scottish Borders area with cancer.
Leonora's Enterprise - Practitioner offering a variety of treatments in Birmingham and Essex can also supply aromatherapy oils by mail order. Articles on managing stress and building confidence.
The English Chamomile Company - Growers and distillers of chamomile essential oil. Consultants in steam distillation and essential oil production. Online supply of a variety of oils (wholesale or retail).
Meta Description: [ The English Chamomile Company - Producers of the Finest English Chamomile, German Chamomile, Melissa, Peppermint and Angelica essential oils and hydrolats. Consultants in Steam Distillation. ]
The World of Aromatherapy - Aromatherapy, its uses and detailed description of various essential oils. Practitioner lists and mail order.
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Vivat Holistic Training - [London] Information on the teachers and the course offered in aromatherapy.
Meta Description: [ Very experienced therapist and teachers dedicated to providing the highest standards of therapy training. ]
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