Aromatherapy relaxation

Aromatherapy is a highly popular form of complementary medicine usually entailing the application of essential plant oils to the skin by gentle massage. It has been shown to have relaxing effects but other claims have not been substantiated by reliable trial evidence (121). Allergic airborne contact dermatitis occurred in a patient who had previously used several essential oils for aromatherapy (122). The toxicity of essential oils has been reviewed (123). 

Enjoy a relaxed evening. Go for a walk, read, hang out with friends or family. Evening is also a good time for a spiritual practice, meditation or aromatherapy. 

Books do not only recommend aromatherapy to simply relax people, they claim real physiological effects as well against acute (ear ache, bronchitis, migraine) and chronic symptoms (hypertension, eczema). An examination of the clinical trials reveals that very few of the claimed effects were scientifically tested. The Cochrane Library database contains 121 studies related to aromatherapy. Most of these focused only upon distress and depression, and the selection of essential oils studied was also quite narrow lavender oil seems to be immensely popular among scientists. 

In contrast to more recent studies, past clinical trials were often very defective in design and also outcomes. In a recent review, Cooke and Ernst (2000) included only those aromatherapy trials that were randomized and included human patients they excluded those with no control group or if only local effects (e.g., antiseptic effects of tea tree oil) or preclinical studies on healthy volunteers occurred. The six trials included massage with or without aromatherapy (Buckle, 1993 Stevenson, 1994 Corner et al., 1995 Dunn et al., 1995 Wilkinson, 1995 Wilkinson et ah, 1999) and were based on their relaxation outcomes. The authors concluded that the effects of aromatherapy were probably not strong enough for it to be considered for the treatment of anxiety or for any other indication. 

Aromatherapy can apparently help patients with multiple sclerosis, especially for relaxation, in association with many other changes in the diet and also use of conventional medicines (Barker, 1994). French basil, black pepper, and true lavender in evening primrose oil with borage oil was used to counteract stiffness and also to stimulate this mixture was later changed to include relaxing and sedative oils such as Roman chamomile, ylangylang, and melissa. 

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