A great many people have a very skewed perception of aromatherapy, so many in-fact that a weak critique of the practice currently shows up on the first page of search results for the term. Somehow aromatherapy got labeled as some “new age” foolishness, and that view pervades much of the Western world. Working in the background, scientists have been validating the use of essential oils for quite some time, for many medical applications. However, the data showing the effects of just aromas is somewhat limited — and this data is really what’s needed to change the way people think about essential oils.

Recently published research was performed to uncover the mechanism for an aroma’s perceived effects. Are their changes in the brain that could result in humans noting they feel differently? It makes sense that essential oils do illicit changes in the gray matter, as the olfactory sense is the one most closely connected to the brain. In fact, some scientist consider the smell sensors are actually brain cells that extend into the sinus cavity, with their other end directly wired to our emotional, motivational, and memory centers.

Italian researchers published a study shedding light on the neurological process that occurs when inhaling bergamot essential oil. By using brain wave data, behavioral response data and changes in messenger chemicals, they were able to deduce that the stress-reduction action is a result of blocking the strengthening of certain neural connections. This blocking prevents the sense of stress from building up over time.

If you think about the way stress works, its not a one time thing. It’s the same thing happening again and again — the feeling of stress builds over time because the circuit in your brain is getting stronger. Consider an experience you find stressful; it could be a noise like, like a jackhammer for example. Hearing it once is no big deal, hearing it all day every day could drive you…well, make you very stressed. Inhaling bergamot essential oil interferes this building up process (and has an immediately uplifting affect at the same time — quite a bonus).

This may elucidate the stress-reducing effect found in an earlier Korean study. In this study, adolescents wore an amulet emitting the aroma of either bergamot or a placebo. Those wearing the amulet with bergamot reported significantly lower stress levels during the study’s duration.

Along with bergamot essential oil’s use for it’s stress-reducing effects, and an action with potential significant medical applications: it’s ability to lessen the perceived intensity of pain. In their conclusion, the researchers note that because the mechanism is understood, bergamot it should be used in complementary medicine, alongside conventional medical techniques. (Knowing “why” something works is important for its integration in modern medical practices — on reason being to ensure it does not interfere with other therapies). This is very promising, as reducing the needs for pharmaceutical drugs not only can save significant health care dollars, it is often very beneficial for the health of the patient.

So what to do about the rest of aromatherapy? It’d be fantastic to see essential oils at your doctor’s office, not only for their obvious antiviral and antibacterial activity, but for they psycho-emotional actions of the aromas as well. Most certainly their are similar mechanisms for many essential oils which consistently elicit similar user responses — lavender is relaxing, lemon stimulating, etc.

There’s so much data published on the great many medicinal actions of essential oils that they’re likely catching the eye of some in the conventional medical community. It’s not a reach at all for much of aromatherapy’s more researched oils and actions to be given the same stamp of approval as bergamot. A search of the database of the National Institute of Health for “essential oils” yields pages and pages of results. Now with the affirmation that even the “aroma” part of aromatherapy has valid therapeutic actions, perhaps the use of essential oils will be more quickly embraced.

The author loves aromatherapy, and the wonderful therapeutic actions of aromatics like oregano oil and peppermint oil.

categories: aromatherapy,essential oils,stress,anxiety,disease,illness,alternative medicine,natural medicine,natural health,science