Massage

Aromatherapy massage and the use of Aromatherapy is one of the most popular and well known treatments available today for treating various conditions brought on by stress and illness. Aromatic oils and their usage have ancient roots with associations to the Greek, Chinese and Persian civilisations. However it was the ancient Egyptians that are regarded as the true founders of Aromatherapy. Their Methods of distillation and extraction of essential oils from plant and flower extracts for their medicinal and cosmetic uses still hold true today. It wasn't until 1937 that the word 'Aromatherapy' was first used by the French Cosmetic Scientist Rene-Maurice Gattefosse, whose work and research revealed that the volatile extracts distilled from certain aromatic plants had a profound effect on the skin. By the 1950's the Austrian born Marguerite Maury opened the first Aromatherapy clinic in London and introduced the idea of combining essential oils with Massage.

The use of Aromatherapy oils combined with massage is now reputed for its therapeutic and healing qualities on the mind, body and soul. It can assist in many different ways, in balancing and regulating the endocrine system, stimulating the central nervous system, relaxing the muscular system, revitalising and toning the skin, aiding the functions of the immune, respitarory and digestive systems, and as a mood enhancer, calming and relaxing the mind.

Essential oils which are originally derived from plant and flower extracts inherit the chemical compositions from which they are derived from to give them their therapeutic properties, for example Peppermint is well known for aiding the functions of the digestive systems, Camomile is known for its ability to promote sleep and relaxation, grapefruit for its diurectic properties and so on. By combining essential oils with massage, the oil is absorbed through the skin diffused into the bloodstream, or taken up by the lymph or interstitial fluid and then carried to various parts of the body where it then starts to take effect.

Treatment usually consists of a consultation process between the Client and therapist to establish what the issues are and which blend of oils are best suited to the treatment. It would be usual for a blend of up to five essential oils mixed in a carrier oil of Grapeseed or sweet almond to be prepared for treatment. The recommended minimum treatment time would be an hour and it is also advised that the oils remain on the body for a further couple of hours after treatment to allow for full absorption of the oils through the skin to various parts of the body so as the full effects and benefits of the treatment can be realised.

As a practioner of Aromatherapy for the past seven years I use essential oils on a daily basis not just for the purpose of massage but also for various physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual pursuits and can truly say I could never be without my oils!

Abbreviated version

Aromatherapy massage and the use of Aromatherapy is one of the most popular and well known treatments available today for treating various conditions brought on by stress and illness. The use of Aromatherapy oils combined with massage is now reputed for its therapeutic and healing qualities on the mind, body and soul. It can assist in many different ways. Essential oils which are originally derived from plant and flower extracts inherit the chemical compositions from which they are derived from to give them their therapeutic properties, for example Peppermint is well known for aiding the functions of the digestive systems, Camomile is known for its ability to promote sleep and relaxation, grapefruit for its diurectic properties and so on. By combining essential oils with massage, the oil is absorbed through the skin diffused into the bloodstream, or taken up by the lymph or interstitial fluid and then carried to various parts of the body where it then starts to take effect. After a thorough consultation between client and practioner to establish the clients needs it would be usual for a blend of up to five essential oils to be mixed into a carrier oil such as Grapeseed or Sweet Almond to then be used in treatment.

Recommended length of treatment: minimum 1 hour

Benefits of Aromatherapy massage include:

• balancing and regulating the endocrine system
• stimulating the central nervous system
• relaxing the muscular system
• revitalising and toning the skin
• aiding the functions of the immune
• respitarory and digestive systems and as a mood enhancer
• calming and relaxing the mind.

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