Tiran (2006), Tiran (2009), and Bizjak, Veljanovič, and A.M.I.D.A.S. (2000) describe aromatherapy as a science that uses highly concentrated essential oils from various plants. Their power has a therapeutic effect. Essential oils can be used on the skin through massage, inhalation, via mucous membranes, in baths (oils are not water-soluble), or while showering. In the area of the gastrointestinal tract, they are used in certain cases, but such aromatherapy must be clinically tested. Bizjak, Veljanovič, and A.M.I.D.A.S. (2000) state that the fifteen most effective essential oils include tea tree, lemon-scented eucalyptus, laurel, German chamomile, niaouli, eucalyptus globulus, palmarosa, tarragon, peppermint, rosemary, lavender, thyme, wild thyme, ylang-ylang, and sage. You must first find out which essential oils are used for which health conditions, as not all are suitable for everyone.

Aromatic therapy comes from a Greek word naming a spicy scent or taste, but today it is more commonly used for fragrance. Therapeia, on the other hand, means treatment or care (Maxwell–Hudson, 1995). Essential oils have an intense scent; for example, thirty rose petals are used for just one drop of rose oil (Janicke and Grunwald, 2009). Rončelj and Skoberne (2002) state that, in addition to a specific scent, aromatherapy also has certain medicinal active ingredients.

One advantage of aromatherapy is that its use helps you get to know your body better and thus discover irregularities. Through physical contact, you establish positive relationships with yourself or others you are massaging. It has many positive effects, including trust, relaxation, muscle relief, and the release of endorphins that ease pain. The essential oils used in aromatherapy are found in different parts of plants. They protect the plant from various microorganisms, establish contact with the external environment, and at the same time act like hormones in humans, playing a key role in plant metabolism (Rončelj and Skoberne, 2002).

Tiran (2006) explains that essential oils are high-percentage concentrates of chemical substances in plants, sometimes found in tiny droplets of vessels or in the roots of hairs and fibers. Their function in plants is hormone regulation, helping the plant adapt, and so on. Thus, essential oils help plants adapt to external factors and protect them from disease. Rončelj and Skoberne (2002) also mention a similar role for oils in plants.

HISTORY of aromatherapy

In her work, Tiran (2006) explains how and when aromatherapy first appeared. It is known that our ancestors used plants and their essences for therapeutic purposes as well as for perfumes thousands of years before us.

Our ancestors noticed that wounded, sick, and injured animals healed themselves with the help of the plants they consumed. Some plants that lacked medicinal properties made the health condition worse or even caused death. All this knowledge allowed herbal medicine to develop (Farrer–Halls, 2007; Maxwell–Hudson, 1995). The term aromatherapy only developed around the beginning of the twentieth century, when Gattefossé conducted an experiment with essential oils to determine their healing properties. He burned his hands and fingers and then discovered lavender and its power after dipping his injured hand into lavender essential oil. He realized that lavender oil works as a painkiller, is anti-inflammatory, and helps with wound healing. He was also the first to use the term aromatherapy in 1928 in a scientific article on essential oils. Using Gattefossé’s discovery, Dr. Jean Valnet treated the wounds of injured soldiers and also used essential oils for emotional and psychological issues. Later, Marguerite Maury introduced beauty aromatherapy, where essential oils were used for skin regeneration, further confirming the positive effects of essential oils (Farrer-Halls, 2007). Farrer-Halls (2007) states that the modern use of aromatherapy developed in the 1960s, where it was used alongside massage techniques. The most important aspect of aromatherapy is massaging the whole body with diluted essential oils.

Rončelj and Skoberne (2002) describe how certain plants were considered sacred in ancient civilizations. They were used for ritual offerings by burning them, as evidenced by the discovery of incense dating back to before 1500 BC. Ancient peoples believed these plants had special powers and thus associated them with healing. During the Neolithic period, the extraction of fatty oils by pressing various plants was discovered in parts of Europe and the East. For many years, the effects and properties of plants were explored. Once they recognized the toxicity of certain plants, they avoided them, while using others very carefully.

In the book Family Health Guide (2009), oils from thuja, wormwood leaves, tansy, hyssop, and sage are described as poisonous. The oils of these plants are so toxic that they can be life-threatening if ingested.

In ancient times, creams were used. An important lifestyle in Egypt involved using oils for the body and healing, as evidenced by the discovery of numerous vessels believed to be for oil use. This magic liquid was used for various purposes, such as healing, rituals, cosmetics, and even mummification. Some state that bodies where larger quantities of various oils were used are better preserved. The Greeks learned from the Egyptians to use oils for perfuming as well. With the knowledge of the Greeks, the Romans used oils for clothing, beds, the body, and more. The Arabian alchemist Avicenna invented distillation in the tenth century. The first extracted essential oil was made from roses. In the thirteenth century, people were most fascinated by lavender essential oil (Farrer-Halls, 2007).

Tiran (2006) and Rončelj and Skoberne (2002) state in their literature that the term aromatherapie was first used by the chemist Gattefossé, who was interested in cosmetic essential oils. In 1928, he published a book advising on essential oils in dermatology. He also helped prevent gangrene, heal wounds and inflammation, lower body temperature, and relieve pain during World War I. Today, the effects of plants are used in both pharmacy and cosmetics. There is also opposition to the use of these substances, as even today we do not fully understand all their effects (Rončelj and Skoberne, 2002).

Use of aromatherapy

When practicing aromatherapy, the basic tools are essential oils, which are considered an effective, gentle healing remedy. Aromatherapy is most effective when used in combination with massage. The most common way to use aromatherapy at home is likely a bath. You can also prepare perfumes, inhalations, and cold or warm compresses with essential oils. They can be added to creams, toilet waters, hair care products, or even lotions (Farrer-Halls, 2007).

Aromatherapy is more commonly used by women than men, specifically during their reproductive years, which may suggest that women turn to it during pregnancy or childbirth (Smith et al., 2011).

Wagner (2008) describes aromatherapy as being for everyone to relieve everyday problems. It is best used as a preventative measure for various illnesses or as a complementary treatment for more serious conditions. Its action can positively affect quality of life if instructions are followed. They are highly concentrated, so you must be careful with dosage; in short, you must follow the instructions for use just like with other medicines. Pregnant women should consult a gynecologist or midwife about using essential oils. Some women are very sensitive to and bothered by scents during pregnancy and after childbirth. For such individuals, the use of aromatic oils is not recommended (Wagner, 2008).

During pregnancy, many medications pass through the placenta to the baby. For this reason, many women do not want to take medication, so alternative healing methods are especially recommended in such cases (Glossler, 2010). Similar guidelines apply to infants and young children (Janicke and Grunwald, 2009). Essential oils should not be used on children and newborns as long as their absorption is unknown (Tiran, 2009).

Farrer-Halls (2007) states that ingesting essential oils is forbidden; they must not come into contact with the delicate skin of mucous membranes, and you must also avoid the eye area. Sometimes skin irritation can occur, so occasional use with other selected oils is advised. Follow the instructions for diluting essential oils and do not increase the concentration unless prescribed. If skin becomes irritated and red, resolve this discomfort by applying a base cream or oil to the area, covering it with a cold cloth, and leaving it until the unwanted effects disappear. If oil comes into contact with the eye, rinse it immediately with a small amount of carrier oil, then dab with a soft cloth, and then rinse with water. Essential oils are added to carrier oils, so we can say that carrier oils can also be called base oils, which we mix together with essential oils (Konte, 2009). If severe reactions occur, medical help must be sought.

Effects of aromatherapy

The essential oils used in aromatherapy are highly volatile substances that begin to evaporate as soon as they come into contact with air. Therefore, every method of using essential oils also involves inhaling them, even if in small amounts. Aromatherapy is most often combined with massage, which allows essential oils to enter through the skin, where they have the greatest and most immediate effect alongside the lungs. Oils enter the body through the skin because the skin is permeable to certain substances. When we inhale particles of essential oils, they first travel from the trachea to the bronchi and then into the lungs. In the lungs are alveoli surrounded by blood vessels. Through the blood vessels and alveoli, gas exchange occurs, where the essential oils are also found. Once essential oils enter the blood, they travel through the body via the bloodstream to certain organs. Rose oil has the greatest effect on the uterus, as it regulates its function, cleanses it, and strengthens it. Essential oils also have a strong influence on the emotional, mental, and psychological side (Farrer-Halls, 2007).

ESSENTIAL OILS

Postič (2013) describes essential oils as volatile substances with a strong scent. They are found in plants. Most often, such oils are obtained through distillation, and the substance itself is named after the plant, e.g., lavender oil. They are used in the cosmetic and food industries, as well as in medicine. Dimitrov (2008) explains that essential oils are an integral part of plants and animals and that they contain a fragrant component. They contain carbohydrates, acids, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, esters, phenols, and other compounds, as also described by Tiran (2006). It cannot be assumed that any essential oil is fully understood, as mentioned by the previously cited authors. You can check the quality of an essential oil by placing a drop on white filter paper and waiting twenty-four hours. If the oil is of high quality, no greasy or visible trace will remain on the paper. It is also known that oils are not soluble in water, but they still have a characteristic scent and taste. Water certainly takes on the scent because the alcohols present in essential oils are soluble. Most essential oils evaporate quickly at room temperature. Some solidify quickly during cooling or release solid particles. These properties allow us to use cooling, which helps us obtain menthol and other stereotypes from essential oils (Dimitrov, 2008).

Farrer-Halls (2007) states that essential oils are natural substances that, through photosynthesis, allow the plant to feed and obtain other substances necessary for existence. They are composed of water, carbon dioxide, and minerals, which facilitate photosynthesis. The term essential oils is most often used for all types of aromatic oils used in aromatherapy, but some oils obtained by pressing remain unchanged.

Characteristics of essential oils

In practice, you can find non-greasy, clear, thin, colored, or thick oils, but they all have in common that they dissolve in fats or alcohol. It is known that oils do not dissolve in water, so the way they are used is important (Farrer-Halls, 2007). Because essential oils are highly volatile, it is recommended to store them in tightly sealed, dark-colored glass bottles. As already mentioned, they are highly concentrated, so dilution instructions must be followed before use, as they are rarely used undiluted.

Use of essential oils

A bath with essential oils is the second most pleasant and effective aromatherapy method, used for the whole body alongside massage. Oils turn bathing into a special experience, as they strengthen and complement the positive effects of water. A fragrant bath can be used for various purposes, whether for relaxation, stimulation, sexual arousal, or refreshment. They can help with skin problems, muscle pain, stress, and tension (Farrer-Halls, 2007). When the tub is filled with water, add 4–8 drops of essential oil, which will stay on the surface. Because of this, the water needs to be stirred so the oil disperses. Add the essential oil to the tub just before bathing, because if you wait too long, most of the volatile oil would go to waste.

Living spaces can be scented by spraying essential oils into the air. If you want to vaporize the essential oil and speed up its evaporation, use burners or aromatherapy lamps. In practice, stands are most often used where a candle is placed on the bottom shelf, and a bowl sits on the top part where you pour water and essential oils. It is also possible to buy automatic diffusers and ring bulbs that work similarly to the burners described. Quick evaporation of essential oil can be achieved with a bowl of hot water placed on a radiator (Farrer-Halls, 2007). Place a candle on the bottom shelf of the aromatherapy lamp, add half water to the top part intended for liquid, and add 8–10 drops of essential oil.

Those who do not wish to use aromatherapy lamps or electric diffusers can scent rooms using hand sprays filled with water and essential oils. This method is especially recommended for people who do not want intense scents but want an immediate effect. The use of plastic containers is discouraged, as essential oils can chemically react in combination with plastic. Since essential oils are not soluble in water, the bottle must be shaken well before each use. Fill the bottle almost to the top with water, and for every teaspoon of water (5 ml), add three drops of essential oil. In 100 ml of water, you would thus need to use 60 drops of essential oil (Farrer-Halls, 2007).

If you are scenting objects, you should add one drop of essential oil to the center and corners of five paper napkins. Arrange these napkins between sheets of paper and seal them together in a box. After two days, the paper will be gently scented without any greasy traces of essential oil. To scent bed linen, paper tissues scented with essential oils can be added to the linen closet (Farrer-Halls, 2007).

AROMATHERAPY METHODS

The methods used for introducing essential oils into the body include inhalation, massage through the skin, and similar. It is very important to know that oils are never applied undiluted, except for lavender oil. Dilute with cold-pressed olive oil (for normal or dry skin), while for oily skin, use natural sunflower oil. Sometimes alcohol, fat, or wax can also be used. For inhalations, use hot water. An appropriate mixture for each specific treatment plays an important role. It is known that you should not mix more than five oils together, as they do not work synergistically (in the same direction). You must consider the evaporation rate of the oils, as the first group contains oils that evaporate quickly, followed by medium-speed oils and oils that evaporate slowly (Dimitrov, 2008).

Essential oils are often used in fragrance lamps, compresses, baths, for mouth rinsing, inhalation, for massage skin care – cosmetics, and for burns (Janicke and Grunwald, 2009).

Source: Thesis by Erika Cuznar – Aromatherapy in different life stages of women and the perinatal period (2015) under the mentorship of: Senior Lecturer Teja Škodič Zakšek, BSc Rad., BSc Midw., MSc UK

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