The Aromatherapy Store: ‘How Essential Oils Enter the Body – Inhalation’.

The Aromatherapy Store Information bank presents ‘How Essential Oils Enter the Body’.

The Aromatherapy Store highlight the three main ways that essential oils are accessed by the body – inhalation (perhaps the truest ‘aromatherapy’ method), topical application (through the use of massage oils etc applied directly to the skin) and ingestion (in the UK the least used method).

1) Inhalation

This method is generally viewed as the most direct way of the benefits of essential oils in combating emotional problems such as depression or stress. Once drawn into the body through inhalation, the essential oil molecules hit the olefactory centre at the top of the nostrils – and this collection of approx 50 million sensory cells has direct connection to the brain – witness the immediate alarm sensation when the smell of smoke hits this centre, the sense of smell providing  a primary danger warning system.

In inhaling the essantial oil, some molecules will inevitably be carried down into the airways and lungs and can have immediate beneficial effect in treating respiratory problems such as congestion through immediate physical contact with the mucus membrane. Smaller molecules will travel further and upon reaching the alveoli will be then transferred into the blood system, and from there around the body and the organs. Deep inhalation increases the level of flow and absorption and is generally regarded as being the safest method in terms of minimising any potential ill effects.

Five drops on a tissue  for an adult – three drops for children, the elderly and the pregnant – with two or three deep breaths should prove to be effective, and a stiffer tissue tends to hold the aroma better – kitchen towel for instance. The tissue can then be put inside the shirt or vest of the recipient to utilise the bodies warmth to disperse ongoing vapours.

Other methods include a single drop on the palms of the hands, which are then rubbed together and cupped to the nose. This method is generally only recommended when an intense burst is required and is not recommended at all for children, the elderly or the pregnant.

Steamers are available to purchase which can supply a safe method of diffusion – when steaming water or an oil burner is inappropriate for safety reasons. Electrical diffusers  also offer an excellent method of dispersing the essential oil as they are able to diffuse the different weighted molecules of oil at the same time – whereas an oil burner, if too hot, will disperse the lighter molecules very quickly and the heavier molecules can sometimes be burnt and so give off an acrid fragrance.

This method of diffusion also offers the benefit that the airborne molecules are effective at combating bacteria and can assist in keeping the surfaces and areas free of germs.

Reference: Aromatherapy For Health Professionals (Third Edition) Edited Shirley Price and Len Price Published by Churchill Livingstone Elsevier

Important Note: All information is provided as points of possible interest to the reader and as such is not intended as medical advice.