aromatic medicine

Did you know there are many levels to Aromatic Medicine?

Aromatherapy can be used at home in a burner or you may have had an aromatherapy massage, but did you know there are many more levels to aromatherapy? Or more correctly there are many levels to Aromatic Medicine.

Essential oils used for their aromas:

Essential oils are natural aromatic plant extracts which, via their naturally occurring complex chemistry, are able to heal the physical right through to the emotional. They have been used as medicines by ancient cultures and in all civilisations since. Their use is commonplace in medical practices throughout France today, and is spreading, particularly throughout the western world, as their healing qualities are being rediscovered.

Essential oils are not to be confused with fragrant oils that smell pretty but do not have the complexity of chemistry and the medicinal properties of essential oils. Essential oils can be used for their smell alone, as perfumes or in a burner. They enter through the nose and reach in the emotion centre of the brain, helping us to relax, or to stimulate and refresh us depending on the oils we choose. Used in this way, essential oils a very safe. Follow your intuition and burn oils whose aromas you enjoy.

Essential oils used in massage:

Through aromatherapy massage, the oils enter via the skin as well as the nose. Not only do they assist with the emotional well being that comes from the fragrant massage, but the chemistry of the oils can begin their work to help with skin and pain conditions. In the hands of a trained therapist, the essential oils are safe and effective at treating various symptoms.

Clinical Aromatherapy:

As you would in a consultation with any other health care practitioner, the Clinical Aromatherapist will discuss with you your particular medical history, symptoms and concerns. Based on this a recommendation will be made for any of a number of essential oil remedies that can be used at home each day to help you achieve better health. Your Clinical Aromatherapist will tailor make remedies to fit your specific concerns, skin type, aroma preferences and preferences for use, while maintaining maximum safety and effectiveness. The types of conditions that can benefit from clinical aromatherapy include:

  • low strength aromatherapy applications for assisting in emotional issues

    • depression
    • anxiety
    • grief
    • stress

  • low to medium strength applications to support and promote general good health

    • skin care - acne, eczema, dermatitis
    • joint, nerve, muscular pain
    • fluid retention
    • insomnia

  • higher strength applications for first aid and acute conditions

    • colds and flus
    • infections
    • cuts and wounds
    • pain

Aromatic Medicine:

This is new to Australia but has had great success in countries like France where doctors use essential oils as part of their repertoire of medicines. This modality extends the benefits of aromatherapy beyond that described above as clinical aromatherapy to include safe ingestion of essential oils for healing.

Using high grade essential oils for internal and external use to alleviate pain and other symptoms. Essential oils are extracted from many of the same plants we get our herbal medicine from, but are many times more concentrate. The oils are considered to be more effective in infection control, where as herbal medicine is considered to be better at managing chronic conditions. A combination of essential oils and herbs allows for a more effective treatment regimes.

 

An Aromatic Medicine Case Study: Ulcerative Colitis

“Amanda” female, 24 years old

Presenting symptoms
  • Diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis at age 16 and Anemia
  • Light headedness worsening with anxiety
  • Low energy at end of day
  • Pale lips (particularly concerned about this)
  • Bloating
  • Diarrhea
  • Dry mouth
  • Pimples
  • Candida
  • Symptoms worsen with stress and on first day of periods (uses painkillers)

Amanda is currently off all medication and supplements. Most recently she has been using homeopathic remedies, but has now ceased using these also. She manages her symptoms through diet and meditation, but would like to improve her condition further.

Diet is mostly vegetarian. Amanda also had a 3 week menstrual cycle.

Treatment priority
  • Treat the symptoms of Ulcerative Colitis to improve digestion, reduce inflammation and reduce blood loss. As Amanda feels she is currently managing her symptoms reasonably well with diet and stress management techniques, I am focusing the treatment on the healing of the bowel to reduce blood loss and anemia, and also reduction of long term inflammation.
  • Rebalance intestinal flora.
  • Assist Amanda with her stress levels.
  • In the longer term, consider the impact of hormonal imbalance on both the menstrual cycle and symptoms of Ulcerative Colitis.
Aromatics/herbs indicated

Essential Oils:

  • German chamomile - Matricara recutita
    • Analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, bactericidal, carminative, hepatic, stomachic, vulnerary
  • Rock rose - Cistus ladaniferus
    • Antimicrobial, antiseptic, astringent, vulnerary
  • Rosemary verbenone - Rosmarinus officinalis CT verbenone
    • Analgesic, antideptressant, astringent, carminative, cordial, digestive, diuretic, hepatic, nervine, tonic, tissue healing, antiinflammatory
  • Possible Carrier oils:
    • Calendula infused - Calendula officinalis
      • Anti-inflammatory, vulnerary
    • Calophyllum - Calophyllum inophyllum
      • healing, anti-viral, circulatory regenerating and anti-inflammatory
  • Formula is to be used 21 days on and 7 days off consistent with safety requirements for a chronic treatment with essential oils.

Herbs:

  • Calendula -Calendula officinalis
    • Vulnerary, anti-inflammatory, styptic, antimicrobial
  • Echinacea - Echinacea angustifolia/E. purpurea
    • Immune enhancing, immune modulating, anti-inflammatory, vulnerary
  • Golden seal - Hydrastis canadensis
    • Antihaemorrhagic, mucous membrane trophorestorative, antimicrobial, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, vulnerary
  • Licorice - Glycyrrhiza glabra
    • Anti-inflammatory, mucoprotective, adrenal tonic, mild laxative
  • Pau d’ arco - Tabebuia avellanedae
    • Immune enhancing, antitumor, antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic
  • Withania (Ashwaganda) - Withania somnifera
    • Tonic, adaptogenic, anti-inflammatory, immune modulating, antianaemic
Treatment formulae

Not published here as they require administration and supervision of a qualified therapist.

Supplements recommended

  • Slippery elm
  • Withania capsules
  • Fish oils
  • liquid multivitamin and mineral supplement
  • Iron supplement
  • Probiotics
  • Evening primrose oil
Other considerations
  • Increase water intake and herbal teas – lemon verbena, peppermint, chamomile, green tea (antioxidants)
  • Provide Amanda with information on how to combine foods for complete proteins. Increase parsley and sesame (in the form of tahini) in the diet for iron.
  • Recommend getting a blood test for anemia to determine levels and provide treatment measure.
  • Maintain a food and symptom diary for the first few weeks to monitor treatment.
Follow up 1

Aim: to ensure Amanda is comfortable with instructions and prescribed remedies, that there are no adverse effects.

1 week after Amanda commenced using her liquid herbs, fish oils and suppositories, she reports the following changes in her symptoms:

  • There were no physical adverse reactions but some mood swings
  • Her scalp feels less itchy
  • There is more bulk to her stool and her bowel motions are fewer
  • There is a decrease in blood spotting
Follow up 2

Aim: to assess efficacy of treatment, to adjust dosage of suppositories and to provide support and encouragement to Amanda.

1 month after Amanda commenced using her treatment, she is just completing the 1 week off the suppositories. During this week she has noticed an increase in blood and looser stools and feels that the suppositories are making a significant difference and is looking forward to commencing another 3 weeks on them.

Amanda has not been using the Withania, probiotics or the Floradix. She has used the slippery elm just twice. She is taking her herbs twice per day, and also the fish oils and evening primrose.

Reviewing progress against her initial symptoms:

  • Light headedness – only 1 occurrence after a head cold
  • Low energy at end of day – no longer feels fatigued at bed time
  • Pale lips – there is a visible improvement in the colour
  • Bloating – has decreased
  • Diarrhea – has decreased
  • Dry mouth – much better, now dry throat – possible food sensitivies?
  • Pimples – visible improvement but still cyclical
  • Candida – no symptoms
  • Symptoms worsen with first day of periods – no pain killers since starting treatment
  •  

Other changes reported are:

  • Menstrual cycle has increased to 24 days
  • There has been no real pain, just some urgency when stressed
  • Has had days not thinking about her condition
  • For the first time she had not defined herself by the disease
  • Food diaries are attached

I suggested that adding slippery elm to her regime be her next priority and perhaps the withania would be helpful in the 1 week off the suppositories at the very least, although daily would be better. Amanda has agreed to start taking the slippery elm, withania and other supplements.

Follow up 3

Aim: to ensure Amanda is remaining compliant and to make any adjustments necessary.

2 months after commencing treatment, her progress against her initial symptoms is:

  • Light headedness – no occurrences in the past month
  • Low energy at end of day – no longer feels fatigued at bed time
  • Pale lips – there is further improvement in the colour in both the lips and face
  • Bloating – now occurs only with stress
  • Diarrhea – stools are passed with decreasing frequency and are more formed, only once noticed blood in the stool
  • Dry mouth – only when dehydrated
  • Pimples – looked cleared at the appointment
  • Candida – no symptoms
  • Symptoms worsen with first day of periods – continues not to require painkillers since commencing treatment

Other changes reported are:

  • Menstrual cycle has increased to 26 days
  • Only occasionally thinks about her condition
  • The week without suppositories was not as noticeably different as the previous break in suppositories. This may be due to increased healing of the bowel and the actions of the Withania supplement.
  • Has been repeated exposed to cold viruses without contracting the virus herself.

Amanda is feeling comfortable with her treatment and will continue it. We discussed reviewing her case again in 6 months to review herbs and essential oils according to her health status at that time.

Conclusion

The first 3 aims were to treat the symptoms of Ulcerative Colitis, to improve digestion, reduce inflammation and reduce blood loss, rebalance intestinal flora and assist Amanda with her stress levels. Looking at the progress and improvement in her symptoms in the last appointment, I believe that these 3 aims are being met by the prescribed treatment.

Finally, I had listed a longer term consideration: the impact of hormonal imbalance on both the menstrual cycle and symptoms of Ulcerative Colitis. As Amanda’s menstrual cycle has been extended to 26 days after only 2 months, it would seem that this may no longer be an issue.

In the last appointment, Amanda’s said: “I feel settled with my health at the moment. I had focused so much on my health and now there is space for other things in my life”. Amanda’s words show that the treatment has been successful not only on a physical level but on a wholistic level that has brought a better quality of life to Amanda.

Essential Oil Research:

essential oils could stamp out spread of deadly 'super bugs'

"Essential oils usually used in aromatherapy have been found to kill the deadly MRSA bacteria according to research carried out at University of Manchester."

"Tests revealed that three essential oils killed MRSA and E. coli as well as many other bacteria and fungi within just two minutes of contact. The oils can easily be blended and made into soaps and shampoos which could be used by hospital staff, doctors and patients in a bid to eradicate the spread of these deadly `super bugs'. "

University of Manchester Dec 2004