Alternative Medicine: Aromatherapy

[rynner2]

Longish article on science and aromatherapy.
Link is dead. No archived version found.

Don't get sniffy about it!

 

[Anonymous]

Serious question: does aromatherapy work if you have no sense of smell?

 

[Spookyangel]

I doubt it.
Good question though.

 

[Beakmoo]

I've found aromatherapy to be good (lavender and neroli being my faves) and kalms have certainly helped me and Hupcap with excess adrenaline problems. I'm not supposed to touch any alternative treatments according to my psychiatrist (including alcohol, what does she know!), but they're a useful fall back for those, like Hubcap, who aren't on medication. I'm all for them, with the proviso that there are a lot of bastards out there who want to make money out of those with incurable diseases.

 

[Anonymous]

Serious question: does aromatherapy work if you have no sense of smell?

Rub some lavender or garlic oil into the soles of your feet and in an hour or so, you'll be able to taste them, assuming that your sense of taste is still intact.

This hints that the application of essential oils has a greater effect on the body than just smell.

I don't know too much about aromatherapy, but have dabbled with herbalism for myself with some successes - a lot of it is 'headology', as has been said, if it works for you, do it.

 

[Anonymous]

Surely you can't taste without smell. Try holding your nose when eating something, you can only detect texture and heat.

 

[Anonymous]

Ok, breathe on someone then, get them to tell you if you smell.

 

[Yithian]

IIRC in studies into the effects of aromatherapy they deliberately destroyed the sense of smell of rats in order to look into how much effect smell had on it's efficacy.

 

[minordrag]

IIRC in studies into the effects of aromatherapy they deliberately destroyed the sense of smell of rats in order to look into how much effect smell had on it's efficacy.

I've read that sentence four times now, and still don't understand it! Caroline, you could work for the government!

 

[Yithian]

Why thank you Minor (see International Fortean Party thread)

 

[Anonymous]

Surely you can't taste without smell. Try holding your nose when eating something, you can only detect texture and heat.

Someone I used to work with had been born with absolutely no sense of smell (quite handy as he used to do a lot of personal care of elderly and incontinent patients), he also had little or no perception of taste and only the most spicy or salty foods held any kind of flavour for him. The most boring food, he said, was mashed potato, which didn't even have much texture.

 

[rynner2]

Wearing too much perfume 'signals depression'
By Rebecca Smith, Medical Editor
Last Updated: 3:29pm GMT 04/01/2008

Women who wear too much perfume may be suffering from depression, scientists have said.

The sense of smell appears to be impaired in people with the condition meaning they use more scent.

Smell is already known to have a profound effect on mood and memory with shops and retailers using aromas to induce shoppers to buy certain products.

But a team at Tel Aviv University have found that certain diseases cause the body to attack the olfactory system which governs the ability to detect smells.

This means an impaired sense of smell could be a pointer to serious conditions.

The team suggest depression could have a biological cause rather than being just a psychological disorder and other studies have confirmed patients with depression have a loss of sense of smell and when their condition is treated their senses improve.

Prof Yehuda Shoenfeld, a member of the Sackler Faculty of Medicine at Tel Aviv University is an expert in autoimmune disorders such as arthritis, lupus and rheumatism where the body attacks its own cells.

He found that one of the autoantibodies attacked the olfactory system weakening the sense of smell and inducing depression. ...

"People who are depressed seem to respond well to aromatherapy. Certain smells seem to help them overcome the effects of the biological factors, suggesting that depression may have a biological cause.

"I think that science is able to show that aromatherapy might not be just for quacks. After all, some of these remedies have been used since the time of the Egyptians to treat organic diseases."

He suggested that a "smell test" could be used by doctors to help diagnose depression as well as autoimmune diseases. ...

 

[ramonmercado]

So at least it makes you feel better.

Aromatherapy May Improve Mood But Will Not Make You Better
05 Mar 2008

A recent US study on a small group of people found that aromatherapy oils had no physiological effect although they may improve mood for some people.

The study is the work of researchers at Ohio State University and appears in the April issue of the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology.

Described by a doctor speaking on the CBS News Early Show on Tuesday as one of the few studies to take "a very scientific look at aromatherapy", the study found that the two most popular aromatherapy oils, lemon and lavender, failed to show any improvement in wound healing, immune status, blood pressure, stress hormones, or pain control.

Full story: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/99506.php

 

[ramonmercado]

Midwife 'broke aromatherapy rule'
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wale ... 187304.stm

Aromatherapy oils were given to the woman in labour, the hearing was told
A midwife who gave a pregnant woman aromatherapy oils may be struck off after the woman swallowed the mixture.

Sandra Hughes, of Ewloe, Flintshire, is said to have ignored Wrexham Maelor Hospital policies by giving the oils to a woman in labour with a headache.

But the woman drank the cup of sweet almond oil, lavender and lime instead of massaging it on her forehead.

The hearing in Cardiff of the conduct and competence committee of the Nursing and Midwifery Council continues.

Mrs Hughes, 53, who later resigned from her job, had no authority to give aromatherapy treatment in the hospital, the hearing was told.

The dosage was low and there were no ill effects, and the mother was monitored until she gave birth to a healthy boy.

The committee heard that Mrs Hughes secretly took the aromatherapy oils into the ante-natal ward without permission to use them.

It was of such seriousness and gravity that to allow Mrs Hughes to remain on the register without restriction would seriously undermine public confidence

Salim Hafejee, solicitor for Nursing and Midwifery Council
When the mother-to-be complained that painkillers were not easing her headache, Mrs Hughes decided to offer the aromatherapy cure, the hearing was told.

Council solicitor Salim Hafejee said: "She mixed some sweet almond oil, two drops of lavender and one drop of lime in a plastic cup next to the woman's bedside.

"She then left her for 30 minutes before checking up on her again. When she went back she found that the woman's husband had arrived at her bedside - and had told her to swallow the mixture."

Mrs Hughes, who has a diploma in aromatherapy, was working at the 700-bed Wrexham Maelor Hospital.

'Seriousness and gravity'

She is accused of acting outside hospital policies and ignoring a warning not to practise her skills on pregnant women.

She is also charged with failing to keep intravenous records on another expectant woman and labelling the wrong patient's name on a blood sample.

Council solicitor Salim Hafejee told the hearing: "We say her conduct was in breach of her code of conduct.

"It was of such seriousness and gravity that to allow Mrs Hughes to remain on the register without restriction would seriously undermine public confidence."

Mrs Hughes, who did not attend the hearing, faces being struck off from the midwifery register. The hearing continues.

 

[OneWingedBird]

I suppose at least the baby must have smelt nice? :?

 

[ramonmercado]

Aromatherapy midwife struck off

A midwife has been struck off after a pregnant woman in labour drank aromatherapy oils she was given instead of massaging them into her head.

Sandra Hughes of Ewloe, Flintshire, who has a diploma in aromatherapy, gave the oils to the woman, who had a headache.

She was found guilty of misconduct by acting outside Wrexham Maelor Hospital policies and ignoring a warning not to practise her skills on pregnant women.

A Nursing and Midwifery Council council found her guilty of misconduct.

The conduct and competence committee meeting in Cardiff concluded that she was a continued risk to patients.

The panel concludes she is not a safe practitioner and represents a continuing risk to patients and clients

Jillian Alderwick, Nursing and Midwifery Council
The panel was told how the Mrs Hughes, 53, offered the woman a mixture of sweet almond oil, lavender and lime to ease her headache.

But the woman drank the oil. The hospital's poisons unit was alerted and she was monitored until she gave birth to a healthy baby boy.

The panel heard how she had ignored advice not to practise her skills on pregnant women.

Committee chairwoman Jillian Alderwick said: "The panel concludes she is not a safe practitioner and represents a continuing risk to patients and clients."

Mrs Hughes, who later resigned from the North East Wales NHS Trust, did not attend the hearing.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wale ... 189597.stm