WHAT IS AN AROMATHERAPY MASSAGE?
Massage is the skillful use of the hands to manipulate soft tissue for the main purposes of relieving muscle tension and stimulating blood circulation. It is derived from the human instinct to make skin contact through touch, stroke and rub in order to offer physiological comfort to another. It was the first and is the simplest health care tributary. This is because stroking the skin triggers a release of endorphins, which are the body’s natural painkillers. By just releasing muscle tension, a massage reduces anxiety, creates a feeling of comfort and well-being, and lowers the stress hormones that weaken the immune system – namely cortisol and nor epinephrine.we are provide Aromatherapy Massage Sri Lanka.
AROMATHERAPY MASSAGE BENEFITS
Massage acts directly on and has general benefits for all body systems – nervous, circulatory, lymphatic, immune, and muscular. Its benefits are far-reaching and include the treatment of sprains, anxiety, digestive disorders, stress-related insomnia, soft tissue strains or injuries, headaches, joint pain, damaged skin, and the improvement of complexion.
An aromatherapy massage is a method of massage therapy that incorporates essential oils into the system of kneading muscles and soft tissues of the body to help relieve medical conditions, injuries, or to preserve wellness. It was Marguerite Maury that introduced the idea of a massage application of essential oils in the 1960s. In this method, the practitioner (whether an aromatherapist or a massage therapist) administers essential oils to treat the patient by direct application to the skin specifically through massage oils rather than through sprays or salt baths. Using essential oils in this muscle manipulation process introduces the influence of aromas (aromatherapy) in the pampering and treatment system, thus turning an ordinary massage into an aromatherapy massage.
In aromatherapy massages, while there is a focus on relaxing strokes, the emphasis is on selecting the appropriate essential oil for its therapeutic properties with regard to the patient’s state of body and mind. The qualified practitioner is able to differentiate between different types of essential oils and know how they each influence the body. This expertise is based on knowledge of the history and safety of natural oils. They also apply their understanding of the healing properties of specific oils and their remedial applications.
In aromatherapy massages, aromatic oils are used because oil is able to penetrate the skin more readily than water, for the reason that skin is fairly permeable to fat soluble substances – oil – and is comparatively impermeable to water soluble substances. Essential oil molecules are so minuscule that when they are applied to the skin they are able to pass through the outer layer of the epidermis, to the dermis, into the capillaries and then into the bloodstream. Skin is able to absorb the oil even better when the rate of blood circulation and the temperate of the skin increase – such as at the time of a massage – because these conditions bring blood to the surface.
USING CARRIER OILS AND ESSENTIAL OILS IN AROMATHERAPY MASSAGE
Due to their high potency, essential oils can have undesirable effects if applied undiluted. Carrier oils are an excellent medium for dilution and topical application because they don’t evaporate as quickly as essential oils do. This means the viscosity of a carrier oil allows an essential oil to last longer on the skin and prolongs its beneficial effects by almost keeping it locked inside it; the carrier oil prevents the essential oil from being absorbed quickly into the skin. The term “carrier oil” is most often used in the contexts of aromatherapy and massage. In the context of natural skin care, it is most often referred to as “vegetable oil” or “base oil.” When combined with a few drops of any essential oil, a carrier oil controls its concentration without altering its therapeutic properties.
When applied topically, a carrier oil transports or “carries” an essential oil and facilitates the skin’s intake of its active ingredients. Carrier oils themselves contain nutrients, minerals, and fat- soluble vitamins that are beneficial to skin health. Carrier oils all vary in their penetrability into the skin; those that penetrate quickly leave the least amount of residue on the skin’s surface.
Carrier oils are pressed from the fatty parts of a plant: the seeds, the kernels or the nuts. Compared to the strong aromas of essential oils, they usually have a sweet, nutty aroma or an airy, fruity trace. If a carrier oil smells rancid, it is most likely spoiled.
Carrier oils have a diverse range of viscosity, absorption, scent, shelf life, and therapeutic properties, so they should be selected for use based on the therapeutic benefit that the user seeks. They can be blended to change or combine their properties.
The first step of an aromatherapy massage is for the therapist to conduct a consultation with the patient to inquire after his or her desired result. Questions are asked regarding work life, home life, energy levels and health conditions. In particular, the therapist inquires after the patient’s current state of mental, physical and emotional well-being in terms of stress levels, habits, diet, medications, lifestyle, and routines. With this information, the therapist will apply his or her knowledge of the most effective essential oils and carrier oils for the specified ailments and will create a unique blend to treat the patient.