Aromatherapy - An Extremely Light Massage, The Ultimate In Relaxation

Aromatherapy

You need not be ill or suffering in any way to benefit from Aromatherapy Massage you can have a treatment just for pleasure and deep relaxation. 

What is Aromatherapy?

The term aromatherapy is used to describe a particular branch of herbal medicine.  It is coined from two words "aroma" meaning pleasant scent and "therapy" meaning a treatment that aims to cure a physical or mental condition.  Literally is means treatment using scents.  

The scents involved in aromatherapy are not perfumes, but pure essential plant oils, extracted from leaves, fruit, bark, roots, flowers and wood of plants and trees they are valued for their therapeutic properties and natural chemical compounds.  The unique fragrance and at least 100 compounds found in each oil are very complex and safer than pharmaceutical drugs, but slower acting so they are best used as a preventative, rather than cure.  

There are many ways to use aromatherapy oils, steam inhalations, vaporizers, baths, hot & cold compresses, creams, shampoos, gargles & mouthwashes but the professional aromatherapists, as Lisa is, tend to favour massage as the most effective way of getting oils into the body. Massage also increases the healing potential of aromatherapy.

Treatment involves lightly massaging the oils into the entire body to improve physical, mental and emotional health.  The medicinal properties of the oils and the nurturing power of touch combine to form a potent healing treatment.  Either relaxing or energising, aromatherapy can soothe the nervous system and boost the circulatory and lymph system helping the body to eliminate toxins, ease pain, relieve stress and depression and ease tension from over worked muscles and lift the spirits.  

People of all ages and levels of health can benefit from an aromatherapy massage.  It is nurturing to babies and children and it gives many elderly and terminally ill people a feeling of being cared for, aromatherapy also benefits women during pregnancy right through to labour.  Lisa will even prepare the expectant mother a blend of oils and teach the birth partner how to massage the oils during labour.  

How does Aromatherapy work?

During massage essential oils enter the body by absorption through the pores in the skin.  The chemical constituents of the oils are carried in the bloodstream to all areas of the body, where they react with the body chemistry in a way similar to drugs.  Certain oils also have an affinity with particular areas of the body and their properties have a balancing, sedative or stimulating effect on the body systems.

During massage the oils will be inhaled, aromatic signals are sent to the brain where they exert a direct effect on the mind and emotions, helping to calm and relax or aid clarity and memory. It can take between 20 minutes and several hours for the oils to be absorbed into the body, but on average it takes about 90 minutes, which means you are still benefiting way after you have left the serenity of Lisa's therapy room.

The best results from the use of aromatherapy oils is achieved during a full body massage, this is due to the greater skin area covered with the essential oils, however, where for various reasons this many not be possible, a part body massage is often the next best choice over any other methods mentioned. 

Specific essential oils are great for boosting the immune system helping to keep viruses, coughs, colds and flu to a minimum.  Viruses can not survive in a healthy body.  
 

Aromatherapy during pregnancy

Aromatherapy during pregnancy is fast becoming very popular, more and more midwives are recognising the benefits of aromatherapy both, during pregnancy, labour and post-natal. The safe use of the correct oils is of up-most importance at any stage of pregnancy, although it is NOT proven that any complementary therapy can cause a miscarriage, Lisa will not take the risk and will NOT treat an expectant mother until her 3rd trimester.  Therefore, Lisa asks that if you are trying to conceive then you let her know, at which point she will air on the side of caution and blend the oils to specific guidelines, treating you as if you where already pregnant. Despite the fact that there are oils which must be avoided during pregnancy, there are still many that are safe to use and will benefit you physiologically, they can balance the hormones and calm the nervous system whilst others have a strong affinity with the female reproductive system.

 
A Full Body treatment will last 60 minutes and includes the head and face.

A Part Body Treatment will last 30 minutes, upper body will include head and face.

  
During your Treatment.

Everything you need to fully relax and enjoy your treatment will be provide for by Lisa.  You will be left in privacy to dress and un-dress, will be required to wear briefs during your treatment and will be covered by fresh towels and a blanket at all times, only ever exposing the area of the body being worked on (no intimate areas of the body will be exposed or treated)

For hygiene reasons Lisa has a wash basin and soap for her hands and always wears an appropriate tunic and trousers, and disposable paper towel is used for each of you to lay on during your treatment.