The Science Behind the Oils

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Tension Headaches  (AND MORE)

Weak evidence hints that peppermint oil applied to the forehead might relieve tension headaches .

A topical ointment known as Tiger Balm has also shown promise for headaches. Tiger Balm contains camphor, menthol, cajaput, and clove oil. A double-blind study enrolling 57 people with acute tension headache compared the application of Tiger Balm to the forehead against placebo ointment as well as the drug acetaminophen (Tylenol). The placebo ointment contained mint essence to make it smell similar to Tiger Balm. Real Tiger Balm proved more effective than placebo and just as effective and more rapid-acting than acetaminophen.  -http://www.med.nyu.edu/content?ChunkIID=37427

This summary contains the following key information:

  • Aromatherapy is the therapeutic use of essential oils (also known as volatile oils) from plants (flowers, herbs, or trees) for the improvement of physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
  • Aromatherapy is used by patients with cancer primarily as supportive care for general well-being.
  • Aromatherapy is used with other complementary treatments (e.g., massage and acupuncture) as well as with standard treatments for symptom management.
  • Essential oils are volatile liquid substances extracted from aromatic plant material by steam distillation or mechanical expression; oils produced with the aid of chemical solvents are not considered true essential oils.
  • Essential oils are available in the United States for inhalation and topical treatment. Topical treatments are generally used in diluted forms.
  • Aromatherapy is not widely administered via ingestion.  [doTERRA Essential Oils being 100% Pure and generally recognized as safe GRAS by the FDA]
  • The effects of aromatherapy are theorized to result from the binding of chemical components in the essential oilto receptors in the olfactory bulb, impacting the brain’s emotional center, the limbic system. Topical application of aromatic oils may exert antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic effects.
  • Studies in animals show sedative and stimulant effects of specific essential oils as well as positive effects on behavior and the immune system. Functional imaging studies in humans support the influence of odors on the limbic system and its emotional pathways.
  • Human clinical trials have investigated aromatherapy primarily in the treatment of stress and anxiety in patients with critical illnesses or in other hospitalized patients. Several clinical trials involving patients with cancer have been published.
  • Aromatherapy has a relatively low toxicity profile when administered by inhalation or diluted topical application.
  • Aromatherapy products are not subject to approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration unless there is a claim for treatment of specific diseases.

Many of the medical and scientific terms used in the summary are hypertext linked (at first use in each section) to the NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms, which is oriented toward nonexperts. When a linked term is clicked, a definition will appear in a separate window. –http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0032645/