Essential Oils (Aromatherapy)
Essential Oils for Immune Support
What is aromatherapy?
(Source: http://www.cancer.gov
Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils from plants to support and balance the mind, body, and spirit. It is used by patients with cancer mainly as a form of supportive care that may improve quality of life and reduce stress and anxiety. Aromatherapy may be combined with other complementary treatments like massage therapy and acupuncture, as well as with standard treatments.
How is aromatherapy administered?
Aromatherapy is used in various ways. Examples include:
• Indirect inhalation (patient breathes in essential oils by using a room diffuser or placing drops nearby).
• Direct inhalation (patient breathes in essential oils by using an individual inhaler with drops floated on top of hot water) to treat a sinus headache.
• Aromatherapy massage (massaging essential oils, diluted in a carrier oil, into the skin).
• Applying essential oils to the skin by combining them with bath salts, lotions, or dressings.
According to the Riordan Clinic essential oil usage can be a dynamic healing modality that works at a cellular and molecular level as well as on an emotional and psychological level. Physically, it can be used as an immune stimulant to prevent infection and to mitigate symptoms of infectious disease. Essential oils are simple to apply and offer consistent benefits. Many lifestyle factors can weaken our immune system. Managing these areas and adopting practices that actively support the immune system is an excellent way to maintain health throughout the year. Read full article at Riordan Clinic
Studies
This study suggests that EOB [Essential Oil Blend] possesses significant anti-inflammatory and immune modulating properties.
This Review found:
Stimulation of the immune system relates to the non-specific activation of the innate and/or adaptive immune responses leading to enhancement of certain immune functions, which are protecting against various pathogens and malignantly transformed cells
. …Sixty-six early stage colorectal cancer patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy were enrolled in a randomized controlled trial conducted by Khiewkhern and co-workers. The aromatherapy massage for the intervention group consisted of three, 45 min light Thai massage sessions over one week with ginger EO in coconut oil, while the control group received standard supportive care only. At the end of the week, in the massage group the mean lymphocyte count was significantly higher, the symptom severity scores for fatigue, pain, and stress were significantly lower than in the control group. Statistically significant increases in the numbers of peripheral blood leukocytes and lymphocytes were reported by Imanishi et al. in a trial that included 12 breast cancer patients, who received a 30 min aromatherapy massage twice a week for four weeks using sweet orange (Citrus aurantium), lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), and sandalwood (Santalum album) EOs in jojoba oil.
This study says:
Overall, our data, demonstrating that Eucalyptus essential oil from Eucalyptus globulus is able to implement the innate cell-mediated immune response, provide scientific support for an additional use of this plant extract, besides those concerning its known antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. Thus, the present study stimulates further investigations also using single components of essential oil extracts from various species of Eucalyptus for development of a possible new class of immuno-regulatory agents useful as adjuvant in immuno-suppressive pathologies, in infectious disease as well as in tumour chemotherapy.
Updated 2024