Evaluation of complementary and alternative therapies
Peter R Wilson, Paul J Watson, Jennifer A Haythornthwaite, Troels S Jensen in Clinical Pain Management, 2008
These are shown in Table 23.1 with examples in each category. Mindful therapies utilize the mind to produce changes in physical and emotional status. Meditation, hypnosis, and yoga fall into this category. Spiritual therapies imply a letting go of the mind, giving up control to a higher power as with prayer. Energy-based techniques rely on a construct of a vital energy or energy field that exists in living systems. When the flow of energy is out of balance or obstructed, disease can occur. The goal of energy-based treatments is to restore the optimal energy balance to achieve health. Therapeutic touch and acupuncture use this concept as their foundation. Note that yoga can be considered as mindful, spiritual, energy-based, and movement-based. Acupuncture is a stimulation-based technique, but it is part of a world medicine system, traditional Chinese medicine, which uses the concept of a vital energy (Qi). Aromatherapy is also a stimulation-based approach to healing. It consists of inhaled essences of plants or topically applied essential oils. The absorption of micromolecules through the skin or respiratory mucosa is believed to produce favorable chemical changes; thus aromatherapy may also be a form of nutriceutical treatment. Vitamins, herbs, and diets are also examples of nutriceutical therapies which involve the absorption and assimilation of substances into the body to produce a change in state that is favorable to the living system.
An Overview of Important Endemic Plants and Their Products in Iran
Raymond Cooper, Jeffrey John Deakin in Natural Products of Silk Road Plants, 2020
Mentha piperita (Figure 7.23) is a perennial plant growing up to 1 m by 0.5 m. The flowers are hermaphrodite. It is suitable to grow in light (sandy), medium (loamy), and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in heavy clay soil. It is suitable to grow in the soil with acid, neutral, and basic (alkaline) pH. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil. A tea made from the leaves has traditionally been used in the treatment of fevers, headaches, digestive disorders (especially flatulence), and various minor ailments. The herb is abortifacient, anodyne, antiseptic, anti-spasmodic, carminative, cholagogue, diaphoretic, refrigerant, stomachic, tonic, and vasodilator. An infusion is used in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome, digestive problems, spastic colon, etc. Externally, a lotion is applied to the skin to relieve pain and reduce sensitivity. The essential oil in the leaves is antiseptic and strongly antibacterial, though it is toxic in large doses. When diluted, it can be used as an inhalant and chest rub for respiratory infections. The essential oil is used in aromatherapy. Its keyword is “Cooling” (Zargari, 2014; Mozaffarian, 2011; Plant for a Future; Patil et al., 2016).
Complementary therapies in palliative care
Rodger Charlton in Primary Palliative Care, 2018
Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils extracted from plants to treat illness and symptoms. These extracts can be administered in a number of different ways; massage on to the skin in a carrier oil – this may include a component that facilitates skin absorption. This is the most common method of usevaporisation in the patient’s room – this can be useful if massage is inappropriateinhalations in hot waterin compresses that are applied to specific areas of pain or inflammationin baths.
Effect of inhalation aromatherapy on physical and psychological problems in cancer patients: Systematic review and Meta-analysis
Published in Journal of Psychosocial Oncology, 2022
Fanglin Li, Tongtong Jiang, Tieying Shi
Aromatherapy is a complementary treatment that uses aromatic essential oils extracted from plants, and is recognized to promote relaxation and relieve anxiety.5 The essential oils used in aromatherapy are absorbed through the skin following topical application or sensed by the olfactory system following direct inhalation or slow diffusion (such as when applied to clothing or jewelry). Olfactory stimulation is a simple and effective treatment for certain physiological problems, such as anxiety, pain, and poor sleep quality.6–8 Aromatherapy uses extracts from a variety of plants, such as lavender and chamomile. These interventions consist of different doses of essences (volatile oils) that are administered by inhalational, oral, or topical methods. Aromatherapy is simple, easy to apply, and requires minimal training of practitioners.
Effect of aromatherapy on quality of life in maintenance hemodialysis patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Published in Renal Failure, 2023
Cong Zhang, Hang Mu, Yong-Fang Yang, Yong Zhang, Wen-Jun Gou
Aromatherapy is the use of concentrated essential oils extracted from herbs, flowers, and other plant parts to treat various diseases [11]. The proponents of aromatherapy lay claim to an ancient tradition of herbal medicine practiced in countries, such as Egypt and India thousands of years ago. However, the term was initially used by the French chemist Gattefossé in a book first published in 1936 [12]. These oils are now commonly administered by massaging them into the skin, and the term aromatherapy usually implies massage with a range of aromatic plant extracts known as essential oils [13]. There are many types of CAM treatments for dialysis patients, such as thermomechanical stimulation [14], eugenol nanoemulsion [15], and padded dressing with lidocaine HCL [16]. Aromatherapy, also known as essential oil therapy, is also a type of CAM therapy. It is a natural therapy used to balance, regulate, and promote bodily and mental health with natural essential oils extracted from plants [17]. Several studies have shown that aromatherapy can improve patients’ anxiety, depression, sleep, arteriovenous fistula puncture pain, and symptoms of restless legs syndrome (RLS), promote physical and mental comfort, and improve patients’ quality of life [18–22].
Sensory-Based Interventions for Adults with Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease: A Scoping Review
Published in Occupational Therapy In Health Care, 2020
Bryce Carsone Smith, Mariana D’Amico
Aromatherapy was classified as an olfactory sensory stimulation intervention. Three Level I, one Level II, and two Level III articles assessed the effectiveness of aromatherapy. Methods utilized for aromatherapy included diffusers/direct inhalation, direct oil on skin, and ingestion of oil. Scents varied greatly and included essential oils such as lavender, lemon, thyme, and rosemary. Durations of studies varied but averaged around 2–3 weeks. Overall, no significant differences were noted for method, scent, or duration. The results were not generalizable and offered mixed evidence (Forrester et al., 2014; Fung, Tsang, & Chung, 2012; Jimbo, Kimura, Taniguchi, Inoue, & Urakami, 2009; Nguyen & Paton, 2008; Snow, Hovanec, & Brandt, 2004; Yoshiyama, Arita, & Suzuki, 2015). Negative side-effects, such as skin reactions and nausea, were reported (Fung et al., 2012; Nguyen & Paton, 2008). Overall, there was inconclusive evidence for aromatherapy interventions.
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