Aromatherapy: Finding a Practitioner and some interesting research

Aromatherapy is a complicated subject.  In it's true nature it is a form of alternative medicine that uses volatile plant materials, known as essential oils, for the purpose of improving a person's mood, cognitive function or health.  An essential oil (EO) is a concentrated, hydrophobic liquid containing volatile aroma compounds from plants.  Meaning, an essential oil is not actually an oil at all; it simply shares the characteristic with oils of not mixing with water.
 
Looking for a Professional
Of course, what complicates aromatherapy practice, and yet at the same time makes it highly available, is it's lack of regulation.  There are no approving organizations.  The government doesn't quality check it.  So, it becomes one of those areas where you can find highly knowledgeable and qualified practitioners; and also your basic snake oil salesman trying to pull one over on you.  The old adage applies: if it seems to be too good to be true, it probably is.  Let's establish one thing upfront.  There is no miracle cures.  If essential oils could cure everything they would be more regulated and well-known (and expensive).  Essential oils are useful; they are helpful.  But if someone is trying to sell you a miracle cure, run away.
Here in the United States we do have a professional organization that focuses on improving the aromatherapy industry through education.  The National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy:  www.naha.org.  They provide a lot of safety information on their website for the general public.  They also have a list of approved Aromatherapy Education programs for people who want to become practitioners. 

So, if you're going to look for a practitioner of Aromatherapy, you want to avoid the snake oil salesmen; and look for someone who has completed a 200 hour or more program approved by the NAHA.  That's my advice.  Don't be fooled though.  There are plenty of people out there calling themselves "certified" aromatherapists.  But certified by who?  If they were certified by a company, then they are probably only knowledgeable in that company's product, not all of aromatherapy.  They are a distributor of a product; not an aromatherapist.  Also, you will know your general snake oil salesman when they start their sales pitch with "certified therapeutic grade."  Remember, there are no regulating bodies for essential oils.  So there is no such thing as "certified" for essential oils (unless the company is certifying themselves, which why wouldn't they? It's a marketing technique); there's also nobody out there "grading" essential oils, there's not a standard to grade them as therapeutic (though it is a common phrase in the industry, it's still just a marketing phrase, not a standard of quality).
I know.  I got started in this way.  My first "certification" course was a single weekend class with a test at the end (that the instructor gave us all the answers to beforehand) put on by a company (Nature's Sunshine, if you're curious. But it doesn't really matter; all those MLM companies are the same in this regard, IMHO.)
I took my education further, but many people don't.  I later finished an NAHA approved course that took me over a year, that included: 25 case studies, homework, a 10 page research paper (mine was on Eucalyptus), and 2 proctored exams (and the librarian over my shoulder was having no shenanigans).
After completing such a course, we can take the Aromatherapy Registration Council's exam and then call ourselves "Registered Aromatherapist".  Which is the highest credential an aromatherapist can get in the US.  (I'm planning to take this exam later this year.)

What can Aromatherapy really be used for
So now you have an idea of what to look for in a practitioner; but why look for one at all.  Well, what a lot of people don't realize is there's actually a lot of research in regards to essential oils.  Most essential oils hold some amount of anti-septic, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, etc properties.  Part of the chemical make-up of an essential oil is essentially the immune system of the plant it came from; and plants have to protect themselves from many invaders, the same as us. 
So there are some basics that you may be able to intuitively figure out.  Many essential oils can work as bug repellants, though Citronella is the strongest.  Many essential oils are good for wound healing, though Tea Tree is what you want to keep in the house.  Lavender really is stress relieving; and also helps to heal burns.

But the research tells us more. Such as the use of Tea Tree oil used against strep: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19709334
Combinations of essential oils used against Staph:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15555788
Lavender and other essential oils for reducing stress and blood pressure:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23259002

And recently an article on Frankincense for tumor reduction:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22171782

Aromatherapy has many uses.  Make sure you research completely; whether it's your own use of essential oils or a practitioner making recommendations.  The best place to start at home, is to use essential oils for cleaning.  A general surface cleaner for your home is:
Take any 32 oz spray bottle (the size of your traditional cleaners)
Fill half way with white vinegar
Fill the rest with plain water
Add 15-20 drops of Lemon Essential Oil

Cautions:
Do not take essential oils internally.
Make sure to check for allergies or contraindications (a good reference book is needed).
All essential oils should be diluted into a base before use.

Aromatherapy is not a replacement for medical care. Any use of aromatherapy when a medical condition is present should be discussed with the patient’s doctor.

Oncology Massage Therapy

It was once thought that massage therapy was contraindicated for people with cancer, across the board. Until recent years, massage students were taught it was one of the big “no-no's” in massage, without exception; and many doctors avoided the treatment because they didn't have a full understanding of how it could interact. But research that has been developed over the last 20 years is showing that in most cases massage therapy is not only authorized for cancer care, it's actually very beneficial. The concern once was that massage therapy may spread cancer cells based on it's actions on the circulatory system, but these concerns are unfounded. With advancements in our understanding, we now know there are more factors necessary for metastasis to occur, none of which are related to massage therapy.

Knowledge of cancer has developed beyond the concept of a single disease, but rather a complex system of diseases and symptoms. The focus of cancer care has shifted over the decades from simply searching for a cure to also improving the quality of life for those living with cancer.

Massage is often used now as a complement to cancer treatments to assist with many of the symptoms and side effects. Research has discovered that massage therapy can benefit cancer patients in many ways, including: relieving muscle soreness, decreasing nausea, increasing range of motion, increasing relaxation, decreasing edema and lymphedema, increasing alertness and mental clarity, improving sleep, providing pain relief, decreasing anxiety and depression, and providing relief from isolation. One of the most important effects massage therapy can have for a cancer patient and many other people with serious chronic illness is a sense of control over their own lives that many people loose after the numerous doctor visits and treatment appointments. It requires a great quality of emotional and mental strength to live not only with the disease, but with all the physical, mental, and social effects of living with cancer. The quality of that living should not be strained any further than necessary. The role of massage in the care of patients with cancer or other serious, chronic illnesses is to provide the person with the ability to determine their own control and comfort.

Utilizing massage therapy as part of your multidisciplinary care is a personal chose. Always discuss these treatment options with your doctor, and do your own research. If you do decide to include it, make sure the therapist has some training in cancer care as there are adjustments that need to be made in the massage.

Kat Farber, LMT has a Clinical Massage private practice in Cordova, TN focusing pain management, injury reduction/prevention, and oncology massage. Please feel free to contact her with any questions. www.SailleHealingPath.com

Resources:

1. MacDonald, Gayle. Medicine Hands: Massage Therapy for People with Cancer. Findhorn Press. 2007.
2. Fritz, S., Chaitow, L., Hymel, G. Clinical Massage in the Healthcare Setting. Mosby Elsevier. 2008.
3. Drackley NL, Degnim AC, Jakub JW, Cutshall SM, Thomley BS, Brodt JK, Vanderlei LK, Case JK, Bungum LD, Cha SS, Bauer BA, Boughey JC. Effect of massage therapy for postsurgical mastectomy recipients. Clin J Oncol Nurs. 2012 Apr 1;16(2):121-4.
4. Collinge W, MacDonald G, Walton T. Massage in supportive cancer care. Semin Oncol Nurs. 2012 Feb;28(1):45-54.