Relaxation and Aromatherapy

What is Aromatherapy?

Has the scent of lavender ever made you sleepy? Does the aroma of warm apple pie bring back sweet memories of autumn afternoons in your grandmother's kitchen? If so, then you instinctively understand the basic principle of aromatherapy.

Aromatherapy means "treatment using scent". Aromatherapy is an ancient practice that uses essential oils extracted from plants and flowers which, when inhaled, can help relieve pain, alleviate fatigues and reduce stress.

Aromatherapy has been used for thousands of years to treat many types of aliments. Modern aromatherapy practices date from the 1930's and have gained popularity during recent years.

The healing properties of essential oils can be very helpful to patients who are apprehensive about undergoing an MRI procedure.

How Does it Work?

A considerable body of research shows that smell, the most acute of our senses, has a powerful influence on our bodies and minds. The scents from essential oils are believed to activate olfactory nerve cells in the nasal cavity, which then send impulses to the limbic system, the area of the brain associated with emotions and memory.

Clinical Studies

In a study conducted by the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Hospital in New York, 63% of the patients exposed to the aroma of vanilla during an MRI reported feeling less claustrophobic than those not exposed to vanilla.

The study concluded that the vanilla reduces anxiety by evoking a pleasant memory or some other physiological response. Animal studies in Japan have found that hyper-excited mice were calmed by the aroma of lavender sprayed into their cages.

Safety Issues

Aromatherapy is very safe when used as recommended. People with allergies to essential oils, are pregnant, have high blood pressure or epilepsy may be sensitive to aromatherapy. If you have any of the conditions listed above, please alert your technologist.