Massage alone will tone flaccid muscles, reduce muscle spasm and improve circulation. It has also been demonstrated that massage releases endorphins-the body's natural pain killers2. The experience of massage can be either stimulating or calming depending on the techniques used. Therefore some basic training is essential for anyone massaging people suffering from medical conditions. Essential oils can have potent emotional effects and are ideal mood changers.
Some oils uplift the spirits while others relax or calm.
The same oil can produce different effects depending upon the emotional state of the individual at the time. Choosing the appropriate oils for an individual does require a certain amount of training in order to optimise results. Some care must be taken with the choice and amount of oils used, but safety information is readily available. Natural essential oils when given internally as medicines do contain beneficial pharmacological agents. However they do not represent the full range of therapeutic properties of the plants from which they are extracted.