Clinical aromatherapy treatments have not been accepted by all medical professionals, but the tide is turning thanks to volatile oils like ginger oil. Ginger has an established reputation as a culinary delight, and in some ancient cultures the therapeutic properties of the oil made life a bit more bearable, especially when the flu, colds, or nausea turned a normal day into an agonizing experience.
How ancient civilizations used ginger oil, and what they discovered when they used the oil opened the door for modern research. That research is still in its infancy, but researchers now know that ginger oil has a major effect on the gastrointestinal track and cell growth.
Ginger oil is widely used in aromatherapy to relieve the nausea that’s caused by cancer chemotherapy as well as pregnancies and motion sickness. When ginger oil is inhaled, relief comes quickly. Ginger is so effective in relieving nausea symptoms that pharmaceutical companies add ginger extract to their nausea relief products or they synthetically reproduce the chemical compounds in ginger that are responsible for relieving nausea.
When ginger oil is massaged into the ligaments and muscles during clinical aromatherapy treatments the first reaction comes from the aroma of the yellow oil. The scent of ginger reaches the olfactory membranes and they send messages to the body.
Once the skin absorbs the oil it enters the cells in the muscles and ligaments, and a regenerative reaction takes place. Muscle and ligament pain is reduced as the chemicals in the oil interact with muscle and ligament cells.
Clinical Aromatherapy Ginger Oil Treatments Help With Cancer And Heart Issues
The fact that ginger oil is a powerful analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antiseptic oil is not new news, but the fact that the oil may have and impact of cholesterol levels and blood vessel clotting is new news.
New clinical aromatherapy studies show that ginger oil can kill ovarian cancer cells. One University of Michigan team reports that the gingerols in the oil do impact those cells, but more research is needed before ginger is added to the approved medical list of treatments. Ginger oil does prevent skin cancer in mice so there is some credence and optimism when it comes to treating humans with ginger oil through aromatherapy massages and inhalation.
The basic aromatherapy treatments using ginger oil haven’t changed. The vapor is still inhaled to prevent the flu, colds, and that lethargic feeling associated with those conditions. When ginger is blended in a bath, it helps arthritis and rheumatism sufferers as well as people with poor circulation and digestive issues. Ginger creams relive muscle aches, and bruises disappear when it’s applied for a few days.
Hot compresses are still used in clinical aromatherapy for muscle aches and to relieve arthritis pain. Ginger oil has a tendency to overpower weaker oils, but it does blend well with other oils like sandalwood, neroli, rose, bergamot, frankincense, and ylang-ylang.
