Inhalation of EO **& Olfactory Question

[Guest guest]

Howdy, y'all

 

I changed the Subject line above .. it was " Question " .. mighty difficult to

retrieve a post from the Archive when the Subject line does not identify the

subject. ;-)

 

I don't think this post is in reply to a question .. if it is I can't find

the question .. so I'll guess at what the question maybe would have been. I

think it would have been .. " How do ALL Essential Oils get into the

bloodstream via inhalation but only a very FEW can do so through

absorption. To check out the Absorption business .. see Martin Watt's

article http://www.aromamedical.com/articles/skinabso.html

 

 

> OK, so when we inhale the molecules from our favorite essential oil,

> say Lavender, the molecules make their way through the olfactory

> system - starting from the nasal cavity, then with the help of the

> nasal conchae move to the olfactory epitheliam, a specialized

> epithelial tissue on the roof of the nasal cavity. The receptor cells

> (cilia) in the epitheliam transduce the scent molecules into

> electrical signals? Then these electrical signals travel along the

> olfactory nerve into the olfactory bulb?

>

 

That's generally the mechanics of Olfaction.

 

 

> If it's electrical signals, why does research show the the beneficial

> constituents in the bloodstream?

>

 

Because what goes into the lungs makes its way to the bloodstream. That's

how tests determine if one has been smoking drugs .. and why folks go under

snakes when they sit in the gas chamber and inhale cyanide.

 

 

> I know this is a very simplistic analysis so please bear with me.

>

 

Its not really simple .. it can confuse new folks I think. Learning and

accepting what does and what does not happen are the first facts a new

person needs to deal with. The workings of the Ofactory System are

complicated but totally efficient .. one can later learn how the system

works if they want to but the important thing to remember is that when we

inhale anything .. including water .. it will make its way to the lungs.

Inhalation of volatile chemicals like Essential Oils will make their way

from the lungs to the bloodstream. That is how we harvest the therapeutic

properties of Essential Oils in Aromatherapy. :-P

 

Y'all keep smiling. :-)

 

Butch .. http://www.AV-AT.com

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Hey Butch

 

Thanks for the answer.... Now, here's one to stir up a bit of controversy,

which, of course, is meat and potatoes to a trouble maker like myself....

;-)

 

Okay, so essential oils are absorbed into the bloodstream via lungs, via

inhalation (thus AROMA-therapy) and yet not absorbed through the skin,

what's the point of putting them on the skin, especially when there is

always the risk of sensitization and irritation, even with the old fav's

such as lavender. Wouldn't it make fiscal sense and safety sense to use them

ONLY via the old sniffer rather than slathering them on the skin?

 

If so, how did AROMA-therapy become " massage " therapy?

 

Then again, there is the real point that some oils are very useful used on

the body... oils that help ease the ache of arthritis, tendonitis etc...

lavender to help ease the pain of burns, oils to aid wound healing and scars

etc. This lends support to the idea that oils ARE useful on the body at

times...

 

So. If aromatherapy is to become a viable alternative therapy, shouldn't

there be some kind of set rules somewhere that says aromatherapists should

use oils ONLY on the body therapeutically and for the rest, via olfaction

only? A nice massage is fine, using only carriers, use nice smelling oils in

a diffuser if you want fragrance....

 

And a big " HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA " to that ever happening!

 

 

 

K

 

On 9/20/07, Butch Owen<butcho

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--

Cheers!

Kathleen Petrides

The Woobey Queen

Http://www.woobeyworld.com