My mom had a head injury a while back that resulted in her not being able to smell very well. Would she be able to get any benefits from aromatherapy if she can’t smell it? For instance, Lavender can help with depression. Would it help even if she can’t smell it?
My mom can only smell certain things. Would she get benefits from the things she can’t smell? Like, if she couldn’t smell Lavender, would it still help her relax?
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First of all a higher concentration of essential oils can cause many different kinds of reactions. They are pure plant and flower essences and very very highly concentrated. Lavender and tea tree are the only two that can be applied directly to the skin with out being diluted first. The term aromatherapy gives the misconception that it only heals through the olfactory system using the "aroma" of the plant essences. The healing power of essential oils is absorbed through the sinuses and into the blood stream weather or not the person can smell or not. The particles can also be absorbed through the skin using a carrier oil as a diluent. The best way to do this is through a massage oil. Use about fifty drops of essential oil to four ounces of carrier oil. The best carrier oil for therapeutic uses is jojoba because it is the closest to the natural sebum of the skin so it is absorbed the fastest. Yes, lavender is good for treating depression, but also try mixing in some geranium, basil, ylang ylang, and clary sage. These herbs have been known to help with depression also. So the answer is yes, aromatherapy works just as well in people that cannot smell. The particles travel straight into the bloodstream and that is where the therapeutic value of the essences really occurs. Hope your mother gets better:)