Dr. Derya Derince Zorlu
Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy is the use of oils obtained by distilling the root, leaf, or flower of plants to prevent diseases and treat existing illnesses. The origins of aromatherapy date back far, as evidenced by Avicenna, who outlined the schematics of a distillation device in his book centuries ago, revealing the healing properties of plants. These treatments, frequently used in ancient times, have given way to synthetic drugs that are easier and cheaper to produce with the increase in population and technology. Over the years, microorganisms have recognized synthetic drugs and developed resistance; however, since aromatherapy oils are found in the building blocks of microorganisms, resistance to them is not an issue.
In which areas is aromatherapy treatment used?
Unfortunately, in our country, aromatherapy has mostly been brought up in the context of cosmetics and massage, and its use as a cure has been referred to as alternative medicine for years. Due to our inability to find sufficiently pure (free of substances that may contain side effects) medical oils on the market, it has not been widely practiced by us doctors, and it has also been misused by people other than physicians and pharmacists who are not experts in the field. Today, it is a treatment method that has been included in the payment scope in some countries, primarily England. Thankfully, in our country, thanks to our valuable pharmacists, we are able to access these hard-to-obtain oils. With the increase in awareness on this topic, more and more physicians are using aromatherapy day by day.