Issue #7

2000

By Ian R. Marshall

“A tool for your patient’s participation in their personal health program“

Everyday the Community of people around us grows more frustrated with the limitations of conventional medicine. They no longer want to live with ‘chronic illness’, or that feelings of pain fatigue and uneasiness are all “in our heads”.

As a result a significant percentage of the populace has begun to explore a broad spectrum of alternative health techniques such as, nutritional therapies, massage, acupuncture, homeopathy, chiropractic, herbalism, reflexology and iridology. A basic issue for many is which approach to trust, or what accounts for their effectiveness and how beneficial will they really be.

They want to know more about the ‘alternative treatments’ that they have heard about or, at least improve their sense of well-being. However, many holistic practitioners face a major hurdle when they attempt to implement a new course of health for their patient. The patient is unable to quickly identify change is occurring within their body and loses confidence in the treatment program and the time frame for a return to good health.

The problem arises from their past experiences in conventional medicine wherein they have had ‘symptoms’ treated with stopgap drugs to which they usually have a level of physical or emotional reaction immediately, due to the impact of the drug or treatment.

Thus they have a sense that the healing process has started and their ailment is being cured. In natural therapies, other than perhaps some feeling of involvement from the physical disciplines, there is not usually a sense that change is taking place, because the recommended treatment is usually going towards the true ‘cause’ and its approach is not noticeable in the early days of the process. So, how does a practitioner deal with this issue of the patient not sensing body change and losing confidence in the treatment process?

It is important at the outset to move the patient from a non-active’ role i.e., full reliance on the doctor to cure, to a treatment plan in which the patient must be actively involved and have a sense that they are indeed directing the change in their body. You may well be asking them to take a fresh look at their lifestyles, eating or drinking habits, how they act within their home or work environments or even, their relationships. But until they have some physical, mental or, emotional/sensitivity experience, they may not feel any good is transpiring only the pain from making change within their life and perhaps, ‘doing without’ something they have always enjoyed.

You could recite the old adage, ‘no pain no gain’, but human reaction is likely to be that the patient quickly falls away from coming to see you and thereby stops the treatment & healing process.

Aromatherapy is a non-invasive therapy to help your patient participate in their new health program and to experience some aspect of change, while you implement your particular methods or approach to treatment. This is not to say, Aromatherapy does not have techniques and properties within its own right that can change and bring about patient well-being, but when it is aligned with you particular discipline/specialty, it can enhance your patient’s reaction to your recommended actions. Why? Because it has immediacy. It directly impacts body senses, emotions and thus registers, “something good is happening within”.

Many of you will be familiar with Aromatherapy but for those who have focused their attention to one of the many other alternative disciplines in the natural health world, it is the use of essential oils to enhance the harmony and well-being of the body, mind and spirit. Our sense of smell is linked to a part of the brain known as the Limbic System, often referred to as the point of emotion and memory. It is the influence on this system that may affect one’s mood, feelings, and state of relaxation and actually bring about moving people through various emotional and mental states.

Some oils provide warmth, others coolness, some soothe and soften, while other oils will invigorate and leave the feeling of being totally refreshed. The outcome being, the oils work on the outer person in a non-invasive manner and bring about influence on the ‘inner’ being in what usually becomes a ‘positive’ experience.

The mind receives a communication from the sense of smell or touch, that something good or pleasing is happening, and sends out signals to the overall body, emotions and other mental components that they should feel ‘good’.... and generally, the patient does. In turn, the patient feels change is occurring and gains a faster receptivity and acceptance to your overall health treatment, programme.

Aromatic plants have been used for thousands of years, so it is certainly not new and untried. The properties of various plants can be used to relax stimulate/energize, create sensitivity/romance, as well as to work therapeutically on overworked muscles and body joints. As with any recommended therapy, there are dos and don’ts in the application of aromatherapy but in generally it is a safe and sound technique to involve your patient in their own treatment plan and to start taking responsibility for their personal health and well-being.

Ian Marshall is President and Dean of the International Academy of Natural health Sciences.

His goal is to facilitate the student’s ability to develop a balanced understanding of health and healing as a process of life, and to apply relevant information from their studies to improve the quality of human life for those under their care.

 Design News2News.com • Toronto • 2000