Read more about aromatherapy: Aromatherapy is the use of plant essential oils for therapeutic purposes. Essential oils have been used in fragrances and medicines for thousands of years – there are around 400 different oils extracted from plants all over the world – and each oil has its own special therapeutic properties.

Essential oils, which are highly aromatic, are readily absorbed into the body via the skin and lungs, and are believed to affect the body on all levels – physically, mentally and even emotionally/spiritually.

When combined with massage, which helps to soothe away muscular tension and improve circulation, an aromatherapy treatment can be either deeply relaxing or uplifting, depending on the oils and massage techniques used.

Aromatherapy is used by people for a variety of reasons. Some use it to help them manage or cope with specific physical, mental or emotional problems, while others use it as means of relaxation, or to help maintain good health and a sense of general well-being.

Before you have an aromatherapy massage, I carry out a full consultation, asking you various questions about your medical history, general health, diet and lifestyle. This will enable me to select up to three pure essential oils, appropriate to your individual needs.

These are then blended into a carrier oil and applied to your skin as part of a massage treatment, with towels used to protect your modesty throughout. At the end of the treatment, I may recommend that you use certain essential oils at home – for instance, in the bath or on a tissue for inhalation – to further enhance the benefits gained from your aromatherapy massage.

Aromatherapy massage and essential oils are commonly used in hospitals, hospices and other healthcare settings to help support patients and their carers.

• Aromatherapy massage should not be used in place of conventional medical care.