SHAMOKIN DAM -- In a region where smells of manure and fertilizer abound during summer farming, you might be looking for a few fresh scents to soothe your snout. And some might think aromatherapy is just the ticket.

But nationally registered aromatherapist Liz Fulcher says that aromatherapy doesn't just smell good -- a few whiffs can heal ailments including headaches, insomnia and sore muscles. Fulcher, who owns the Body Wisdom Center in Shamokin Dam, will be holding an introduction to aromatherapy May 2 to teach its benefits, methods and home practice.

"It's unquestionably growing in popularity and also gaining credibility for sure," Fulcher said. "It can be very powerful on a lot of levels, psychologically, physically and emotionally."

To those unfamiliar with aromatherapy, it might essentially seem like a massage for your nose. But plant extracts, called essential oils, used in the practice produce therapeutic benefits, said Fulcher, who began studying aromatherapy in 1991 after her second son was born.

Fulcher was living in Rome, Italy, when she had her son and nurses immediately gave him an aromatherapy massage to keep him calm, she explained.

"They taught me to give him massages with oils," she said. "I bought my own oils and started using them for everything with my kids," she said.

When she came back to live in the United States in 1996, Fulcher took formal classes in chemistry and essential oils and now teaches aromatherapy classes at the Mount Nittany Institute of Natural Health in State College. She also has traveled across the country to speak with women's groups and nurses about the benefits of aromatherapy because there are many misconceptions about the practice, she said.

"If you don't use essential and just use a fragrance or a synthetic fragrance, what you have is the nice smell, but you don't have therapeutic benefits," Fulcher said.

Many of the oils are anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antiseptic, and they typically fall into two categories: calming and stimulating. Some help if you're feeling overwhelmed or suffer from insomnia, muscle tension and headaches or stomachaches, Fulcher said.

Scents like peppermint and eucalyptus stimulate the central nervous system and the mind and can be used if you need to be alert when driving, or if you're sleepy in the afternoon, Fulcher said.

Essential oils can be placed in diffusers to scent your home or be used in massages or baths. In her class, Fulcher teaches additional ways to use the essential oils, as well as how they're extracted and which help with specific ailments.

"It's even good for PMS (premenstrual syndrome) symptoms and helps with rosasia flare ups," Fulcher said.

But Dr. Geeta Krishnan, an ear, nose and throat physician at Sunbury Community Hospital, said she never recommends aromatherapy for patients. Krishnan said that for some patients with headaches, aromatherapy can make them feel congested and won't fix anything.

"It really doesn't help the sinuses," she said. "Sometimes the aroma can actually cause the nose to be more stuffy. There are not really any benefits to it."

Fulcher is aware doctors don't always support aromatherapy, but said there is scientific evidence that essential oils work.