Visualization of Effects of Aroma Oil Massages Using NIRS

This study aims to promote the use and quality improvement of foot care nursing. From experimental data obtained from 15 elderly subjects aged 65 or over, we visualized and examined differences in the subjects' cerebral blood flow between foot care massages using aroma oil and those without aroma oil via a near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) device. We also examined differences between male and female subjects using aroma oil, as well as differences between massages of the left and right foot, to clarify the aroma oil's relaxation effect. As a result, we confirmed that the relaxing effect of an aroma oil massage was greater than massage without aroma oil, and that the relaxing effect of an aroma oil massage for females was greater than that for males and greater for the left foot than the right.