Aroms: The Science Of Scents And Aromatics

AROMS is an acronym with several meanings. In medicine, it stands for Active Range of Motion, a category of therapeutic exercises related to joint range of motion. It is also the abbreviation for Advancing Residents of OMS, an educational platform for Oral Maxillofacial Surgery Residents. In addition, AROM can refer to Artificial Rupture of Membranes during childbirth, ethnomusicologist Simha Arom, and the Sawang Arom District in Thailand.

AROM Characteristics

Oral Maxillofacial Surgery Residents

AROMS, or Advancing Residents of OMS, is an educational platform and comprehensive lecture series for Oral Maxillofacial Surgery Residents. The curriculum consists of nearly 150 lectures covering the 12 domains of OMFS. The 12 domains covered in the AROMS curriculum are:

• Unit 1: Anatomy
• Unit 2: Peri-Operative Management
• Unit 3: Anaesthesia
• Unit 4: Teeth & Titanium
• Unit 5: Orthognathic Surgery
• Unit 6: Trauma
• Unit 7: Cleft Lip & Palate
• Unit 8: TMJ
• Unit 9: Cosmetics
• Unit 10: Pathology
• Unit 11: Ablation
• Unit 12: Reconstruction

The AROMS curriculum focuses on building the knowledge and skillset required to create confident and competent OMFS residents. It is a collaboration of high-yield information from the most utilized texts, ensuring that Oral Maxillofacial Surgery Residents have access to the best and most relevant information.

Therapeutic exercises for joints

Exercise is crucial for building and maintaining strong, healthy joints. It can help to prevent early-onset pain and joint replacement surgeries, especially in the hips and knees. While it may be tempting to give up exercise when experiencing joint pain, it has been proven to support joint health by building and maintaining strength in the supportive tissues around the joints.

Ankle Dorsiflexion and Plantar Flexion

Good ankle mobility contributes to better balance and performance during activities like squats and deadlifts. To perform this exercise:

• Stand tall next to a wall and place one hand on it for support.
• Slowly rock forward onto your toes, coming into a tip-toe position.
• Slowly rock back onto your heels, lifting your toes off the ground.

Walking Hip Openers

The hip joint is a ball and socket that moves in all directions, so it's important to warm it up before any workout. To perform this exercise:

• Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart.
• Plant your feet firmly on the ground and lift your left knee to your chest.
• Make a circle with your left knee, bringing it up and across your body, then out to the side and down.
• Place your left foot on the floor and repeat on the right side.
• Repeat 10 times, then repeat the sequence, moving your legs in the opposite direction by bringing your leg out to the side first and then across your body.

Thoracic Spine Windmills on the Floor

Good mobility in the thoracic spine allows for free arm movement and turning side to side without pain. Poor mobility can lead to shoulder pain, poor posture, and upper back pain. To perform this exercise:

• Lie on your side with bent knees and hips just past 90 degrees, resting your knees beside you.
• Straighten your bottom leg and rest your top leg on a foam roller or towel without changing its position.
• Extend both arms together along the floor, straight out in front of your body, palms together, and at shoulder height.
• Slowly lift your top arm and rotate it away from you, opening your chest to the ceiling.
• Rotate your head and trunk until your hand is on the other side of your body, if possible.
• Hold this position for 3 seconds, then slowly return to the starting position.
• Repeat 5 times on each side.

Shoulder Pass-Through

Poor posture can cause tightness in the chest and front of the shoulders, so warming up the shoulders is important to improve form and prevent injury. To perform this exercise:

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a broomstick or PVC pipe parallel to the floor. Use an overhand grip, holding the bar as wide as possible.
• Keeping your arms straight, slowly raise the broomstick above your head. Engage your core to maintain good posture and balance.
• Bring the broomstick behind your head as far as you can. Hold for 2 seconds, then return to the starting position.

Neck Half Circles

Neck mobility is important but often ignored, and poor neck movement can lead to pain in the neck, head, and upper back. To perform this exercise:

• Sit or stand comfortably with your hands in your lap.
• Tilt your head to one side until you feel a stretch.
• Slowly roll your head forward to bring your chin to your chest, only going as far as is comfortable.
• Continue rolling your head to the other side until you feel a stretch along the opposite side of your neck.
• Make 3 half circles, moving slowly and smoothly.

In addition to these specific exercises, it's beneficial to incorporate a balance of aerobic activity, flexibility exercises, and muscle-strengthening into your routine. Walking and aquatic exercises are particularly good for most people with osteoarthritis. Remember to always consult with a healthcare professional before starting a new exercise program to ensure it's safe and suitable for you.

Childbirth

AROM is typically performed by a doctor or midwife using a gloved finger with a hook on the end (called an amnihook or amniotomy hook) or a small device called an amnihook. This procedure is generally safe and painless, as the amniotic sac does not contain nerves. However, it is not recommended if the baby is high in the pelvis or "floating".

There are several reasons why AROM may be carried out. It can be done to induce or speed up labour, or to assist in the placement of internal fetal monitoring devices. By rupturing the membranes, healthcare providers can also check the amniotic fluid and allow for more direct monitoring of the fetus. Additionally, AROM may help with the position and descent of the baby, aiding dilation.

While AROM can be beneficial, there are also risks and complications associated with the procedure. It may increase the risk of umbilical cord prolapse, where the umbilical cord comes out before the baby's head, inhibiting oxygen flow. There is also a risk of infection if there is a prolonged time between rupture and birth. Furthermore, AROM can lead to further interventions and an increased risk of caesarean section if labour does not progress.

The decision to perform AROM should be discussed with the mother beforehand, and it is generally recommended that there be a valid reason to interfere with the spontaneous timing of membrane rupture.

Simha Arom

In the 1960s, Arom was sent by the Israeli government to establish a brass band in the Central African Republic. He became fascinated by the country's traditional music, especially the vocal polyphonies of the Aka Pygmies. He returned to Central Africa every year from 1971 to 1991, accompanied by ethnolinguists and students, to record the music for study and conservation.

Arom is recognised as a world expert on the music of central Africa, particularly that of the Central African Republic. His research interests include the temporal organisation of music, musical scales, polyphonic techniques, music in the social system, and the development of conceptual tools for the categorisation, analysis, and modelling of traditional music. He has published several books, including 'African Polyphony and Polyrhythm: Musical Structure and Methodology' in 1991.

Arom has received numerous awards for his contributions to ethnomusicology, including the Silver Medal from the National Scientific Research Council in 1984, the First Prize for French Horn at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique of Paris, and the Antoine Bernheim Award from the Foundation of French Judaism in 2014. He has also been a visiting professor at several universities worldwide and is a member of various musicology and ethnomusicology societies.

Sawang Arom District, Thailand

Sawang Arom is a district (amphoe) in the northern part of Uthai Thani province, in northern Thailand. The district is divided into five sub-districts (tambons), which are further subdivided into 64 villages (mubans).

The area was originally called Ban Sawang Chaeng Sabai Chai. During a Thai-Burmese war in the Ayutthaya era, a battle began at night in the Lat Yao district and ended in the village the next morning. To commemorate this event, the village was renamed Sawang Arom in 1961. The minor district of Sawang Arom (king amphoe) was established in 1960 as a subordinate of Thap Than district, and it became a full district in 1963.

Wat Sawang Arom, or the Monastery of the Enlightened State of Mind, is located in the northern area of Ayutthaya, off the city island on the right bank of the Lopburi River. The temple is situated in Suan Prik Sub-district, along the road leading from the Elephant Kraal to the Asian Highway. The site features an old vihara and ordination hall. The vihara is small, with an inner and outer wall. The outer wall has four gates with pointed arches and decorated buttresses at the corners, while the inner wall is adorned with lotus-shaped holes for candles. The temple is currently in use by the Buddhist clergy.

Frequently asked questions