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Other common name(s): Holistic Aromatherapy, Aromatic Medicine
Scientific/medical name(s): None
Description
Aromatherapy is the use of fragrant substances, called essential oils, distilled from plants to alter mood or improve health. These highly concentrated aromatic substances are either inhaled or applied during massage. Approximately 40 essential oils are commonly used in aromatherapy; among the most popular are lavender, rosemary, eucalyptus, chamomile, marjoram, jasmine, peppermint, lemon, ylang ylang, and geranium.
Overview
Available scientific evidence does not support claims that aromatherapy is effective in preventing or treating cancer, but it may be used to enhance quality of life. Early clinical trials suggest aromatherapy may have some benefit as a complementary treatment in reducing stress, pain, nausea, and depression.
How is it promoted for use?
Aromatherapy is promoted as a natural way to help patients cope with chronic pain, nausea, depression, and stress and produce a feeling of well being. There is some evidence suggesting this may be true. Proponents also claim aromatherapy can help relieve bacterial infections, stimulate the immune system, fight colds, flu and sore throats, improve urine production, increase circulation, and cure cystitis, herpes simplex, acne, headaches, indigestion, PMS, muscle tension, and even cancer. The available scientific evidence does not support these further claims. Fragrances from different oils are promoted to have specific health benefits. For example, lavender oil is promoted to relieve muscular tension, anxiety, and insomnia.
There are different ideas as to how aromatherapy may work. Scent receptors in the nose are known to send chemical messages through the olfactory nerve to the brain's limbic region, which influences emotional responses, heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration. Some say these connections explain the effects of essential oils' pleasant smells. The effects may partly depend on previous associations (recalled experiences) of the person with a particular scent. Others say the oils are absorbed directly into the system through the skin. Laboratory studies suggest that the oils can affect organ function, although whether this can be useful is not yet clear.
What does it involve?
Aromatherapy is either self-administered or administered by a practitioner. Many aromatherapists in the United States are trained as massage therapists, psychologists, social workers, or chiropractors and use the oils as part of their practices.
The essential oils can be used one at a time or in combination, and may be inhaled or applied to the skin. For inhalation, a few drops of the essential oil are placed in steaming water, atomizers, or humidifiers that are used to spread the steam/oil combination throughout the room. Sometimes the oils are placed in a heatproof dish over a candle or other flame to diffuse the scent.
Essential oils can be applied to the skin during massage, or they can be added to bathwater. For application to the skin, the oils are combined with a carrier, usually vegetable oil. Oils may also be made into salves, creams, and compresses. Some people also apply drops of certain essential oils on their pillows.
What is the history behind it?
Use of aromatic, perfumed oils dates back thousands of years to ancient Egypt, China, and India. In Egypt, such oils were used after bathing and for embalming mummies. Thousands of years ago the Chinese compiled an encyclopedia of information on plants, herbs, and wood. In ancient India, aromatic massage was part of Ayurvedic medicine.
The Greeks and Romans used fragrant oils for both medicinal and cosmetic purposes. However, it was the medieval physician Avicenna who first extracted these oils from plants.
Rene Maurice Gattefosse, a French chemist, originated modern aromatherapy and even the term itself. After burning his hand in a laboratory accident, he used lavender oil to soothe the pain. His hand healed quickly with no scar, and he attributed this outcome to the lavender oil. He published his first thesis on "Aromatherapie" in 1928 and a book under the same title in 1937. Aromatherapy was revived in the 1960s by French homeopaths Dr. and Mme. Maury. In the 1980s, aromatherapy began in the United States. It is fairly well established in England, France, Switzerland, and New Zealand.
What is the evidence?
Available scientific evidence does not support claims that aromatherapy cures or prevents disease; however, a few clinical studies suggest aromatherapy may be a helpful complementary therapy. In Britain, there are reports of the successful use of aromatherapy massage as a complementary treatment for people with cancer to reduce anxiety, depression, tension, and pain. However, some studies show no difference in outcome between massage with aromatherapy oils and massage without them. There are also reports that inhaled peppermint, ginger, and cardamom oil seem to relieve the nausea caused by chemotherapy and radiation. However, these claims are not supported by the available scientific evidence.
Clinical research on aromatherapy is in its infancy. Early trials suggest aromatherapy may help patients cope with chronic pain, stress, and depression.
In one controlled clinical trial, inhaling the vapors from black pepper extract reduced the craving for tobacco, and improved participants' moods. In a second controlled trial, citrus fragrance used in 12 depressed patients made it possible to reduce the amount of antidepressant medicine they needed.
Another study of aromatherapy suggested that the scent changed the person's memory of pain without altering the perceived severity of the pain while it was happening. There was no difference between the aromatherapy group's and control group's pain ratings during a procedure, but after the fact the aromatherapy group reported that the event was less distressing overall than the control group did.
There is also some evidence that the power of suggestion may explain at least part of the effect of aromatherapy. For example, in one study, the salt water placebo was just as effective in reducing nausea as the essential oil. In another study, the oils were more likely to produce the effect the subjects were told about, whether or not it was the normally predicted effect. Several controlled studies using essential oils have shown no measurable effect.
Sometimes essential oils are used directly on the skin. A randomized clinical trial of patients with bald patches on their scalp or skin showed a daily scalp massage with essential oils to be a safe and effective treatment for hair loss resulting from alopecia areata, a condition in which damage to hair follicles is caused by the patient's own immune system. This treatment has not been evaluated as a treatment for hair loss related to cancer treatments. Other lab and animal studies have also looked at the ability of essential oils to kill or control certain germs and viruses when the oil was placed direct contact with the germ.
(See Tea Tree Oil,
Peppermint.)
Are there any possible problems or complications?
Aromatherapy is generally safe. However, essential oils usually should not be taken internally as many of them are poisonous. Some oils can cause sensitization (allergy to the oil). Some may cause irritation if applied undiluted to the skin. Aromatherapy oils have been reported as causing headaches, nausea, and allergic reactions. Relying on this type of treatment alone, and avoiding or delaying conventional medical care for cancer, may have serious health consequences.
Additional Resources
More Information from Your American Cancer Society
The following information on complementary and alternative therapies may also be helpful to you. These materials may be ordered from our toll-free number (1-800-ACS-2345).
References
Anderson LA, Gross JB. Aromatherapy with peppermint, isopropyl alcohol, or placebo is equally effective in relieving postoperative nausea. J Perianesth Nurs. 2004 Feb;19(1):29-35.
Buckle J. Use of aromatherapy as a complementary treatment for chronic pain. Altern Ther Health Med. 1999;5:42-51.
Cawthorn A. A review of the literature surrounding the research into aromatherapy. Complement Ther Nurs Midwifery. 1995;1:118-120.
Campenni CE, Crawley EJ, Meier ME. Role of suggestion in odor-induced mood change. Psychol Rep. 2004 Jun;94(3 Pt 2):1127-36.
Cerrato PL. Aromatherapy: is it for real? RN. 1998;61:51-52.
Ernst E (ed) The Desktop Guide to Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Mosby 2001.
Fellowes D, Barnes K, Wilkinson S. Aromatherapy and massage for symptom relief in patients with cancer. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2004;(2):CD002287.
Gedney JJ, Glover TL, Fillingim RB. Sensory and affective pain discrimination after inhalation of essential oils. Psychosom Med. 2004 Jul-Aug;66(4):599-606.
Hay IC, Jamieson M, Ormerod AD. Randomized trial of aromatherapy. Successful treatment for alopecia areata. Arch Dermatol. 1998; 134: 1349-1352.
Komori T, Fujiwara R, Tanida M, Nomura J, Yokoyama MM. Effects of citrus fragrance on immune function and depressive states. Neuroimmunomodulation. 1995;2:174-180.
Nelson NJ. Scents or nonsense: aromatherapy's benefits still subject to debate. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1997;89:1334-1336.
Rose JE, Behm FM. Inhalation of vapor from black pepper extract reduces smoking withdrawal symptoms. Drug Alcohol Depend. 1994;34:225-229.
Soden K, Vincent K, Craske S, Lucas C, Ashley S. A randomized controlled trial of aromatherapy massage in a hospice setting. Palliat Med. 2004 Mar;18(2):87-92.
Note: This information may not cover all possible claims, uses, actions, precautions, side effects or interactions. It is not intended as medical advice, and should not be relied upon as a substitute for consultation with your doctor, who is familiar with your medical situation.
Revised: 03/26/2007
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