Aromatherapy is the practice of using essential oils, usually from plants, to change a person’s mood or to improve health. Essential oils are extracted from plants using different methods. The oils are usually very fragrant and highly concentrated. There are many different essential oils available.
History
The use of essential oils goes back thousands of years. Aromatherapy has been used by various cultures for bathing and cosmetic and medicinal purposes.
Use and claims
Some practitioners of aromatherapy claim that it may:
- alter or stimulate the immune system
- promote healing for many diseases, including cancer
- help relieve bacterial infections and fight colds, flu and sore throats
- improve circulation
There is no scientific evidence to support these claims.
Aromatherapy is often used as a complementary therapy along with conventional cancer treatment to improve a person's quality of life. There is some evidence that some types of essential oils may help:
- reduce stress
- promote a sense of calm or well-being
- lessen pain
- relieve nausea
- promote sleep
Aromatherapy is thought to work through scent receptors in the nose, which send messages to the brain and affect heart rate, blood pressure and breathing. It may also work by absorption of the oil through the skin.
How it is given
Aromatherapy essential oils are usually:
- rubbed into the skin
- absorbed from bath water
- inhaled through the air
- Oil put into steaming water, diffusers or humidifiers will spread throughout a room.
Summary of the evidence
There is no scientific evidence that aromatherapy and essential oils are effective in preventing or treating diseases such as cancer.
A few studies suggest that aromatherapy may be a beneficial complementary therapy. Research on aromatherapy is still in very early stages.
- There is some evidence that aromatherapy helps reduce anxiety, tension and pain in people with cancer. For example, lavender oil is promoted to relieve anxiety, muscular tension and trouble sleeping (insomnia).
- Some reports also suggest that inhaled peppermint, ginger and cardamom oil may relieve nausea caused by chemotherapy and radiation treatments, but these claims have not been scientifically proven.
Potential side effects and risks
Essential oils should not be taken internally (ingested) because they can be poisonous. There have been a few side effects reported with essential oils:
- skin reactions
- It is recommended that people test the oil on a very small patch of skin to check for skin reactions before using it.
- breathing problems
Individuals who have cancers that are sensitive to hormones, such as breast cancer, and those who have a high risk of these cancers should avoid applying lavender and tea tree oils to their skin. There is some research that suggests that these oils may act like estrogen in the body.
It is not known how much of an aromatherapy oil may get into the bloodstream through the skin or nasal passages. People considering using aromatherapy oils should find out about potential side effects and be alert for them.