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Aromatherapy is based on the usage of aromatic materials, including essential oils, and other aroma compounds, with claims for improving psychological or physical well-being. It is offered as a complementary therapy or as a form of alternative medicine. Complementary medicine is known as techniques used to help the patients alongside standard treatments. Alternative medicine is when home remedies are used instead of conventional, evidence-based treatments.

History[edit]
The use of essential oils for therapeutic, spiritual, hygienic and ritualistic purposes goes back to ancient civilizations including the Chinese, Indians, Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans who used them in cosmetics, perfumes and drugs. Oils were used for aesthetic pleasure and in the beauty industry. They were a luxury item and a means of payment. It was believed the essential oils increased the shelf life of wine and improved the taste of food.

Oils are described by Dioscorides, along with beliefs of the time regarding their healing properties, in his De Materia Medica, written in the first century. Distilled essential oils have been employed as medicines since the eleventh century, when Avicenna isolated essential oils using steam distillation.

In the era of modern medicine, the naming of this treatment first appeared in print in 1937 in a French book on the subject: Aromathérapie: Les Huiles Essentielles, Hormones Végétales by René-Maurice Gattefossé [ fr], a chemist. An English version was published in 1993. In 1910, Gattefossé burned a hand very badly and later claimed he treated it effectively with lavender oil.

A French surgeon, Jean Valnet [ fr], pioneered the medicinal uses of essential oils, which he used as antiseptics in the treatment of wounded soldiers during World War II.

Aromatherapists[edit]
Aromatherapists, people who specialize in the practice of aromatherapy, utilize blends of supposedly therapeutic essential oils that can be used as topical application, massage, inhalation or water immersion.

Currently, there are no regulations set for professional work with aromatherapy. In other words, Anybody can claim to be an Aromatherapist. However, there are two associations that educate and train individuals. The two associations are The National Association of Holistic Aromatherapy and The Aromatherapy Registration Council which serves as credibility for aromathrapists.

Science behind Aromatherapy[edit]
Essential oils are made up of highly concentrated organic oils that are extracted from plants. The most common methods of extraction include; steam distillation, hydrofusion, and pressure. These volatile organic compounds are able to produce a pharmacological effect on the body. Once these compounds are inhaled, signals travel through the olfactory nerve which is directly connected to the temporal lobe. This is considered to be the emotional part of the brain because it contains the hippocampus and amygdala.

Testing and Regulation[edit]
Aromatherapy products, and essential oils, in particular, are regulated differently depending on their intended use. A product that is marketed with therapeutic or medical use is regulated by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA). On the other hand, products that are marketed with a cosmetic use are not regulated by the FDA (unless information shows that “it is unsafe when consumers use it according to directions on the label, or in the customary or expected way, or if it is not labeled properly.”) The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulates any aromatherapy advertising claims.

It is important to note that there are no standards for determining the quality of essential oils in the United States; while the term “therapeutic grade” is in use, it does not have an official regulatory meaning.

Analysis using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry has been used to identify bioactive compounds in essential oils. These techniques are able to measure the levels of components to a few parts per billion. This does not make it possible to determine whether each component is natural or whether a poor oil has been "improved" by the addition of synthetic aromachemicals, but the latter is often signaled by the minor impurities present. For example, linalool made in plants will be accompanied by a small amount of hydro-linalool, whilst synthetic linalool has traces of dihydro-linalool. In other words, these tests measure for safety but not efficacy of use.

Effectiveness[edit]
There is no good medical evidence that aromatherapy can either prevent, treat, or cure any disease. Placebo-controlled trials are difficult to design, as the point of aromatherapy is the smell of the products. However, there is disputed evidence that it may be effective in combating postoperative nausea and vomiting.

As a form of complementary medicine for cancer patients, aromatherapy tests showed mixed results in lowering anxiety and depression symptoms. In 2015, the Australian Government's Department of Health published the results of a review of alternative therapies that sought to determine if any were suitable for being covered by health insurance; aromatherapy was one of 17 therapies evaluated for which no clear evidence of effectiveness was found.

Evidence for the efficacy of aromatherapy in treating medical conditions is poor, with a particular lack of studies employing rigorous methodology. A number of systematic reviews have studied the clinical effectiveness of aromatherapy in respect to pain management in labor, the treatment of post-operative nausea and vomiting, managing challenging behaviors in people who have dementia, managing challenging behaviors in people who have dementia, and symptom relief in cancer. However, some studies have come to the conclusion that while it does improve the patient's mood, there is no conclusive evidence on how it works with pain management. Studies have been inconclusive because no straightforward evidence exists. All of these reviews report a lack of evidence on the effectiveness of aromatherapy.

It is possible that the effectiveness of aromatherapy has to do with a persons prior experiences with the aroma.

Safety concerns[edit]
Further information: Alternative medicine § Criticism, legitimacy and effects

Even though aromatherapy claims to contain many benefits, aromatherapy may also carry a number of risks and adverse effects.

Essential oils by themselves are highly concentrated and are known to cause irritation of the skin when used in its undiluted form. This is often referred to as neat application. For this reason, essential oils are normally diluted with some type of carrier oil when intended for topical application. Some examples of carrier oils include jojoba oil, olive oil, sweet almond oil or coconut oil. It is important to keep in mind that phototoxic reactions may occur with many cold pressed citrus peel oils such as lemon or lime. Moreover, many essential oils are made of chemical components known as sensitisers. This means that after a number of uses they may cause reactions on the skin and and even on the rest of the body.

Aside from the way that these oils are produced, the chemical composition of essential oils themselves could be affected by herbicides. This is why it is important to know if the original plants are cultivated versus wild-harvested. The effects caused by herbicides could cause toxic to some domestic animals, with cats being particularly prone.

Essential oils could also be toxic to humans when ingested internally. Research showed that doses as low as 2 mL have been reported to cause clinically significant symptoms. Moreover, severe poisoning can occur after ingestion of as little as 4 mL. Reported cases of toxic reactions include liver damage and seizures. Cases like this have occurred after ingestion of sage, hyssop, thuja, and cedar oils.

Accidental ingestion may happen when oils are not kept out of reach of children. Packaging for these products could be misleading for some people. As with any bioactive substance, an essential oil that may be safe for the general public could still pose hazards for pregnant and lactating women.

Oils, both ingested and applied to the skin, could potentially have negative interactions with conventional medicine. One example of how essential oils could have negative effects with conventional medicine is the topical use of methyl salicylate-heavy oils such as wintergreen which may cause bleeding in users taking the anticoagulant warfarin.

Having all this information in consideration, combined with the lack of evidence of its therapeutic benefit, makes the practice of questionable worth.

List of commonly used essential oils and their uses[edit]

 * Peppermint: Energy boost and digestion
 * Lavender: Stress
 * Sandalwood: Focus/ Nervousness
 * Bergamot: Eczema treatment and stress
 * Rose: Mood and anxiety
 * Chamomile: Relaxation
 * Ylang-Ylang: Skin treatment, headaches and nausea
 * Tea tree: Promotes immunity and helps fight infections
 * Jasmine: Antidepressant
 * Lemon: Digestion, mood, headaches, and more

See also[edit]

 * Aromachologist
 * List of unproven and disproven cancer treatments