Aromatherapy and Essential Oils (PDQ®)
Cancer Information Summaries « English « Patients « A
Overview
- Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils from plants to support and balance the mind, body, and spirit (see Question 1 ).
- Patients with cancer use aromatherapy mainly to improve their quality of life (see Question 1 ).
- Essential oils like Roman chamomile, geranium, lavender, and cedarwood are the basic materials of aromatherapy (see Question 1 ).
- Interest in aromatherapy grew in the late 20th century as a form of complementary medicine (see Question 2 ).
- Aromatherapy may work by sending chemical messages to the part of the brain that affects moods and emotions (see Question 3 ).
- Essential oils are most often used by inhaling them or by applying them to the skin (see Question 4 ).
- Laboratory studies and animal studies have shown that certain essential oils have antibacterial, calming, or energizing effects (see Question 5 ).
- Aromatherapy research with cancer patients has studied its effects on symptoms, anxiety, and stress (see Question 6 ).
- Safety testing on essential oils has found very few bad side effects. Lavender and tea tree oils have been found to have some hormone -like effects. (See Question 7.)
- Aromatherapy products do not need approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration because no specific medical claims are made (see Question 8 ).
This record was last updated on May 23rd, 2008.
About the PDQ Cancer Information Summaries from the National Cancer Institute
PDQ (Physician Data Query) is a comprehensive cancer database published by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It contains peer-reviewed summaries on cancer treatment, screening, prevention, genetics, and supportive care, and complementary and alternative medicine; a registry of cancer clinical trials; and directories of physicians, professionals who provide genetics services, and organizations that provide cancer care.
The PDQ Cancer Information Summaries are peer reviewed and updated monthly by six editorial boards comprised of specialists in adult treatment, pediatric treatment, supportive care, screening and prevention, genetics, and complementary and alternative medicine. The Boards review current literature from more than 70 biomedical journals, evaluate its relevance, and synthesize it into clear summaries. Many of the summaries are also available in Spanish.
Linked medical terms appearing on this page are added by Healia to help readers find more information and are not part of the original PDQ document.