Aromatherapy is often associated with relaxation and massage, but its uses go far deeper than that.
Aromatherapy is the therapeutic use of essential oils extracted from plants.
It is one of a large number of non-orthodox medical disciplines, which include acupuncture, chiropractice, herbalism and homoeopathy, that are collectively known as complementary medicine. The term 'complementary' is preferred to 'alternative', as it implies that the various therapies can be used to complement other methods of treatment, rather than be used exclusively. Complementary therapies are also linked by their holistic approach, treating the whole patient rather than the condition in isolation. The use of oils to treat illnesses is reputed to have begun in Egypt, and be at least 6,000 years old. He is said to have become interested in the study of essential oils following a laboratory accident in which he burnt his hand badly.