Aromatherapy is a holistic approach that involves the use of essential oils by various techniques to treat certain disorders. It is never the main treatment option available for a particular disorder. It is always used as a supportive therapy.

Essential oils are generally used for aromatherapy. Various therapies employed for the use of essential oils in aromatherapy include massaging the body with the diluted essential oil, adding an essential oil or a mixture of essential oils to bath water, inhaling the essential oil, and addition of an adsorbent cloth to a mixture of water and oil followed by placing the cloth on the affected area.

Though aromatherapy is never used as a main treatment option, it has various benefits in conditions like insomnia, depression, and anxiety. It also helps in relieving the pain caused due to treatment of certain diseases.

Essential oils derived from various parts of the plant are used for aromatherapy. Lime and orange oil derived from the fruit peel, cinnamon oil derived from the bark, lemongrass and palmarosa oil derived from the leaves, ginger and vetiver oil derived from the roots, jasmine and rose oil derived from the flower, and geranium and lavender oil derived from the entire plant are used in aromatherapy.

Aromatherapy works by activating the receptors associated with the sense of smell in the nose. These receptors send messages to the brain for the release of certain chemical substances like hormones which control emotions.