In recognition of Aromatherapy Awareness Week, we have scoured the research journals to bring you the latest studies on essential oils and their use in aromatherapy. It is often stated (by ill-informed – or ‘agenda-informed’ sceptics) that “there’s no research in complementary medicine” – they essentially claim that it’s all ‘woo-woo’! However, as our better-educated readers know, nothing could be further from the truth – and, the evidence-base across the field continues to grow apace.

We are delighted to present to you eight recently published studies that we hope you will find fascinating and informative. We also hope that these studies serve to illustrate the sophistication of research in the field – and the enormous therapeutic scope and power of aromatherapy as a safe and effective therapeutic intervention.

Please let us know whether you have enjoyed this research update and whether you’d like to see more research-related content of this type for other complementary medical disciplines. Furthermore, we hope that these few studies will whet your appetite for further research. 

If research is new for you, you might like to view our tutorial on The Complementary Medical Association’s YouTube channel where we ask The CMA’s Science and Research Director, Dr Frank Sabatino, to “Bust the Myths around Research in Complementary Medicine” . This helpful video really has some extremely useful insights on how to begin research in our highly specialised field – it is also a great refresher if you are already a seasoned researcher.

In conclusion

As we continue to explore the mind-body connection, let us harness the power of scents to uplift the spirits and promote overall well-being in our patients. Essential oils are powerful therapeutic interventions – and should be used judiciously – ensuring that the oils used are safe and appropriate for our patients as individuals. We want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the brilliance of all CMA Registered Aromatherapy professionals and our numerous CMA Registered Training Schools who offer outstanding aromatherapy courses. You are doing such important work and making a huge contribution to the health of our various nations and we, here at The CMA, are incredibly proud of you – thank you for all you do!