Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy involves using essential oils to improve health and wellbeing. They can be used in many ways, such as massaging, bathing, compression and inhalation. Essential oils have all-natural aromas, extracted from different parts of the plants, such as their flowers, stems, barks and fruits. As a result, they are generally highly concentrated making them very valuable. For example, 1 pound of lavender oil requires roughly 200 pounds worth of lavender flowers. 

During cancer treatment, patients may experience symptoms like sleep disturbance, pain, loss of appetite, anxiety and stress. Aromatherapy can help relieve these symptoms, ease emotion and help you relax. Different essential oils have different effects. For example, ginger and lemon can relieve bloating, nausea and improve appetite. Lavender, jasmine and bergamot oils are popular choices to relieve stress, depression and fatigue. More, menthol, cypress oil and coriander seed oil can improve your alertness, concentration and memory. 

As of now, there is no evidence to support the use of aromatherapy in preventing or treating cancer. Most research about the effectiveness of aromatherapy and cancer mainly focuses on relieving symptoms due to cancer itself or due to side effects of anticancer therapies, such as insomnia, emotional distress, nausea and vomiting. A meta-analysis published in the Cochrane Review in 2016, which included 19 randomised control trials (RCT), concluded that the use of aromatherapy and massaging may have a positive effect in relieving pain, anxiety and depressive mood in patients with cancer. However, these studies usually had small sample sizes which means that the quality of research may not be good.  

Moreover, more studies are needed to confirm if aromatherapy can relieve the side effects of chemotherapy. Research is currently well underway in many countries to determine if the essential oils of ginger, lavender, sweet orange and jojoba are effective remedies of chemotherapy-induced side effects such as nausea, fatigue and insomnia. 

As essential oils are highly concentrated plant extracts, they cannot be directly applied to the skin. Instead, dilution with vegetable oil or milk is required for safe administration. There are different effective ways to administer aromatherapy. 

• Massaging: Massage your hands, feet, shoulders, and neck with essential oil for pain and anxiety relief. 
• Bathing: Dilute 6-8 drops of essential oil with water-soluble fluids such as milk or honey, then go for a bath. 15 minutes is enough to reduce your fatigue and stress.  
• Compression: Apply a few drops on a hot towel and then compress the affected area. This can help soothe any headaches and chronic pain you may have. 
• Inhalation: Add 5-10 drops into an electric diffuser or oil burner. Enjoy the moment as pleasant aromas fill the air. 

Essential oils can be absorbed in 3 ways: the skin, lungs, and intestines. 

1. Skin:  
   Essential oil droplets are very small. This means they can enter your blood and be transported anywhere in the body. When you massage yourself with essential oils, the droplets go through your skin and are absorbed by the body.
2. Respiratory system (lungs): 
   While using a diffuser, the reason you can smell essential oils is because your sense of smell detects their vapours. The smell is transmitted by nerves to the brain which allows you to feel happier and more relaxed. Your lungs absorb the essential oil droplets which then allows them to travel around the body inside your blood. 
3. Digestive system (intestines): 
   When you have essential oils with meals, once swallowed they travel directly to your stomach, intestines, liver, and kidneys. Aromatherapy is rarely delivered in this way as the risks of organ damage and overdosing far outweigh the benefits. Unless directed by a registered aromatherapist, essential oils must never be drunk directly nor consumed with meals. 

Patients should seek medical advice from a medical professional throughout! 

1. Essential oils are highly concentrated. It is important to be cautious when you use them in any way.
2. Essential oils can irritate your skin and trigger underlying allergies. If you are undergoing radiotherapy, stop using them. 
3. If you intend to use essential oils after surgery, avoid applying them to surgical scars or locations where the skin is weaker and more fragile. 
4. If you have serious oedema (swelling in the body due to fluids), gently apply essential oils to avoid skin damage. 
5. Certain essential oils such as bergamot oil contain photosensitizers, which can make the skin more sensitive to ultraviolet radiation, and even cause damage in severe cases. If you want to spend a nice day out in the sun, do not apply them beforehand. 
6. Not all essential oils are suitable for everyone. Some should never be given to infants, pregnant women, and people with epilepsy.
7. Long-term use of lavender oil and tea tree oil can affect oestrogen levels in the body. Patients with oestrogen-dependent cancers such as breast, ovarian, and endometrial cancer should use it with caution.
8. Essential oils are processed by the liver. As a cancer patient you will generally be on a lot of medication which is also metabolised there. Therefore, if you do want to use them during and after treatment, seek advice from your doctor to prevent long-term liver damage. 
9. You should only take essential oils orally according to the guidance of a doctor or a registered aromatherapist. Essential oils are highly concentrated so taking them without professional guidance is very dangerous, potentially causing oral mucosal burns, organ damage or even poisoning.  

Written by Mr. Bryan Yun-Ho Kwan and Ms. Yin-Ling Tai. 

Translated by Mr. Joshua Tang and Ms. Crystal Yu-Chun Kan. 

Reviewed by Dr. Wendy Wing-Lok Chan, Department of Clinical Oncology, the University of Hong Kong. 

Last updated on 5 Sep 2023.