Aromatherapy literally means the therapeutic use of scents to change moods. Essential oils distilled from plants, flowers, trees, bark, grasses, seeds, and fruits are used to treat a variety of ailments including fatigue, tension, stress, and, most importantly here, chronic pain. Aromatherapy is also one of the fastest-growing natural remedies being used today. It works by awakening and strengthening the self-healing ability of the body. Smells can have a profound effect on our sense of well-being and body balance. The essential oils used in aromatherapy are antiseptic, antidepressant, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, detoxifying, expectorant, and analgesic. This blog post is an excerpt from Pain Recovery – How to Find Balance and Reduce Suffering from Chronic Pain by Mel Pohl, MD, FASAM, Frank Szabo, LADC, Daniel Shiode, PhD, Robert Hunter, PhD; Published by Central Recovery Press (CRP).