Aromatherapy is an alternative medicine that uses the fragrance of essential oils which are made through steam distilling certain beneficial plants and other herbal materials. These fragrant oils are used in aerial diffusion, directly inhaled, or applied topically. The purpose of aromatherapy is to improve a patient’s mood and cognitive function. Since fibromyalgia patients deal with mood changes that are associated with depression and fatigue, it can be beneficial to treat and manage these symptoms with aromatherapy. When treating fibromyalgia with aromatherapy, some of the most well known essential oils are thyme, lavender and peppermint. These herbs contain anti-inflammatory properties that reduce painful symptoms. If fatigue is a common problem for a fibromyalgia sufferer, herbs like cinnamon, clove, cypress, eucalyptus, fir, ginger, lemon, lemongrass, peppermint and rosemary are known to create energy and reduce fatigue. Even if you don’t get direct results in pain reduction, it is important to consider aromatherapy as a valuable option for reducing stress and promoting a relaxing environment. It would be greatly beneficial to use aromatherapy in conjunction with relaxation exercises discussed earlier. Aromatherapy is one of the least invasive treatment options for battling fibromyalgia, unless of course you are very sensitive to distinct smells or have certain allergies that arise with specific herbs or aromas. Aromatherapy may be the least researched alternative medicine out there, so it currently does not have a great deal of support in the scientific community; however, it does contain a wide array of qualitative or testimonial support that is leading many to believe that aromatherapy may be the most overlooked, beneficial treatment method for fibromyalgia.