There are some reports of people claiming being "cured" of serious physical or mental conditions by aromatherapy,. I know of a lady who had strange symptoms of aches around her body and the aches disappeared after a treatment course of eucalyptus oil prescribed by her aromatherapy therapist. It seems the aches started following a bereavement causing intense emotional stress in her life.

Overall reports seem to indicate aromatherapy is most effective in relieving psychosomatic and stress related conditions. But there does not seem to be any really conclusive proof that the benefits you get from aromatherapy oils, whether from aerial diffusion, direct inhaling or massage application of the most appropriate oil decided by your therapist really does work better on you than the power of suggestion or hypnosis would.

The theory is that aromatherapy oil used has two separate positive effects on you. Firstly it influences your brain, particularly the limbic system through the olfactory, and secondly the essential oils also benefit you from its direct pharmacological effect, that is both a mental effect and a physical effect.

There were also reports of aromatherapy working well as antiseptics in the treatment of wounded male soldiers in world war 2.