Medical pseudoscience is everywhere in today's society andpeople are being fooled into believing it is factual. It can be hard todistinguish between real and fake treatments due to the media and popularity. Thereare many warning signs that indicate a service or product is pseudoscientific.
These signs include exaggerated claims, overreliance on anecdotes, lack of peerreview, psychobabble, and talk of proof instead of evidence (Pearson). Essentialoils are an example of pseudoscience. They are very popular and widely used througharomatherapy and in place of medications. The main focus is on the idea of scentsenhancing physical and mental health. Doterra, a main distributor of essentialoils, tries to advocate for the science and effectiveness but it, like manyother sources, largely over exaggerates the power of this product.
Essentialoils claim to be a universal medicine yet, it is classified as pseudoscience.Essential oils display many warnings signs of beingpseudoscientific. Christopher Wanjek, a health and science writer, states, "Trouble is, few studies show that it does work.Diseases are causedby parasites or genetic mutations; itis not implausible that a smell can remedy this, but the mechanism is highlyuncertain". Hetalks about the lack of evidence provided for aromatherapy.
DoTerra's maincite shows a few studies they've done to provide "proof" that essential oilsare valuable but they lack to provide numbers or actual valid information. Itcontinues to just make statements without providing evidence. Psychobabble isalso a key component in the claims they are making. They insert big words intothe "Science Blog" to sound scientific but it just confuses the readers.
Also,the company states that these oils have been used for centuries due to theirhealing properties but this is because people lacked real medication and thebasic knowledge about how to cure illnesses. Just because they were used backin the day doesn't mean they are helpful. They say essential oils can and willhelp almost any condition and to the extreme but this is blown out ofproportion. They may have some healing properties but not to the extent thatthey are claiming. Lastly, the "Science Blog" only talks about what the own company'sscientists have found.
It doesn't refer to any outside sources. There is asubstantial amount of evidence to indicate its pseudoscientific aspects. By taking this type of treatment people are taking risks andmay face many medical consequences. People are avoiding real medicine that canactually help them.
When they focus on essential oils instead of authentic medicine,their illness could be getting worse. For those who believe that essential oilscan cure everything, even extreme deadly diseases, they are putting their livesat risk. These oils don't have the power that people and the media say they do.Essential oils also have a few side effects that are rarely acknowledged.
Insome cases, and when misused, they can cause rashes, seizures, internal damageand other dangerous reactions. Allergies also must be considered when usingthis product. An allergic reaction can cause an extreme response. Essentialoils may not seem harmful, but by relying heavily on them, people are at riskof never experiencing the capabilities of modern medicine.
Depending on the illness that people are trying tosolve with this type of aromatherapy, there are many alternative options. Simplemedicines can even be more useful than essential oils. Tylenol, Advil, and manymore scientifically tested and approved drugs can be used. They can aid with allthat essential oils claims it helps, such as headaches, cold symptoms, and more.
These medications have been tested by doctors and pharmacists and have evidenceto prove the results are beneficial. There are many alternatives to essentialoils that are more valuable. All in all, essential oils are consideredpseudoscientific and people should place caution on the product. Society shouldfocus on scientifically verified medicine when it comes to illnesses andsickness.
