CLEVELAND -- You've heard the buzzwords "alternative medicine" and "holistic treatments," particularly as a backlash against traditional medicine. But it shouldn't come as a surprise treatments like aromatherapy are making a comeback since they've been around six thousand years, more than twice as long as Hippocrates, the Father of Modern Medicine. "Over the last maybe thirty years, it's been used more in the Western World.," says Francoise Adan, MD, Medical Director of the University Hospitals Connor Integrated Health Network about treatments like aromatherapy. Adan is a proponent of using essential oils, the extracts of plants, seeds, and blossoms that comprise the foundation of aromatherapy, as a supplement to traditional medicine rather than a replacement."It's important to remember that it has no medical claims, therefore it's not controlled by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA)," says Dr. Adan. "But can it help to decrease some symptoms? Absolutely!"Adan says these oils can help relieve pain, stress, depression, anxiety, itching, vomiting, and nausea, among other symptoms, and 40 percent of Americans are using complementary and alternative modalities. But she stresses to keep your doctor informed if you're using non-traditional treatments and to follow the guidance of someone who's trained in these disciplines. She also says be mindful of allergies and other possible side effects, particularly if you're pregnant. "It's important to know when not to use it," says Dr. Adan.You can burn these oils, place a few drops in your bathwater, even ingest them. and the fact you're even considering them could be the first step in feeling better. "You make a commitment to yourself, doing something for you, putting yourself first and that in itself is a great step," says Dr. Adan.