現代人平均壽命延長，強調養生的輔助療法儼然成為現今健康保健主流加上民衆普遍擔心西藥的副作用、又西醫療法對慢性病的治療效果有限、認為輔助療法能對身體全方位有調整及改善的效果。芳香療法的應用，是藉由精油的芳香分子以直接吸入、按摩、沐浴或口服膠囊等方式透過鼻黏膜、皮膚毛細孔及胃黏膜吸收等途徑進入人體，達到全身各器官之療效。於生理層面，可改善疼痛、搔癢症、腸急躁症候群、失眠、便祕、更年期骨質疏鬆症等情形；而心理層面則能提升應對壓力、焦慮、憂鬱、躁動、失智等狀況之能量，以達身心的愉悅及放鬆。由於國內外文獻皆顯示芳香療法能提供身、心方面的療效，故本文針對芳香療法之源起、作用機轉與改善身體症狀及情緒面之照護的相關研究做詳細探討，期能將芳香療法適切地應用於臨床健康照護，以提升照護品質，增進病人的福祉。

As modern people's life expectancy has been prolonged, complementary therapies that highlight the concept of keeping in good health have apparently become the mainstream of health protection nowadays. Furthermore, as the multitudes generally worry about the side effects from western medicine, and as western treatments have their limitations to chronic diseases, most people believe that complementary therapies have overall effect to modulate and improve physical conditions multiply. By inhalation, massage, bathing or oral capsules, Aroma particles go into man｛s bodies through e through nasal mucosa, skin pores, stomach mucosa. On physical aspect, aromatherapy can help release pains and discomfort, improve pruritus, intestines irritability, insormnia, constipation, menopause osteoporosis, etc. As for psychology aspect, it can help increase the energy of responding to stresses, anxiety, melancholia, manic-depressive, dementia, etc so to achieve the objective of obtaining physical and mental joyfulness and relaxing. Viewing that both overseas and domestic documentary shows that aromatherapy is competent to provide effective treatment on not only physical but also psychological aspect, this literature will review more on the research of the origin of aromatherapy as well as on its transforming to improve physical status and emotional medical care. We sincerely anticipate that aromatherapy could be appropriately applied to clinical health care so to advance the quality of health care and increase the benefits to patients.