I know I am going to get lambasted for this but I had to write this article because I was so irritated to read an article pitting Acupuncture against Aromatherapy. Well as I see it this really is apples and oranges and I would hope all therapists in each profession would back me on this. I believe the article was written only for exposure not with the author really believing there was anything to compare.
Before I go any farther I have to tell you I am totally in favour of both therapies and think you can draw benefits from both but for different reasons and I think that the same person might and will go to either practitioner but not looking for the same results. When you go to an Acupuncturist you know you will be prodded, stabbed or indeed impaled with the needles, which is a very different experience from Aromatherapy. I have been on numerous occasions to an Acupuncturist and, although I do not like needles and prefer not to look when being stabbed with them, the feeling is not painful I only feel a slight discomfort when they wiggle the needle. I use Acupuncture for Asthma and pain. In fact the condition started off, as being what I thought was Asthma but ended up being a genetic disorder called Alpha 1 Anti-Trypstin, which gives off the appearance of Asthma and Emphysema. It is something I manage as it cant fix it and the pain is managed, whereas if I were to go to an Aromatherapist for help with this I would be in trouble. I say this because people with Asthma signals should be wary of the oils used in Aromatherapy.
My wife on the other hand uses Acupuncture to control pain and Aromatherapy for that feel-good factor it gives her. The feeling she has after coming out of the Aromatherapy session is very different from the Acupuncturist but she get out of each exactly what she wants and needs so they both have a very important place in therapeutic rehabilitation but one could not replace the other.
Therefore my conclusion is the article that pitted them head to head was incorrect and unfair because they exist for different reasons and so are fighting very different wars with different weapons. I know the author was wrote this in the context of helping understand the differences but they should never be fighting in the same ring, in my opinion even the least knowledgeable people with regards therapies would know this.