Effectiveness of aromatherapy with sweet orange oil (Citrus sinensis L.) in relieving pain and anxiety during labor.

Need to improve the quality of vaginal birth in a humanized and non-invasive way, contributing to pain and anxiety during labor. Integrative and complementary practices, such as aromatherapy, have been an important tool for managing natural birth. To evaluate the effects of Citrus sinensis L. aroma on pain and anxiety during labor. Single-blind randomized clinical trial with pregnant women was performed in a city of Brazilian northwest. The pregnant women were divided (n=42/group) into an experimental group (inhalation of 250 μL of C. sinensis essential oil) and a placebo group (250 μL of distilled water), and submitted to the evaluation of pain intensity through Visual Analogic Scale, anxiety (STAI-E), physiological parameters, as well as fetal heart rate. Aromatherapy significantly reduced pain intensity over time (p=0.0411), especially for pregnant women in stage 1 dilatation and primiparous (p=0.0022). In addition, essential oil inhalation also reduced anxiety (p<0.0001), showing significant positive correlations (r=0.3147; p=0.3129) with pain intensity. Exposure to the aroma of sweet orange also reduced mean blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate of pregnant women and fetal heart rate (p<0.0001). The active compounds present in the essential oil used, especially limonene, are capable of modulating neurotransmission systems associated with pain and anxiety, being effective in reducing these symptoms during labor. It was shown that C. sinensis essential oil reduces pain and anxiety during labor, indicating the potential of this type of intervention and its possible applicability in good labor practices.

Nascimento JC ，Gonçalves VSDS ，Souza BRS ，Nascimento LC ，Carvalho BMR ，Nogueira PCL ，Santos JPS ，Borges LP ，Goes TC ，Souza JB ，Coutinho HDM ，Guimarães AG ... -  《-》

Aromatherapy Using Lavender Oil Effectiveness on Pain and Anxiety After C-Section: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Managing postoperative setting, regarding pain and anxiety after cesarean delivery is crucial for the mother's recovery, her emotional well-being, mother-infant bonding and initiating breastfeeding. Although some research have suggested that aromatherapy with lavender essential oil can be effective in reducing pain and anxiety in various medical settings, the efficacy of lavender aromatherapy in the postoperative setting after cesarean delivery is less well-studied. We aimed to assess the effectiveness of lavender essential oil therapy in the management of pain and anxiety after cesarean delivery. This was a monocentric randomized controlled double-blind trial conducted over a period of five months during 2023. A hundred women undergoing c-sections under spinal anesthesia were enrolled and randomly assigned; using block randomization of 4 items per block with allocation ratio 1:1, into two groups: The aromatherapy group (receiving inhaled Lavender essential oil) versus the placebo group (receiving distilled water instead). The primary outcomes were pain (at rest and after mobilization) and anxiety levels and after the intervention. This trial was registered on clinical-trials.org (NCT06387849). A total of 100 women were included (50 women in each group aromatherapy and the placebo group). The two groups were comparable regarding baseline characteristics and pre-intervention parameters with no statistically significant difference. After the intervention, the pain at rest (38,76 ± 22,9 vs. 23,84 ± 18,01; p < 0.001), the pain after mobilization (60,28 ± 23,72 vs. 40,12 ± 22,18; p < 0.001), and degree of anxiety (46,76 ± 6,59 vs. 44,3 ± 5,17; p = 0.03) were all significantly lower in the aromatherapy group. No adverse effects were reported by participants in both groups. Aromatherapy using Lavender essential oil is effective in reducing pain and anxiety after cesarean delivery without adverse effects.

Nouira M ，Souayeh N ，Kanzari SA ，Rouis H ，Lika A ，Mbarki C ，Rahali FZ ，Bettaieb H ... -  《-》

The effects of inhalation aromatherapy on pain, anxiety, and sleep quality in burn patients: A randomized controlled study.

Patients suffering from burn injuries experience high levels of pain, anxiety, and sleep problems. These symptoms negatively affect the healing process of patients. In this study, it was aimed to determine the effect of inhalation aromatherapy applied with lavender essential oil on pain, anxiety, and sleep quality in burn patients. The randomized, placebo-controlled study was conducted with a total of 60 patients, 30 of whom were treated with aromatherapy (lavender) and 30 with placebo (sterile/ saline water), who were hospitalized in the burn treatment center of the hospital between October 2021 and April 2022. Interventions were applied for 20 min in the morning and evening for five days. "State-Trait Anxiety Inventory", "Visual Analog Scale" and "Richards-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire" were used for data collection. It was determined that the pain levels of the patients in the aromatherapy group decreased significantly compared to the patients in the placebo group (p < 0.05), but the anxiety levels did not differ significantly between the groups (p > 0.05). It was determined that the sleep quality of the patients in the aromatherapy group was higher from the 3rd day than the patients in the placebo group (p < 0.05). It was determined that inhalation aromatherapy applied to burn patients reduced the level of pain and increased sleep quality. Aromatherapy is recommended for healthcare professionals to reduce pain and improve sleep quality in burn patients.

Akkaya A ，Kocasli Koçaşlı S ，Akin Akın M 《-》

The effects of aromatherapy massage in menopausal women with knee osteoarthritis: A randomized controlled study.

Knee Osteoarthritis (OA)'s prevalence increases during menopause. Aromatherapy massage with different oils is applied in the treatment of knee OA. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of aromatherapy massage with Bergamot essential oil (BEO) on pain, functionality, sleep quality and menopausal symptoms in menopausal women with knee OA. This study included 60 menopausal participants diagnosed with grade II-III OA. Participants were randomly divided into three groups: BEO (n=20), placebo (n=20) and control (n=20). The participants in the BEO group, received aromatherapy massage with BEO, in the placebo group aromatherapy massage with sweet almond oil was applied twice a week for 4 weeks. All participants underwent conventional physiotherapy. Visual Analog Scale was used to assess the severity of pain, Osteoarthritis Index to assess functionality, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index to assess sleep quality and Menopausal Symptoms Rating Scale to assess menopausal symptoms. All measurements were performed before and after the study. The results of the study showed that all three groups were effective on pain, functionality, sleep quality and menopausal symptoms (p<0.001). The results of the study showed that, aromatherapy massage with BEO was found to be more effective on functionality (p<0.001), pain (p<0.001) and menopausal symptoms (somatic and psychological symptoms) (p<0.001) compared to the control and placebo groups. It was determined that aromatherapy massage with BEO did not create a significant difference between the sleep quality scale scores in the control group and the placebo group (p=0.454). This study found that aromatherapy massage with BEO improved functionality, reduced pain and menopausal symptoms, and did not affect sleep quality. We consider that its application in addition to routine treatment may be useful to reduce symptoms.

Döner Şİ ，Gerçek H ，Sert ÖA ，Aytar A ，Aytar A ... -  《-》

The effectiveness of Melissa officinalis L. essential oil inhalation on anxiety and symptom burden of hemodialysis patients: a randomized trial study.

Hemodialysis patients suffer from physical and mental symptoms for which aromatherapy might be useful. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of Melissa officinalis L. (Lemon Balm) essential oil inhalation on anxiety and the burden of symptoms in hemodialysis patients. This study is a randomized clinical trial with a pretest-posttest design. Sixty-eight hemodialysis patients were randomly divided into intervention (who underwent Melissa officinalis L. inhalation aromatherapy 3 times a week for one month) and control (who inhaled refined sweet almond oil) groups. The intervention in both groups was conducted during the hemodialysis session. The data were collected using the state-trait anxiety inventory and Dialysis Symptom Index. Data were analyzed through SPSS-25, using Mann-Whitney, Wilcoxon, t-tests and MANOVA. Before the intervention, both groups were similar in terms of anxiety and symptoms burden (P > 0.05). However, after the intervention, a significant difference was found between the groups in terms of state and trait anxiety, and severity of constipation, nausea, vomit, diarrhea, swelling in legs, muscle cramps and shortness, worry, nervousness and anxiety, and trouble staying asleep. Moreover, after the intervention, a significant difference was observed between the groups regarding the prevalence of symptoms burden such as feeling anxious and having a dry mouth (P < 0.05). Melissa officinalis L. essential oil inhalation aromatherapy reduced the symptoms burden and anxiety in hemodialysis patients. Given the effectiveness of aromatherapy in hemodialysis patients, it is suggested that healthcare workers should use this complementary and integrative health to reduce the anxiety and symptoms burden in hemodialysis patients. Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT) number: IRCT20191021045178N3; Registration date 27/04/2021.

Pasyar N ，Aghababaei M ，Rambod M ，Zarshenas MM ... -  《-》