-
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... Apr 2012Postoperative nausea and vomiting is a common and unpleasant phenomenon and current therapies are not always effective for all patients. Aromatherapy has been suggested... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Postoperative nausea and vomiting is a common and unpleasant phenomenon and current therapies are not always effective for all patients. Aromatherapy has been suggested as a possible addition to the available treatment strategies.
OBJECTIVES
This review sought to establish what effect the use of aromatherapy has on the severity and duration of established postoperative nausea and vomiting and whether aromatherapy can be used with safety and clinical effectiveness comparable to standard pharmacological treatments.
SEARCH METHODS
We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library 2011, Issue 3); MEDLINE; EMBASE; CINAHL; CAM on PubMed; Meditext; LILACS; and ISI Web of Science as well as grey literature sources and the reference lists of retrieved articles. We conducted database searches up to August 2011.
SELECTION CRITERIA
We included all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and controlled clinical trials (CCTs) where aromatherapy was used to treat postoperative nausea and vomiting. Interventions were all types of aromatherapy. Aromatherapy was defined as the inhalation of the vapours of any substance for the purposes of a therapeutic benefit. Primary outcomes were the severity and duration of postoperative nausea and vomiting. Secondary outcomes were adverse reactions, use of rescue anti-emetics and patient satisfaction with treatment.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Two review authors assessed risk of bias in the included studies and extracted data. As all outcomes analysed were dichotomous, we used a fixed-effect model and calculated relative risk (RR) with associated 95% confidence interval (95% CI).
MAIN RESULTS
The nine included studies comprised six RCTs and three CCTs with a total of 402 participants. The mean age and range data for all participants were not reported for all studies. The method of randomization in four of the six included RCTs was explicitly stated and was adequate. Incomplete reporting of data affected the completeness of the analysis. Compared with placebo, isopropyl alcohol vapour inhalation was effective in reducing the proportion of participants requiring rescue anti-emetics (RR 0.30, 95% CI 0.09 to 1.00, P = 0.05). However, compared with standard anti-emetic treatment, isopropyl alcohol was not effective in reducing the proportion of participants requiring rescue anti-emetics (RR 0.66, 95% CI 0.39 to 1.13, P = 0.13) except when the data from a possibly confounded study were included (RR 0.66, 95% CI 0.45 to 0.98, P = 0.04). Where studies reported data on patient satisfaction with aromatherapy, there were no statistically significant differences between the groups (RR 1.12, 95% CI 0.62 to 2.03, P = 0.71).
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
Isopropyl alcohol was more effective than saline placebo for reducing postoperative nausea and vomiting but less effective than standard anti-emetic drugs. There is currently no reliable evidence for the use of peppermint oil.
Topics: 2-Propanol; Administration, Inhalation; Antiemetics; Aromatherapy; Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic; Humans; Mentha piperita; Plant Oils; Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting; Salvage Therapy
PubMed: 22513952
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD007598.pub2 -
Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian... Apr 2012Periodontal diseases continue to be most commonly occurring oral diseases in modern times. Many therapeutic modalities have been tried and tested to relieve these... (Review)
Review
Periodontal diseases continue to be most commonly occurring oral diseases in modern times. Many therapeutic modalities have been tried and tested to relieve these problems. The conventional therapy--scaling and root planing (SRP)--stands out to be the most used mode of treatment, and other treatments remain applicable as adjuncts to SRP, including acupuncture, acupressure, and aromatherapy. The present article discusses the applications of the abovementioned therapeutic modes and their relevance in current scenarios. Alternative medicine may be preferred as an adjunct to conventional periodontal therapy to relieve pain, bad breath, gingival inflammation, mouth ulcers, and mouth sores.
Topics: Acupressure; Acupuncture Therapy; Aromatherapy; Complementary Therapies; Halitosis; Humans; Mouth; Mouth Diseases; Pain; Periodontal Diseases; Periodontium
PubMed: 22483182
DOI: 10.1016/j.jams.2012.01.001 -
Indian Journal of Dermatology 2015A wide prevalence of socio-religious and cultural practices in the Asian subcontinent often leads to multitude of skin diseases which may be missed by the dermatologists... (Review)
Review
A wide prevalence of socio-religious and cultural practices in the Asian subcontinent often leads to multitude of skin diseases which may be missed by the dermatologists because of a lack of awareness. 'Henna' use causes IgE-mediated hypersensitivity reactions and contact dermatitis. 'Kumkum' application can result in pigmented contact dermatitis and lichen planus pigmentosus. Sticker 'bindis' and 'alta' induce contact leukoderma. Irritant and allergic contact dermatitis occurs after playing with 'Holi' colors. Threading and drawstring dermatitis lead to koebnerization of pre-existing dermatoses, infections and even squamous cell carcinoma of skin. Mild irritant reactions and contact sensitization occur secondary to balm and hair oil use. 'Mudichood' represents the comedogenic effect of hair oils combined with occlusion and humidity. Aromatherapy oils can cause contact dermatitis and photosensitive reactions. Heavy metal and steroid toxicity along with severe cutaneous adverse effects like erythroderma can occur as a consequent to the use of alternative medicines. Squamous cell carcinoma due to chronic heat exposure from the heating device "kangri" is seen in Kashmiris. Prayer nodules in Muslims and traction alopecia in Sikhs illustrate how religious practices can negatively affect the skin. With increasing globalization and migration, the practice of indigenous customs and traditions is no longer limited to regional territories, making it imperative for the dermatologists to be acquainted with the cutaneous side effects they can cause.
PubMed: 25657390
DOI: 10.4103/0019-5154.147778 -
Schmerz (Berlin, Germany) Oct 2023Nurses are confronted with patients suffering from acute and/or chronic pain in all nursing care settings and within all target groups. Although national and... (Review)
Review
Nurses are confronted with patients suffering from acute and/or chronic pain in all nursing care settings and within all target groups. Although national and international guidelines on chronic pain emphasize the importance of non-pharmacological interventions (for example, hot and cold applications) and educational approaches such as teaching self-management strategies to deal with pain, the most common applied intervention for chronic and acute pain is a pharmacological therapy. The aim of this article is to provide an overview of the potential of naturopathic nursing interventions for the care of patients with chronic and/or acute pain, focusing on so-called external applications such as wraps and compresses, which are safe, have a low-risk profile and are easy to apply, thus making them suitable for self-application. The use of non-pharmacological interventions as well as the counselling and training of patients in naturopathic applications offer nurses the possibility to work in an autonomous field of nursing promoting nursing as an attractive health profession.
Topics: Humans; Pain Management; Chronic Pain; Acute Pain
PubMed: 37039897
DOI: 10.1007/s00482-023-00705-w -
Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive... 2021Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) is the most prominent and distressing manifestation for older persons with dementia (PWD) and caregivers....
INTRODUCTION
Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) is the most prominent and distressing manifestation for older persons with dementia (PWD) and caregivers. Aromatherapy has demonstrated its effectiveness in managing BPSD in various studies. However, previous studies and systematic reviews have obtained inconsistent findings, and a review of qualitative studies is yet to be conducted.
METHOD
A mixed-methods systematic review with a convergent segregated approach was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of aromatherapy in improving the BPSD and quality of life (QoL) of PWD and in relieving the distress and burden of caregivers, as well as its safety for PWD. Both published and unpublished quantitative and qualitative studies written in English and Chinese between January 1996 and December 2020 were retrieved from 28 databases, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science, based on the prespecified criteria. The methodological quality was assessed by using critical appraisal tools from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Quantitative synthesis, qualitative synthesis, and integration of quantitative and qualitative evidence were performed.
RESULTS
A total of 12 randomized controlled trials, 10 quasi-experimental studies, and 2 qualitative studies were included in the review. Some inconsistent findings regarding the effectiveness of aromatherapy in reducing the severity of BPSD were observed. Some studies reported that aromatherapy significantly improved the QoL of PWD and relieved the distress and burden of caregivers, promoted a positive experience among caregivers, and had very low adverse effects on PWD (with aromatherapy inhalation reporting no adverse effects).
CONCLUSION
Aromatherapy, especially in the inhalation approach, could be a potentially safe and effective strategy for managing BPSD. However, more structuralized and comparable studies with sufficient sample size, adherence monitoring, and sound theoretical basis could be conducted to obtain conclusive findings.
PubMed: 35082824
DOI: 10.1159/000519915 -
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... Oct 2008Aromatherapy massage is a commonly used complementary therapy, and is employed in cancer and palliative care largely to improve quality of life and reduce psychological... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Aromatherapy massage is a commonly used complementary therapy, and is employed in cancer and palliative care largely to improve quality of life and reduce psychological distress.
OBJECTIVES
To investigate whether aromatherapy or massage, or both, decreases psychological morbidity, lessens symptom distress and/or improves the quality of life in patients with a diagnosis of cancer.
SEARCH STRATEGY
We searched CENTRAL (The Cochrane Library, Issue 1, 2002), MEDLINE (1966 to May week 3 2002), CINAHL (1982 to April 2002), British Nursing Index (1994 to April 2002), EMBASE (1980 to Week 25 2002), AMED (1985 to April 2002), PsycINFO (1887 to April week 4 2002), SIGLE (1980 to March 2002), CancerLit (1975 to April 2002) and Dissertation Abstracts International (1861 to March 2002). Reference lists of relevant articles were searched for additional studies.
SELECTION CRITERIA
We sought randomised controlled trials (RCTs); controlled before and after studies; and interrupted time series studies of aromatherapy or massage, or both, for patients with cancer, that measured changes in patient-reported levels of physical or psychological distress or quality of life using reliable and valid tools.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Two review authors independently assessed trials for inclusion in the review, assessed study quality and extracted data. Study authors were contacted where information was unclear.
MAIN RESULTS
The search strategy retrieved 1322 studies. Ten studies met the inclusion criteria and these represented eight RCTs (357 participants). The most consistently found effect of massage or aromatherapy massage was on anxiety. Four trials (207 participants) measuring anxiety detected a reduction post intervention, with benefits of 19 to 32% reported. Contradictory evidence exists as to any additional benefit on anxiety conferred by the addition of aromatherapy. The evidence for the impact of massage/aromatherapy on depression was variable. Of the three trials (120 participants) that assessed depression in cancer patients, only one found any significant differences in this symptom. Three studies (117 participants) found a reduction in pain following intervention, and two (71 participants) found a reduction in nausea. Although several of the trials measured changes in other symptoms such as fatigue, anger, hostility, communication and digestive problems, none of these assessments was replicated.
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
Massage and aromatherapy massage confer short term benefits on psychological well being, with the effect on anxiety supported by limited evidence. Effects on physical symptoms may also occur. Evidence is mixed as to whether aromatherapy enhances the effects of massage. Replication, longer follow up, and larger trials are need to accrue the necessary evidence.
Topics: Anxiety; Aromatherapy; Combined Modality Therapy; Depression; Humans; Massage; Neoplasms; Pain Management; Palliative Care; Quality of Life; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 18843631
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD002287.pub3 -
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) Nov 2023Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent and disabling mental disorders, causing health-related burdens. With the increasing demand for and interest in safe and... (Review)
Review
Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent and disabling mental disorders, causing health-related burdens. With the increasing demand for and interest in safe and acceptable anxiolytics, several studies report the anxiolytic effects of lavender aromatherapy, providing evidence of its physiological and psychological effects. However, existing reviews comprehensively cover the effects of different modes of delivering aromatherapy. Therefore, this review assesses the efficacy of lavender essential oil inhalation in reducing anxiety. The titles and abstracts of relevant articles published over the last five years were searched in PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases. This review only included clinical trials that utilized lavender inhalation for anxiety treatment. Eleven studies comprising 972 participants were included. Of these, 10 reported significantly decreased anxiety levels after lavender oil inhalation. The physiological measures of vital signs, including blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, pulse, and saturation, were conducted in three trials, showing that lavender oil inhalation could physiologically affect anxiety levels. Lavender oil inhalation is a safe and feasible anxiolytic intervention for treating people with diverse types of anxiety. Data from further studies with a high-quality design and accurate information are necessary to confirm the validity of these findings and elucidate the anxiety-reducing mechanisms of lavender inhalation.
PubMed: 37998470
DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11222978 -
Contrast Media & Molecular Imaging 2022In order to better alleviate the pain symptoms of patients with advanced cancer, this study adopts image detection and analysis and hospice nurse mediated aromatherapy,... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
OBJECTIVE
In order to better alleviate the pain symptoms of patients with advanced cancer, this study adopts image detection and analysis and hospice nurse mediated aromatherapy, so as to comprehensively understand the physical condition of patients with advanced cancer and finally implement the nursing scheme of aromatherapy.
METHODS
Sixty advanced cancer patients admitted to a tertiary and grade A oncology hospital in Jiangxi Province from December 2020 to March 2022 were selected. This study was randomized into trial and control groups. The control group contained 30 regular treatment patients and 30 regular nursing patients for advanced cancer patients, and the trial group performed a 28-day hospice care specialist nurse-mediated aromatherapy based on the control group. Pain and quality of life scores were measured before and after the intervention in both groups. The experimental group consisted of 30 cases, with the mean age of 58.2 years; the control group consisted of 30 cases, with the mean age of 58.6 years.
RESULTS
60 patients with advanced cancer were selected for group comparison. The results showed that the effect of aromatherapy mediated by hospice nurse on pain score, QLQ-C30, index value of patients with advanced cancer (the experimental group) was better than that of patients with advanced cancer (the control group).
CONCLUSION
Through retrospective analysis, we investigated the patients with advanced cancer and discussed the difference between conventional therapy and aromatherapy. The results showed that aromatherapy based on image detection and analysis and mediated by Anning nurses was helpful to alleviate the physical function of patients with advanced cancer and improve their quality of life, which provided a reference for clinical application.
Topics: Aromatherapy; Hospice Care; Hospices; Humans; Middle Aged; Neoplasms; Pain; Quality of Life; Retrospective Studies
PubMed: 35992551
DOI: 10.1155/2022/5111021 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Dec 2022Essential oils (EO) obtained from plants have proven industrial applications in the manufacturing of perfumes and cosmetics, in the production and flavoring of foods and... (Review)
Review
Essential oils (EO) obtained from plants have proven industrial applications in the manufacturing of perfumes and cosmetics, in the production and flavoring of foods and beverages, as therapeutic agents in aromatherapy, and as the active principles or excipients of medicines and pharmaceutics due to their olfactory, physical-chemical, and biological characteristics. On behalf of the new paradigm of a more natural and sustainable lifestyle, EO are rather appealing due to their physical, chemical, and physiological actions in human beings. However, EO are unstable and susceptible to degradation or loss. To tackle this aspect, the encapsulation of EO in microporous structures as zeolites is an attractive solution, since these host materials are cheap and non-toxic to biological environments. This overview provides basic information regarding essential oils, including their recognized benefits and functional properties. Current progress regarding EO encapsulation in zeolite structures is also discussed, highlighting some representative examples of essential oil delivery systems (EODS) based on zeolites for healthcare applications or aromatherapy.
Topics: Humans; Oils, Volatile; Zeolites; Microbial Sensitivity Tests
PubMed: 36500617
DOI: 10.3390/molecules27238525 -
Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain... Aug 2021The use of aromatherapy for the reduction of anxiety levels during dental treatment procedures has been well established in the literature; however, there is limited... (Review)
Review
The use of aromatherapy for the reduction of anxiety levels during dental treatment procedures has been well established in the literature; however, there is limited evidence regarding its efficacy. The present meta-analysis is an attempt to assess the association between the use of aromatherapy and anxiety levels among dental patients. A comprehensive search was conducted across Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, EBSCO host, Cochrane databases, and Google Scholar for studies evaluating aromatherapy and anxiety level among dental patients. PRISMA guidelines were followed for the meta-analysis. Randomized and cluster-randomized trials comparing aromatherapy with controls were included. The random-effects model was used to assess the mean differences in anxiety levels of patients visiting dental OPD. The significance value was set at P < 0.05. Six studies were identified that met the requirements for inclusion. Aromatherapy was significantly associated with reduction in patient anxiety levels during dental treatment (pooled mean difference: -3.36 [95% CI, -3.77 - -2.95, P = 0.00001). Low heterogeneity was noted between studies (I = 1%, P = 0.41) analyzed in the meta-analysis. High certainty of the evidence was obtained from the association between the use of aromatherapy and dental anxiety. This meta-analysis suggests that aromatherapy is effective in reducing dental anxiety. When used judiciously, the results of this work should encourage the use of aromatherapy to reduce patient anxiety levels during dental procedures.
PubMed: 34395898
DOI: 10.17245/jdapm.2021.21.4.311