Contemporary therapy: aromatherapy in the management of acute pain?

Recent surveys indicate that people are increasingly using complementary therapies as an adjunct or alternative to conventional treatment options as well as for general health and well being. Whilst complementary therapies such as aromatherapy have been utilised in clinical settings as diverse as long term care facilities and palliative care, its application to the acute care setting has not been explored in depth. The changes in contemporary health care practices such as post-operative pain management and length of hospital admissions have provided nurses with the challenge of examining the range of therapeutic interventions that can be applied to their practice. The purpose of this paper is to examine critically the potential uses of aromatherapy in the management of acute post-operative pain. The concept of aromatherapy will be explored in relation to its effects on the pain pathways, methods of administration and therapeutic effects. Specific reference will be made to Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) and its use in aromatherapy. A review of the literature points to gaps in the knowledge related to the clinical application of aromatherapy in relation to issues of dosage, methods of administration and therapeutic effects. The relatively small number of studies that have looked at aromatherapy in the acute care setting supports the literature reviewed. Issues such as small sample sizes and the difficulty in replicating these studies make it difficult to generalize the findings. In order to achieve best practice, further research is necessary to explore the use of aromatherapy in the management of acute post-operative pain.