The effects of lavender aromatherapy on pain following needle insertion into a fistula in hemodialysis patients.
OBJECTIVE
This study sought to determine the effects of lavender aromatherapy on pain following needle insertion into a fistula in patients undergoing hemodialysis.


METHODS
This is a randomized controlled clinical trial in which 92 patients undergoing hemodialysis with arteriovenous fistulas were randomly divided into two groups. The experimental-group patients inhaled lavender essence with a concentration of 10% for 5 min during 3 hemodialysis sessions, while the control-group patients received aromatherapy free of lavender essence.


RESULTS
The mean VAS pain intensity score in the experimental and control groups before the intervention was 3.78 ± 0.24 and 4.16 ± 0.32, respectively (p = 0.35). The mean VAS pain intensity score in the experimental and control groups after three aromatherapy sessions was 2.36 ± 0.25 and 3.43 ± 0.31, respectively (p = 0.009).


CONCLUSIONS
Lavender aromatherapy may be an effective technique to reduce pain following needle insertion into a fistula in hemodialysis patients.
Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran. Electronic address: anna30432003@yahoo.com.
Masoumeh
M
Bagheri-Nesami
Department of Nephrology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran. Electronic address: ftespahbodi@yahoo.com.
Fatemeh
F
Espahbodi
School of Nursing and Midwifery, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran. Electronic address: atinik1357@yahoo.com.
Attieh
A
Nikkhah
Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran; Traditional and Complementary Medicine Research Centre, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran; Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia. Electronic address: ashorofi@yahoo.com.
Seyed Afshin
SA
Shorofi
Department of Biostatistics, School of Health Sciences, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran. Electronic address: jamshid_1380@yahoo.com.
Jamshid Yazdani
JY
Charati
D019341:Aromatherapy / Q000379:methods*; D001164:Arteriovenous Fistula / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D027523:Lavandula; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009339:Needles / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects*
D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010938:Plant Oils; C045718:lavender oil
Aromatherapy; Hemodialysis fistulas; Lavender essence; Needle insertion; Pain