Have you ever wondered if the scents of natural resources could be a solution to relieving pain? Aromatherapy is the answer, and it has been used for thousands of years in many parts of the world. Not only does it ease pain, but it also has other benefits in improving mental and psychological health. 

Introduction to aromatherapy

Aromatherapy uses essential oils to improve and boost physical and emotional health. These oils are essences extracted from a wide variety of plants, including flowers, wood, leaves and fruits, and these ingredients can be combined to form different blends, with each serving different purposes. Aromatherapy dates back thousands of years, when different countries had various uses for essential oils depending on their culture and the resources available. In ancient Egypt, oils from plants, such as thyme, peppermint and lavender, were used to cover up the smell when burying pharaohs, for the production of scented perfumes and to also moisturise the skin, whereas essential oils were used in conjunction with other herbal Chinese medicine in Ancient China, to achieve a balance between the yin-yang properties.

Nowadays, the use of these plant-based oils is not as common as being as we are available to a wide range of synthetic drugs. Granted, essential oils are still being used in the beauty and cosmetic industry and could be applied in an array of products, including:

• Diffusers
• Bathing salts
• Body oils, creams and lotions
• Facial steamers
• Hot and cold compresses

These products do not have any limitations in terms of their uses, they can be used individually or in different combinations of products. Within the industry, aromatherapy is often used alongside standard treatments to aid the process of recovery in hospitals or infuse the air with its scent in spas. Common essential oils that are currently used include:

• Lavender: relieves stress, aids sleep, reduces anxiety and manages headaches 
• Peppermint: reduces fatigue, improves mental state and eases conditions such as migraine, nausea and vomiting
• Lemon: provides antimicrobial properties, relieves pain and reduces anxiety 
• Tea tree: possesses antiseptic, antimicrobial and antifungal qualities, treats acne and athlete's foot 
• Ylang-ylang: alleviates anxiety and stress, lifts mood and lowers blood pressure

When using essential oils, they are usually diluted with carrier oil as they are very concentrated and might pose a safety hazard if applied on the skin undiluted.¹ A skin patch test should also be carried out to test for skin sensitivity under sunlight as a safety precaution. Essential oils are also not suitable for swallowing or consuming and potential side effects when using essential oils include headaches, allergic reactions, rashes and nausea. 

Impact of aromatherapy on pain relief 

In pain relief, there are two modes of receiving aromatherapy, inhalation and application.¹ This first method involves the olfactory system being stimulated by the scent of the essential oils via the nostrils. This produces a stimulus that travels to the brain and can trigger responses in the body, such as emotions, thoughts and memories.¹ The stimulus also induces the release of various neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and endorphin, that boost the mental and physical state of the body, which can relieve the pain.² The other method involves applying the oil directly to the skin so that it can be absorbed into the body. Similar to inhalation, this would lead to an olfactory stimulation and initiate responses from the body. Aromatherapy is usually done in conjunction with a standard pain management protocol in clinical settings.

Aromatherapy was found to be effective in relieving acute pain, menstrual pain and postoperative pain.^3,4,5 Patients were found to not only experience less pain but also less nausea and dizziness.⁶ The research carried out for relief of chronic pain did not show as much effectiveness, but could have been due to the weakened sense of smell for the older participants.⁷ However, pain is a very subjective feeling and does not have a definitive approach to managing it despite being a major aspect of healthcare. The effectiveness of aromatherapy is dependent on a person's lifestyle, bodily reactions, personal preferences and cognitive interpretation.⁸

Where to receive aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is commonly used in hospitals to improve patients' mental health and well-being by reducing their anxiety and stress. Before using aromatherapy, medical professionals must consider their efficacy and potential conflicts with the medications in other treatments, and also take into consideration patient safety of the individual and the suitability for the surrounding patients. However, essential oils are not used throughout the entire hospital due to visitors developing allergic reactions to them or patients not being suitable under the presence of the essential oils. The oils used are also supplied by the hospital only, patients and visitors cannot bring their own to ensure for quality and safety reasons. Aromatherapy is usually done by having cotton balls placed in essential oils so people can breathe in the scents of the oil. They are not used in diffusers due to infants and newborns potentially developing allergic reactions to them and could interfere with treatments.⁹ Diffusers also pose a threat to infections, in particular waterborne ones, which would not be suitable in hospital settings.¹⁰

Spa aromatherapy is also another way of utilising essential oils, where they are used in hot tubs, massage baths and spas. By adding the product into a pool of water, as the water heats up, not only does the skin receive the moisturising effects from the essential oils, but it also infuses the nearby air with the scent of the essential oils, which breathing in these smells can improve the mood and energy and allowing the body to feel relaxed. Another place where people can receive aromatherapy is massage parlours where it is implemented into part of the massage session. Essential oils would be added directly to the skin of the person and have been used to enhance the effectiveness of massage therapy in combating muscle aches and pain. 

Other methods of pain relief 

On top of aromatherapy, there are also numerous methods for pain relief. 

Medicines

A common pain management approach is taking painkiller drugs, such as ibuprofen and aspirin. These medications block cyclooxygenase, which plays a role in the production of prostaglandin, a group of lipids that contributes to inducing inflammatory responses and pain, so blocking this pathway provides pain relief.¹¹ 

Physical therapies

In addition, physical therapies encompass many aspects, including exercises, massaging and the use of heat and ice packs, which can be used to help with chronic pain.¹² Exercises, such as light aerobic activity or strengthening training, help release the stiffness of the body and improve the body's production of endorphins. Massaging contributes to pain relief by reducing the tension in the muscles and increasing the blood flow, which similar to exercise can release endorphins to make the body feel more relaxed. The heat from the packs helps enhance the blood circulation in blood vessels, allowing the oxygen and required nutrients to flow to the different cells better and warm up the muscles, whereas the ice can cool and numb a certain part of the body, making the person feel less pain and reduces the inflammation.¹³ 

Chinese medicine

In Chinese medicine, acupuncture is a common approach to pain relief. It is a treatment where thin needles are inserted into specific points throughout the body, which can induce the production and release of pain-relieving endorphins.¹⁴ This practice is based on the balancing of the body's chi energy that flows around the body and maintaining a balance can allow the person to achieve not only physical but also mental and spiritual health. Although the act of meditation does not directly relieve the pain, by entering a state of relaxation and comfort, the body can learn and adapt to manage the pain. By developing a regular habit of meditation, you can gain a better tolerance for pain often done alongside other treatments to enhance the recovery process.

When considering the approaches for pain relief, it is important to consult medical professionals for advice if uncertain as each person's conditions vary and might require different approaches. 

Other uses of aromatherapy

Apart from pain management, aromatherapy can be used in a wide variety of ways. One of its major functions is to boost mental health and lift mood. Essential oils contain sedative properties that allow the person to feel relaxed and can alleviate anxiety and depression. Different types of oils interact with the different pathways in the brain to exert their anxiolytic and antidepressant properties. Depression is associated with the lack of serotonin (5-HT) and through aromatherapy, the use of essential oils from bergamot and ylang-ylang has shown effectiveness in increasing the concentration of 5-HT.^15,16 

Other beneficial effects that patients gain after inhaling the scents include improved sleep quality and an overall showing decrease in stress and anxiety. Citrus essential oils, on the other hand, displayed their effectiveness through interactions with the HPA axis.¹⁷ Patients with depression often display symptoms of cortisol hypersecretion, meaning there are high levels of the steroid hormone, but through aromatherapy of citrus essential oils, they can reduce the cortisol concentration. 

Furthermore, the essential oils of lemongrass and lavender have also been tested for their anxiolytic properties. Humans were tested by inhaling the various scents while under stressful conditions and both essential oils have shown effectiveness in reducing anxiety and enhancing the duration and quality of sleep. This was determined by a series of assessments and questionnaires, such as STAI, SPIN, HAMA, and PSQI, to gauge their anxiety and stress levels.¹⁷ 

On top of that, the aroma of lavender was shown to improve the attention span and lower blood pressure^], whereas lemongrass was able to alleviate tension, and ultimately both showed improvements in the mental health of participants.^18,19,20

Summary

Aromatherapy indeed is effective at pain relief and offers a reliable approach, but there are also a lot of options that can be considered as well for relieving pain. It is vital to get in touch with professionals if you are unsure whether aromatherapy is suitable as they vary for each person. On top of pain relief, aromatherapy also offers a lot of other benefits, including alleviating stress and anxiety, improving mood and lessening depression.