As one of the methods of palliative care, aromatherapy has been applied gradually in clinical nursing work in China in recent years. Through aromatherapy, terminal cancer patients can get not only relieves of physical symptoms, but also spiritual relaxation and peace, thus have improved quality of life at the end stage. In this paper, we report in detail about how aromatherapy was applied for symptom control in a cancer patient with unknown primary malignancy and multiple metastasis and its effects on the terminal life of this patient.
Aromatherapy ; methods ; Humans ; Neoplasms ; therapy ; Palliative Care ; methods ; Quality of Life ; Terminal Care ; methods

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of aromatherapy on sleep quality.METHODS: This is a systematic review of randomized controlled trial studies (PROSPERO registration number CRD42017064519). In this study, the PICO were adults and the elderly, aromatherapy intervention, a comparative intervention with the control and placebo oil groups, and sleep. The selected articles were in English, Korean, and Chinese.RESULTS: The results of the meta-analysis showed that the effect sizes of the experimental group were 1.03 (n=763, SMD=1.03, 95% CI 0.66 to 1.39) (Z=5.47, p<.001). In the aromatherapy intervention group, the effect size of sleep was statistically significant (Q(B)=9.39, df=2, p=.009), with a difference of 0.77 for inhalation, 1.12 for oral intake and 2.05 for massage. A post-analysis showed that the effect of massage on sleep was significantly greater than the inhalation method. The regression coefficient of the intervention period, B=0.01 (Z=1.43, p=.154), also showed that the longer the intervention period, the larger the effect size; however, it was not statistically significant.CONCLUSION: A total of 23 literature analyses showed that aromatherapy is effective in improving quality of sleep, and the massage method is more effective in improving quality of sleep than the inhalation method. A meta-ANOVA showed that the aromatherapy intervention affected the high heterogeneity of the effect size. Thus, future research with stricter control in methods and experimental procedures is necessary.
Adult ; Aged ; Aromatherapy ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Humans ; Inhalation ; Massage ; Methods ; Population Characteristics

PURPOSE: Although lavender is purported to possess anxiolytic and sedative properties and is often recommended for relieving anxiety, the efficacy of lavender has not been well established. Thus, this review aimed to evaluate the anxiolytic effects of lavender aromatherapy.METHODS: Ten data bases were searched for studies published between 2000 and 2018. Randomized controlled trials investigating the anxiolytic effects of lavender aromatherapy with any type of application for persons with or without clinical anxiety were included. The outcome variables included self-rated anxiety, vital signs, and salivary cortisol and chromogranin A (CgA) levels. In the meta-analysis, standardized mean difference and 95% confidence interval were calculated as effect measures by applying the random effect model and inverse variance method.RESULTS: Twenty-two trials met our inclusion criteria. Lavender aromatherapy was found to have favorable effects in relieving anxiety (Hedges' ĝ = −0.65; 95% CI, −0.84 to −0.46) and decreasing systolic blood pressure (ĝ = −0.22; 95% CI, −0.43 to −0.02), heart rate (ĝ = −0.53; 95% CI, −0.74 to −0.32), and salivary cortisol (ĝ = −1.29; 95% CI, −2.23 to −0.35) and CgA (ĝ = −2.29; 95% CI, −3.24 to −1.34) levels. However, the meta-analysis did not reveal any significant effects of lavender on diastolic blood pressure (effect size: −0.17; 95% CI, −0.37e0.04).CONCLUSION: Aromatherapy using lavender oil might have favorable effects on anxiety and its physiological manifestations. Future studies are recommended with an emphasis on methodological quality. In nursing practice, it is suggested that lavender aromatherapy be included in programs intended to manage anxiety in patients across diverse healthcare settings.
Anti-Anxiety Agents ; Anxiety ; Aromatherapy ; Blood Pressure ; Chromogranin A ; Delivery of Health Care ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; Lavandula ; Methods ; Nursing ; Vital Signs

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to verify the effect of aromatherapy massage on abdominal fat and body image in post-menopausal women. METHOD: A Non-equivalent control group pre-post test Quasi-experimental design of random assignment was applied. All subjects received one hour of whole body massage as treatment by the same researcher every week for 6 weeks. Participants also massaged their own abdomen two times everyday for 5 days each week for 6 weeks. The two groups used different kinds of oil. The experimental group used 3% grapefruit oil, cypress and three other kinds of oil. The control group used grapeseed oil. Data was collected before and after the treatment using Siemens Somatom Sensation 4, a tape measure and MBSRQ. Data was analyzed by ANCOVA using the SPSS/PC+Win 12 Version. RESULT: Abdominal subcutaneous fat and waist circumference in the experimental group significantly decreased after aromathetapy massage compared to the control group. Body image in the experimental group was significantly better after aromathetapy massage than in the control group. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that Aromatheapy massage could be utilized as an effective intervention to reduce abdominal subcutaneous fat, waist circumference, and to improve body image in post-menopausal women.
*Abdominal Fat ; Aromatherapy/*methods ; *Body Image ; Citrus paradisi ; Cupressus ; Female ; Humans ; Massage/*methods ; Middle Aged ; Obesity/*therapy ; Oils, Volatile/*therapeutic use ; Plant Oils/therapeutic use ; *Postmenopause ; Women