In a recent study, researchers at the Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences in Iran explored the effects of aromatherapy on fatigue. They chose two essential oils, namely lavender and orange, and compared their effects on patients undergoing hemodialysis. These patients often report feeling exhausted or drained soon after the treatment, and this significantly affects their quality of life.
The researchers reported their findings in an article published in the journal Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice.
Combating fatigue with lavender and orange essential oils
According to studies, dialysis patients often require several hours of restful inactivity or sleep to recover from fatigue. In some cases, however, the feeling of having no energy at all persists even after getting ample sleep. Experts refer to this as post-dialysis fatigue, and this complication is associated with hard outcomes, such as hospitalization and mortality.
Recognizing its physical and mental impact on dialysis patients, scientists now consider post-dialysis fatigue as a research priority. To determine if lavender or orange essential oil can effectively relieve post-dialysis fatigue, the researchers conducted an experiment involving 90 patients undergoing dialysis.
They divided the participants into three groups, namely, the lavender group, the orange group and the control. Each participant in the experimental groups were instructed to inhale five drops of either lavender or orange essential oil as treatment. The Fatigue Severity Scale was then used as data collection tool.
The researchers reported that the difference in mean fatigue measurements before and after the treatment was statistically significant in the experimental groups, but not in the control group. This meant that both lavender and orange essential oils were able to reduce fatigue considerably.
The researchers, however, observed no significant difference in mean fatigue between the two experimental groups after the intervention, suggesting that both essential oils are equally effective at alleviating post-dialysis fatigue.
Based on these findings, the researchers concluded that lavender and orange essential oils can be used to reduce fatigue caused by hemodialysis.
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