Blended essential oils, including lavender, sage, and marjoram, show potential in relieving menstrual cramps and reducing pain duration in women with primary dysmenorrhea.

2012 Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research Pain relief assessment by aromatic essential oil massage on outpatients with primary dysmenorrhea: A randomized, double‐blind clinical trial Ou MC, Hsu TF, Lai AC, Lin YT, Lin CC

Randomised Controlled Trial Aromatherapy Clary Sage Lavender

For the methodology, the researchers conducted a randomized, double-blind clinical trial involving 48 outpatients suffering from primary dysmenorrhea. These patients’ discomfort was rated above five on a 10-point numeric scale. Participants were divided evenly into two groups: one was treated with a cream blending lavender, clary sage, and marjoram essential oils, while the other received a synthetic fragrance. All participants massaged the cream onto their lower abdomen daily, from the end of one menstrual cycle to the start of the next.

In the discussion of results, it was found that the treatment provided relief and decreased pain duration for patients in the essential oils group following a single menstrual cycle. Among the blended oils, four key analgesic components—linalyl acetate, linalool, eucalyptol, and β-caryophyllene—were principally credited for pain reduction, constituting up to 79.29% of the blend. Thus, these findings propose that this mixed formula might be a valid alternative and complementary medicine approach for primary dysmenorrhea.

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