Aromatherapy (via inhalation, massage, or oral use) appears to be more effective than a placebo for pain reduction in primary dysmenorrhea.
The methodology of the study involved a comprehensive search for relevant data in eleven international databases, including some dedicated to Korean medical literature, until August 2018, with no restrictions on the language of publication. The focus was directed on randomized controlled trials holding aromatherapy as a potential treatment for pain reduction in primary dysmenorrhea, a common condition characterized by menstrual pain. Data mining and the evaluation of potential biases were handled by two independent reviewers.
The results indicated a consistent trend across trials: aromatherapy, whether applied through inhalation, massage, or oral intake, tended to have a positive effect on pain reduction when compared to a placebo control. It was also observed that the efficacy remained noticeable across different modes of implementation (inhalation, massage, or oral), suggesting that the therapeutic potential of essential oils was not necessarily restricted to one specific form of application. It is important to state that individual results varied; nevertheless, the general direction of the results remained consistent.
