The Effect of Aromatherapy Massage with Bergamot on Pain, Sedation, and Anxiety in ICU Patients

نویسندگان

1 Department of Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Birjand University of Medical Science, Birjand, Iran

2 Gastroenterology and Hepatology Diseases Research Center, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran

3 Department of Persian Medicine, School of Traditional Medicine, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran

4 Student Research Committee, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran

5 Spiritual Health Research Center, School of Health and Religion, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran

doi
10.22038/ebcj.2025.88834.3155
چکیده

Background: Pain, anxiety, and agitation are common complications among intensive care unit (ICU) patients undergoing mechanical ventilation, often leading to poor clinical outcomes. Complementary therapies such as aromatherapy massage may offer a non-pharmacological approach to alleviate these symptoms.Aim: This study was conducted with aim to investigate the effects of aromatherapy massage using bergamot essential oil on pain, sedation, and anxiety levels in mechanically ventilated ICU patients.Method: This randomized controlled trial was conducted on ICU patients with a hospital stay of more than 24 hours who were randomly assigned to one of three groups: aromatherapy massage with bergamot essential oil, massage with almond oil, and control (standard care). The interventions were administered once daily for three days per week. Pain, sedation, and anxiety levels were measured using the Critical Care Pain Observation Tool (CPOT), the Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS), and the Facial Anxiety Scale (FAS) at baseline, and at 30 minutes and 6 hours post-intervention.Results: Both the aromatherapy massage and massage-only groups demonstrated significant reductions in pain severity and anxiety levels compared with the control group at 30 minutes and 6 hours post-intervention (p<0.05). No significant differences were found in sedation levels between the groups, indicating that the interventions did not influence sedation status.Implications for Practice: Aromatherapy massage with bergamot essential oil and regular massage may be effective and low-risk interventions for reducing pain and anxiety in mechanically ventilated ICU patients. These complementary therapies could be considered as adjuncts to routine care in critical care settings.