Many massage therapists know that aromatherapy helps clients relax. New research indicates lavender aromatherapy "significantly' decreases stress and pain levels. Specifically, it significantly reduced the pain intensity of needle insertion in research subjects, according to an abstract published on www.pubmed.gov.

Thirty healthy volunteers were randomly allocated to two groups. The experimental group received oxygen with a face mask coated with lavender oil for five minutes, and the control group received oxygen through a face mask with no lavender oil for five minutes, according to the abstract.

"The stress values and bispectral index value [a measurement of

"The Effect of Lavender Oil on Stress, Bispectral Index Values, and Needle Insertion Pain in Volunteers" was conducted by investigators at the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, School of Dentistry, Kyungpook National University in Daegu, Korea. The Study ran in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2011 Aug. 19.

Related articles:

• Aromatherapy Reduces Preoperative Anxiety

• Aromatherapy Reduces Test-Taking Stress

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