Aromatherapy to Reduce Pain and Anxiety During Cervical Colposcopy (Lavender Colpo)

Mike O'Callaghan Military Hospital

Status: Completed

Conditions: Colposcopy

Treatments: Other: Essential Lavender Oil; Other: Lavender Scent

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; Other U.S. Federal agency

Identifiers

NCT01214304

FWH20100154H

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to determine whether aromatherapy with lavender oil compared to placebo lowers anxiety levels in women during colposcopy.

Full description

Aromatherapy is a modality that might reduce anxiety. Women experience high levels of anxiety and negative emotional responses at all stages of cervical cancer screening. High levels of anxiety before and during colposcopy can be bad. If lavender oil aromatherapy reduces anxiety, then simple use of this modality may improve experiences during colposcopy.

Enrollment: 262 patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Tricare Insurance Beneficiary (military insurance) receiving care at Nellis AFB
• All women at least 18 yrs of age undergoing colposcopy who have not previously participated in this protocol.

Exclusion criteria

• age <18 years
• pregnancy
• breastfeeding
• asthma
• poor sense of smell
• allergy to one of the essential oils
• consumption of any analgesic
• short-term anxiolytic (i.e. benzodiazepines) or chronic anxiolytic medications (i.e. SSRI)

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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262 participants in 2 patient groups, including a placebo group

Lavender Scent

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

Patients will receive aromatherapy with a fake lavender scent (placebo) which will be initiated 5 minutes prior to the procedure and continued until the conclusion of the procedure.

Treatment:

Other: Lavender Scent

Essential Lavender Oil

Experimental group

Description:

Patients will receive essential Lavender Oil which will be initiated 5 minutes prior to the procedure and continued until the conclusion of the procedure.

Treatment:

Other: Essential Lavender Oil