In this study, we demonstrated that inhalation of essential
oil of lavender and essential oil of rosemary does not produce
a detectable analgesic effect; however, subjects’ retrospective
evaluations of aroma-induced changes in pain intensity and
pain unpleasantness suggested that they perceived some benefit
of the intervention, especially for lavender. Thus, in a
typical clinical evaluation protocol that relies on retrospective
evaluations of treatment effectiveness, aromatherapy may produce
a clinically relevant shift in the patient’s report of perceived
pain. Therefore, given the minimal side effects of this
intervention, aromatherapy may be helpful in treatment settings
associated with both pain and heightened affective
arousal, such as dental care or the outpatient treatment setting.