Lavender for Hemodialysis

Relief of headaches, bee and hornet stings, inflammation, neuropathic pain, and as a sleep aid are just a few ways lavender essential oil can be used. Those dealing with the pain of needles used during hemodialysis also benefit.

Patients undergoing hemodialysis suffer from anxiety and pain due to the insertion of hemodialysis needles, estimated totally 320 times per year. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33640257)

Lavender for hemodialysis: essential oil

Ghods, et al., in their 2015 research report, found the intensity of pain during the insertion of dialysis needles in hemodialysis patients was reduced significantly with a topical application of lavender essential oil. This research compared (1) The topical application of 100% lavender essential oil, (2) no intervention, (3) placebo (with water).

The Statistical Difference of pain intensity was 2.91±1.69 with the topical application of lavender, 4.59±2.02 in the no intervention state and 4.18±1.66 with the placebo state. Statistical tests showed a significant difference between the patients’ intensity of pain in the three different states (p=0.001). (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26051566/)

Note: p stands for probability. And p=0.001 means there is less than one in a thousand chance of the results being wrong.

Lavender for hemodialysis: aromatherapy

Sahin, et al., August 2021, conducted a randomized controlled trial in order to determine the effect of lavender aromatherapy, performed through inhalation for five minutes three times a week, on pain and anxiety experienced by patients undergoing hemodialysis after needle insertion into a fistula. Olive oil was used with the placebo group since it has no therapeutic value. Their research proved to be effective in reducing anxiety and relieving pain after needle insertion into a fistula in patients undergoing hemodialysis.

Lavender for hemodialysis: aromatherapy plus essential oil

Ozdemir and Akyol, reported in August 2021, aromatherapy and the topical application of lavender oil, resulted in a significant decrease in the severity of pain reported by patients at the time of arterial insertion of needles during hemodialysis treatment. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34396816/)

Additional research on this topic can be found at https://www.nih.gov/ .

Lavender for hemodialysis: where you can buy it

Mesa Lavender Farms High Quality lavender essential oil is available at https://mesalavenderfarms.com/product-category/essential-oil/