Efficacy of lavender essential oil aromatherapy in reducing anxiety and pain in patients undergoing prostate biopsy: an interventional study

Background: prostate biopsy can cause physical and psychological discomfort, such as pain and anxiety. Aromatherapy with lavender oil has been suggested to reduce these symptoms. This study evaluated the effectiveness of lavender essential oil aromatherapy in reducing anxiety and pain in patients undergoing prostate biopsy. Materials and Methods: multicentre, randomised, non-pharmacological trial involving 50 patients. The experimental group (n=25) received lavender aromatherapy before surgery, while the control group (n=25) received standard care. Anxiety was measured with the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), pain with the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), and patient satisfaction with a Likert scale. Results: the lavender group showed a significant reduction in anxiety (10 points vs 3 points in the control group). Pain decreased significantly in the lavender group (from 6.2 to 2.1, p<0.05) and in the control group (from 6.0 to 4.5). Patient satisfaction was higher in the lavender group (mean 8.7 vs 6.3, p<0.05). Conclusions: aromatherapy with lavender oil significantly reduces anxiety and pain during prostate biopsy, improving patient satisfaction.