Investigate the Efficacy and Effectiveness of Aromatherapy for the Management of Chronic Pain
Investigate the Efficacy and Effectiveness of Aromatherapy for the Management of Chronic Pain
In recent decades, following an increased longevity in Hong Kong, there is a drastic increase
 in the prevalence chronic conditions, including chronic pain, seems to be the main reasons of
 suffering for many older adults. This condition not only pose a burden to the whole family
 but also the healthcare system.

 While conventional treatment of chronic pain using pharmacotherapy and non-pharmacological
 treatments has been effective for managing symptoms, owing to the adverse side effects caused
 by anti-psychotic drugs and the short effective period incurred by non-pharmacological
 interventions, development of alternative and non-pharmacological approaches for the
 management of pain is of urgent need. Research has shown that aromatherapy (both administered
 through inhalation and therapeutic massage) has been effective in reducing showing
 pain-relieving effects. These findings support the premise that aromatherapy and the
 investigators hope to provide further evidence to support the use of aromatherapy as an
 evidence-based mainstream intervention for pain relief in older adults with chronic pain.

 Whilst there is sufficient evidence to support the effectiveness of aromatherapy, few studies
 compared the effectiveness of the use of aromatherapy by inhalation and/or therapeutic
 massage. The investigators aim to address the above research gaps on the clinical application
 of aromatherapy on chronic pain, with a focus on comparing the differential effectiveness
 between administration by inhalation and administration by therapeutic massage. The proposed
 research aims to (1) test the efficacy and effectiveness of aromatherapy on the symptom
 management of chronic pain in older adults; (2) compare the effects of aromatherapy-scent
 (i.e., inhalation) and aromatherapy-touch (i.e., therapeutic massage) in older adults with
 chronic pain. This study also explores the benefits of aromatherapy on cognitive functioning,
 functional performance and social engagement as secondary outcomes.

 A randomized, controlled, and single blinded trial is proposed. 120 older adults with chronic
 pain will be randomly assigned to aroma inhalation (intervention), aroma-touch or wait-list
 (control) treatments. Pain intensity and subjective changes in mood states (primary outcome),
 cognitive functioning, functional performance and social engagement (secondary outcome) will
 be assessed three times: pre-treatment, mid-treatment, post-treatment. If the study
 hypotheses are supported, the findings will provide empirical support for a treatment option
 that could improve manage the symptoms of patients diagnosed with chronic conditions, and
 also improve cognitive functioning, functional performance, and social engagement of older
 adults.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  60 years of age or older

 -  having a CMMSE score over or equal to 15

 -  having chronic pain or a widespread pain condition such as fibromyalgia for at least 3
 months

 -  be willing to participate in the research, with informed consent signed by their
 guardian or carer.

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  being allergic to essential oils

 -  refusal to give consent

 -  being over-sensitive to tactile stimulation

 -  having a history of kidney and liver disease

 -  no history of an epileptic seizure.