ACE Report Cover
Citrus Aurantium Aromatherapy for Postoperative Pain After Hand Surgery
Language
Download
Cite
+ Favorites
Language
Download
Cite
+ Favorites
AceReport Image
HAND & WRIST
Citrus Aurantium Aromatherapy for Postoperative Pain After Hand Surgery

Effect of Citrus Aurantium L. on pain and blood pressure in patients undergoing hand reconstructive surgery.

Pain Manag . 2025 Aug;15(8):491-500.

Seventy-six patients undergoing hand reconstructive surgery were randomized to receive Citrus aurantium (CA) essential-oil aromatherapy (n = 38) or placebo aroma (n = 38) in the early postoperative period in the ICU. All patients received standard care including IV paracetamol; the intervention group inhaled five drops of 30% CA essential oil on gauze held near the nose for one minute (active inhalation) followed by 30 minutes of passive exposure, whereas the control group received a visually and olfactorily matched placebo. The primary outcome was pain intensity measured with a numerical rating scale before the intervention, 30 minutes after, and one hour after the second measurement (≈90 minutes after start). Secondary outcomes included systolic and diastolic blood pressure at the same time points and adverse events. Outcomes were assessed from immediately prior to the intervention to approximately 90 minutes after initiation of aromatherapy. Overall, the results revealed significantly greater reductions in pain scores in the CA group versus placebo at 30 and 90 minutes (both p = 0.001), and CA exposure increased the odds of pain relief 1.73-fold in generalized estimating equation (GEE) analysis (Exp(B) = 1.73, p = 0.002). Systolic blood pressure declined more consistently over time with CA (Friedman p = 0.001; Exp(B) for SBP reduction = 16.78, p = 0.001), with no safety concerns or reported adverse effects, suggesting that CA aromatherapy is a simple, safe, and potentially useful adjunct to standard postoperative pain management in this setting.

Unlock the Full ACE Report

You have access to 4 more FREE articles this month.
Click below to unlock and view this ACE Reports
Unlock Now

Critical appraisals of the latest, high-impact randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews in orthopaedics

Access to OrthoEvidence podcast content, including collaborations with the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, interviews with internationally recognized surgeons, and roundtable discussions on orthopaedic news and topics

Subscription to The Pulse, a twice-weekly evidence-based newsletter designed to help you make better clinical decisions

Exclusive access to original content articles, including in-house systematic reviews, and articles on health research methods and hot orthopaedic topics

Or upgrade today and gain access to all OrthoEvidence
content for as little as $1.99 per week.
0 of 4 monthly FREE articles unlocked
You've reached your limit of 4 free articles views this month

Access to OrthoEvidence for as little as $1.99 per week.

Stay connected with latest evidence. Cancel at any time.
  • Critical appraisals of the latest, high-impact randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews in orthopaedics
  • Access to OrthoEvidence podcast content, including collaborations with the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, interviews with internationally recognized surgeons, and roundtable discussions on orthopaedic news and topics
  • Subscription to The Pulse, a twice-weekly evidence-based newsletter designed to help you make better clinical decisions
Upgrade
Welcome Back!
Forgot Password?
Start your FREE trial today!

Account will be affiliated with


OR
Forgot Password?

OR
Please check your email

If an account exists with the provided email address, a password reset email will be sent to you. If you don't see an email, please check your spam or junk folder.

For further assistance, contact our support team.

Translate ACE Report

OrthoEvidence utilizes a third-party translation service to make content accessible in multiple languages. Please note that while every effort is made to ensure accuracy, translations may not always be perfect.

Cite this ACE Report

OrthoEvidence. Citrus Aurantium Aromatherapy for Postoperative Pain After Hand Surgery. ACE Report. 2025;317(2):9. Available from: https://myorthoevidence.com/AceReport/Show/citrus-aurantium-aromatherapy-for-postoperative-pain-after-hand-surgery

Copy Citation
Please login to enable this feature

To access this feature, you must be logged into an active OrthoEvidence account. Please log in or create a FREE trial account.

Premium Member Feature

To access this feature, you must be logged into a premium OrthoEvidence account.

Share this ACE Report