Combination of Lavender Oil and Music Therapy Reduces Anxiety in Subjects Undergoing MRI Scans

by | Nov 2, 2023 | 2023, Alternative Therapies, Botanicals, Brain Health, Essential Oils

Written by Taylor Woosley, Staff Writer. Results of the single-center, randomized, controlled, double-blind trial show that subjects in the aromatherapy plus music therapy group experienced a significantly greater ∆STAI-1 value (all p < 0.001) and ∆SAS (all p < 0.001) compared to other groups.

lavender essential oilThe past few decades have seen a steady increase in the importance of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and in the number of MRI studies performed both for clinical purposes and for medical research1. MRI examinations have been associated with anxiety, stress, and claustrophobia and 1-2% of examinations are aborted due to claustrophobia2. It is estimated that 25-37% of patients experience moderate anxiety3.

The use of safe and non-pharmacological interventions, such as aromatherapy and music therapy, have been researched for their potential to control or reduce anxiety levels4. In aromatherapy, odorants with relatively small and volatile molecules are easily and swiftly inhaled into the body through the nose and passes through the blood-brain barrier, directly affecting the central nervous system5. Music therapy is defined as the use of music and/or musical elements to ease and promote therapeutic objectives6.

Wen et al. conducted a single-center, randomized, controlled, double-blind trial to evaluate the efficacy of the anxiety-lowering effects of aromatherapy, music therapy, or a combination of the two in subjects undergoing an MRI scan. The study took place in the waiting room of a Radiology department with adult participants. Subjects were excluded if they had a smelling or hearing impairment, were receiving psychoactive medication or were pregnant or lactating. Primary outcomes included changes in anxiety measured using the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory form 1 (STAI-1) and the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), which was assessed before and after the MRI scan. The secondary outcome was comfort scores measured by Kolcaba’s General Comfort Questionnaire (GCQ).

Participants were randomly assigned to either the aromatherapy group (AG), music therapy group (MG), aromatherapy plus music therapy group (AMTG), or routine care group (RG). Prior to the exam, all subjects watched a 5-minute video education and partook in a 5-minute breathing-relaxation technique. AG subjects inhaled lavender essential oil from an essential oil diffuser (8 drops of lavender were added to 300 ml of water) for 20 minutes. The MG group listened to Pachelbel’s Canon in D major repeatedly for 20 minutes. The AMTG group experienced 20 minutes of simultaneous aromatherapy and music therapy.

The Chi-square test or one-way ANONA were utilized to compare baseline characteristics of participants of each group. One-way analysis of variance was used to investigate whether significant differences were noted in the scores of STAI-before, SAS-before, ∆STAI-1, ∆SAS, and GCQ. 200 subjects (126 [63.0%] females; mean age: 48.3 ± 14.9 years) were included in the final analysis, with 50 participants per group. No significant differences in baseline characteristics between the four groups were noted (all p > 0.05). The mean scanning time of AMTG was slightly longer than the other groups (p ≤ 0.003), while no significant differences were observed between AG, MG, and RG (all p > 0.05). Significant findings of the study are as follows:

  • Differences in ∆STAI-1 values among the four groups were statistically significant (F = 20.6, p < 0.001). Pairwise comparison tests show that the ∆STAI-1 value in the AMTG (6.5 ±4) was significantly greater than those in the MG (2.7 ±2.5), AG (2.6 ± 1.6), and RG (1.9 ± 1.9) (all p < 0.001).
  • Furthermore, ∆SAS was significantly different among the four groups (F = 250.4, p < 0.001). The AMTG (4.0 ±0) experienced significantly greater ∆SAS than in the MG (1.7 ± 0.5), AG (1.4 ± 0.5), and RG (0.6 ± 0.5) (all p < 0.001).
  • A significant difference in GCQ scores was noted among the four groups (F = 14.1, p < 0.001). The AMTG had a significantly greater GCQ score (98.0 ±9) compared to those in the MG (91.2 ± 6.3), AG (92.6 ± 6.6), and RG (89.2 ± 8.5) (all p < 0.001).

Results of the study show that a combination of aromatherapy and music therapy significantly reduced anxiety and improved comfort levels in subjects undergoing an MRI examination. Study limitations include the lack of generalizability of results due to the single-center study design, the use of solely adult subjects, and the lack of comparison of the effects of different music therapies and essential oils on subject’s anxiety levels.

Source: Wen, Xueke, Jinghua Shi, Wei Tan, Hu Jiang, Daiqiong Wang, Jiaqiong Su, Guanghui Yang, and Bin Zhang. “Effects of aromatherapy and music therapy on patients’ anxiety during MRI examinations: a randomized controlled trial.” European Radiology 33, no. 4 (2023): 2510-2518.

© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to European Society of Radiology 2022

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Posted November 2, 2023.

Taylor Woosley studied biology at Purdue University before becoming a 2016 graduate of Columbia College Chicago with a major in Writing. She currently resides in Glen Ellyn, IL.

References:

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  2. Pfurtscheller G, Schwerdtfeger AR, Rassler B, Andrade A, Schwarz G. MRI-related anxiety can induce slow BOLD oscillations coupled with cardiac oscillations. Clin Neurophysiol. Sep 2021;132(9):2083-2090. doi:10.1016/j.clinph.2021.05.021
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  4. Zamanifar S, Bagheri-Saveh MI, Nezakati A, Mohammadi R, Seidi J. The Effect of Music Therapy and Aromatherapy with Chamomile-Lavender Essential Oil on the Anxiety of Clinical Nurses: A Randomized and Double-Blind Clinical Trial. J Med Life. Jan-Mar 2020;13(1):87-93. doi:10.25122/jml-2019-0105
  5. Son HK, So WY, Kim M. Effects of Aromatherapy Combined with Music Therapy on Anxiety, Stress, and Fundamental Nursing Skills in Nursing Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Int J Environ Res Public Health. Oct 29 2019;16(21)doi:10.3390/ijerph16214185
  6. Santiváñez-Acosta R, Tapia-López ELN, Santero M. Music Therapy in Pain and Anxiety Management during Labor: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Medicina (Kaunas). Oct 10 2020;56(10)doi:10.3390/medicina56100526