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Alcohol aromatherapy eases nausea in the ER

Date:
December 8, 2015
Source:
American College of Emergency Physicians
Summary:
Nauseated patients in the emergency department who sniffed pads saturated with isopropyl alcohol were twice as likely to obtain relief from their symptoms as nauseated patients who sniffed pads saturated with saline solution, according to a study.
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Nauseated patients in the emergency department who sniffed pads saturated with isopropyl alcohol were twice as likely to obtain relief from their symptoms as nauseated patients who sniffed pads saturated with saline solution, according to a study published online in Annals of Emergency Medicine.

"We love it when we find a cheap, easy and fast way to bring relief to our patients," said lead study author Kenneth Beadle, EMPA-C, of the San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium in San Antonio, Texas. "Nausea and vomiting are the chief complaint for nearly five million emergency patients every year, so this remedy has the potential to help a lot of people."

Researchers administered pads saturated with either isopropyl alcohol or saline solution and instructed nauseated patients to inhale deeply through their noses from the pad every two minutes for four minutes, for a maximum of three inhalations. Within 10 minutes of the intervention, the nausea score in the alcohol patients was half that of the saline solution patients. The satisfaction score for the alcohol patients was double the satisfaction score for the saline solution patients.

"Alcohol wipes are safe and there were no adverse effects," said Dr. Beadle. "Further research is warranted to test the duration of the effect and performance in comparison to traditional, pharmaceutical anti-emetics. That said, the available evidence suggests these alcohol wipes may be a potent tool for relieving nausea and improving satisfaction among our emergency patients."


Story Source:

Materials provided by American College of Emergency Physicians. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Journal Reference:

  1. Kenneth Beadle et al. Isopropyl Alcohol Nasal Inhalation for Nausea in the Emergency Department: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Annals of Emergency Medicine, December 2015 DOI: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2015.09.031

Cite This Page:

American College of Emergency Physicians. "Alcohol aromatherapy eases nausea in the ER." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 8 December 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/12/151208081335.htm>.
American College of Emergency Physicians. (2015, December 8). Alcohol aromatherapy eases nausea in the ER. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 28, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/12/151208081335.htm
American College of Emergency Physicians. "Alcohol aromatherapy eases nausea in the ER." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/12/151208081335.htm (accessed March 28, 2024).

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