Aromatherapy and Yogatherapy for Hot Flashes
Condition: Menopause; Hot Flashes; Hot Flushes
MeSH terms: Hot Flashes
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The purpose of this study is to verify and analyse psychological and physiological effects of
      olfactory aromatherapy and yogatherapy respiratory exercises, together and separately, on the
      quality of life, levels of stress, quality of sleep and intensity and frequence of hot
      flashes in climacteric women.
    

Detailed description: 
      Introduction: Menopause is the period in which reproductive life ends and senescence begins.
      Because of the increase in life expectancy there are more women reaching this period.
      Although it is a physiological change, it is frequently accompanied by disagreeable symptoms
      that can influence quality of life and sleep in a negative manner. The most common symptom is
      hot flashes. The traditional treatment for the symptoms is hormone replacement therapy, that
      has many important side effects, such as increase in cancer incidence. This therapy also has
      dubious effects on psychosexual symptoms and quality of life. This justifies the study of
      other more secure treatments. Aromatherapy can be a particularly efficacious treatment for
      hot flashes because it has therapeutic mechanisms that are similar to the physiological
      mechanisms of hot flashes. It is also a secure therapy with little side effects, specially
      when applied in inhalation (olfactory aromatherapy). Yogatherapy can also influence
      psychoneuroedocrineimmunological axis similar to the physiological axis of hot flashes.
      Yogatherapy includes respiratory exercises that can potentiate the effects of olfactory
      aromatherapy. Because of this, it can be beneficial to apply aromatherapy and yogatherapy
      together. These therapies were studied as they are applied in clinical practice. The
      psychoneuroendocrineimmunological model permits the study of the effects of both these
      therapies aiming at increase in quality of life, from a psychosomatic and global point of
      view. The global approach is important in the study of menopause because it has both
      psychological and physiological characteristics. Objective: verify and analyse psychological
      and physiological effects of olfactory aromatherapy and yogatherapy respiratory exercises,
      together and separately, on the quality of life, levels of stress, quality of sleep and
      intensity and frequence of hot flashes in climacteric women. Material and methods: The study
      is a placebo-controlled double-blind clinical trial, with restrict randomization methods
      (that allow groups of the same size). Recruitment of voluntaries was made using posters and
      electronic messages in websites. Data was collected at the "Centro de Práticas Esportivas da
      Universidade de São Paulo" (Sport Centre of the University of Sao Paulo). The study will have
      four groups: aromatherapy, yogatherapy, both therapies and control-placebo group. Appraisal
      was done using questionnaires for personal data, social-economical data, stress levels,
      quality f sleep levels, body resonance levels, quality of life levels, climacteric influence
      on quality of life and physiological data (heart rate, breathing rate, blood pressure and
      body temperature). Appraisal was done before, during and after 20 treatment sessions. The
      research was approved by the "Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa da Escola de Educação Fisica e
      Esporte da Universidade de São Paulo" (Ethics Committee of the Sport and Physical Education
      School of the University of Sao Paulo). Data will be analysed using descriptive statistics,
      Student t-test, ANOVA variance analysis and Pearson correlation, considering significance
      levels of p<0,05.
    

Intervention name(s): Olfactory aromatherapy; Yogatherapy
Intervention type(s): Other; Other
Intervention description(s): Inhalation of essential oils.; Yogatherapy respiratory exercises.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Double (Participant, Investigator)
Primary purpose: Supportive Care
Keywords: Womens health; Menopause; Complementary therapies; Aromatherapy; Essential oils; Yogatherapy; Psychoneuroendocrineimmunology