Randomized Trial Examining Efficacy of Mentha piperita in Reducing Chronic Headache Discomfort in Youth

Abstract

BackgroundYouth with chronic headache experience disruption to routine activities and require significant health care utilization. While interventions targeting a relaxation response have shown clinically significant benefit in headache outcomes, peppermint oil has not been evaluated for efficacy in a pediatric headache population. AimsTo explore the extent to which a brief aromatherapy intervention improves subjective and objective indicators of discomfort beyond passive relaxation in youth with chronic headaches. DesignSingle-center, randomized, experimental study. MethodsPatients were randomly assigned to a brief foot bath or foot bath plus peppermint oil group. Measurements were collected at baseline, mid-intervention, and post-intervention. Data included heart rate and subjective pain, anxiety, and satisfaction scores. ResultsForty-six adolescents (89% female, mean age 15.2 years) diagnosed with a primary headache disorder were enrolled. Both groups reported a significant decrease in pain, though the intervention group plateaued (p < .01) and the control group progressively decreased intensity at each time-point (p < .01). Whereas both groups reported a decrease in anxiety over time (p < .01), the control group reported less of a decrease in anxiety than the intervention group (p = .03). The control group had a significant decrease in mean heart rate (p < .01). There were no adverse events. The intervention was well tolerated, liked, and recommended by 95.5% of study participants. ConclusionsA brief intervention intended to activate the relaxation response produced a subjective reduction in pain and anxiety. However, the addition of peppermint oil to a foot bath did not significantly improve pain or anxiety beyond the control condition.