"There was two-thirds less opioid use in those who were coun-
seled," says Dr. Ilyas, who has patients watch a video on a tablet while
they're in their pre-op stretcher. "We make them understand the pros
and cons of opioids, what are the right ways and wrong ways to use
them, and how long they should use them."
Aromatherapy
The nose knows what overcomes post-operative nausea, and it
doesn't have to be an antiemetic medication. When inhaled, alcohol,
peppermint oil, oil of ginger, spearmint, lavender, cardamom and tar-
ragon can make patients feel better when used alone or when com-
bined, studies show. In one study, a group of patients who felt nau-
seous post-op inhaled 70% isopropyl alcohol, ginger oil or a blend of
the essential oils of ginger, spearmint, peppermint and cardamom off
of a gauze pad. All of the patients had a shift toward reduced nausea,
with the ginger and ginger blend groups having the biggest shifts, says
Ron Hunt, MD, who conducted the study based on his interest in aro-
matherapy that he acquired while working for years as an anesthesiol-
ogist. Among the ways to deliver aromatherapy to patients include
nasal clips and inhalers.
Integrated therapies
Blocks and medication can keep a patient's physical pain at bay, yet
integrated therapies like guided imagery, acupuncture and massage
keep a patient from the medicine cabinet because they work to make
a patient feel emotionally better about their pain, says Ankit
Maheshwari, MD, a University Hospitals Cleveland (Ohio) Medical
Center anesthesiologist who finds benefits to applying the techniques
before, during and after surgery.
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