The effect of peppermint essential oil on postoperative nausea, vomiting, and pain in rhinoplasty patients: a randomized clinical trial

Background: The present study aims to determine the effect of peppermint essential oil on postoperative nausea, vomiting, and pain in rhinoplasty patients. Materials and methods: This randomized clinical trial included 80 patients aged 18–65 randomly assigned to either the peppermint or the control group. The peppermint group received 20 oral drops of 2% peppermint essence 30 minutes before surgery, while the control group received an equal amount of distilled water. Blinding was maintained for recovery staff and patients. Nausea, vomiting, and pain were assessed at three intervals: upon entry into the recovery room, upon ward admission, and one-hour post-admission, using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and observational methods. Results: The evaluation of pain and vomiting in patients during recovery, upon ward admission, and one-hour post-admission did not reveal a statistically significant difference between the two intervention groups (those administered with peppermint essence and the control group) (P > 0.05). However, a statistically significant association was observed between nausea at different measurement times and the groups under study (P < 0.001). Specifically, at all three measurement times, the incidence of nausea was significantly lower in patients who were administered mint compared to those in the control group. Nevertheless, intra-group comparisons did not reveal a significant difference in the occurrence of nausea across different measurement times (P > 0.05). Conclusion: The application of peppermint essential oil is efficacious in mitigating postoperative nausea following rhinoplasty. Consequently, peppermint can be considered a safe and effective antiemetic intervention in the surgical setting.