Facing an upcoming surgery can make some people nervous enough to feel sick to their stomach. It turns out post-operative nausea (PON) from anesthesia can also be a problem. While anti-nausea medications improve symptoms, they aren’t always reliable. Researchers found in a 2011 study that aromatherapy (sniffing certain scents) may be a better solution to treat PON. Patients who sniffed either a single essential oil (ginger) or a blend of ginger, peppermint, spearmint and cardamom were less nauseous and less likely to ask for medication. The blend was slightly more effective than the single scent.
