AROMA-NT: Essential Oils and Wearable TENS Device for Chronic Nausea (AROMA-NT)

July 17, 2026 updated by: Subhankar Chakraborty, Ohio State University

AROMA-NT: Assessment of the Mechanisms of Action of Inhaled Essential Oils and Wearable TENS Unit Device on Nausea

This study will investigate how two inhaled essential oil products (QueaseEASE and STILL) and a wearable transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) device (ReliefBand) affect chronic nausea and anxiety in adults with longstanding nausea. The goal is to better understand the mechanisms by which these non-prescription therapies may influence nausea, anxiety, sleep, pain, autonomic symptoms, and bowel-related symptoms.

Participants will first complete a 2-week baseline period during which nausea and other symptoms are assessed through questionnaires. Participants will then use the inhaled essential oil products as needed for 12 weeks while completing symptom surveys. Afterward, participants will use the ReliefBand wearable TENS device as needed for an additional 12 weeks and continue completing surveys. Researchers will compare symptom changes during the intervention periods with baseline measurements to better understand factors that contribute to chronic nausea and how these therapies may provide relief. Up to 250 participants may be enrolled to achieve approximately 100 participants completing both intervention phases

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Chronic nausea is a complex symptom that may be influenced by multiple factors, including anxiety, stress, sleep disturbance, pain, autonomic nervous system function, and bowel-related symptoms. Although inhaled essential oil products and wearable transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) devices are used by individuals experiencing nausea, the mechanisms through which these interventions may affect nausea and related symptoms are not well understood.

The primary purpose of this prospective study is to investigate the mechanisms by which inhaled essential oils and a wearable TENS device influence nausea in adults with chronic nausea and anxiety. Rather than evaluating treatment efficacy, the study is designed to examine whether use of these interventions is associated with changes in potential contributors to nausea, including anxiety, stress, sleep disturbance, pain, autonomic symptoms, and bowel-related symptoms.

Participants will complete a 2-week baseline assessment period followed by a 12-week inhaled essential oil phase and a 12-week wearable TENS device phase. Throughout the study, participants will complete patient-reported assessments of nausea and related symptoms. Changes in symptom domains during the intervention periods will be compared with baseline measurements to identify potential pathways through which these interventions may influence the experience of chronic nausea.

A secondary objective is to evaluate the relationship between changes in nausea severity and changes in fatigue, appetite, and quality of life. Findings from this study are expected to improve understanding of the biological and symptom-based factors associated with chronic nausea and to provide insight into how inhaled essential oils and wearable TENS therapy may affect these factors.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
250

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Ohio
      • Columbus, Ohio, United States, 43210
        • Recruiting
        • Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

Age 18 years or older. Chronic nausea for more than 6 months. Nausea on 3 or more days during the previous week. Severe or very severe nausea. At least moderate anxiety as defined by a Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) score of 10 or greater.

Able to read and understand English. Willing and able to complete study procedures and questionnaires

Exclusion Criteria:

Currently receiving treatment for cancer. Decompensated cirrhosis, including cirrhosis with ascites, variceal bleeding, or hepatic encephalopathy.

Currently receiving dialysis. Gastrointestinal surgery within the previous 3 months. Stroke within the previous 3 months. Currently pregnant (self-reported). Symptoms consistent with carpal tunnel syndrome based on the Kamath-Stothard questionnaire.

Inflammation, irritation, infection, or other significant skin disease near the wrist at the intended site of ReliefBand application.

Latex allergy, due to natural rubber latex contained in the ReliefBand wrist strap

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Basic Science
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Sequential Essential Oil and TENS Intervention
All participants complete a 2-week baseline assessment period followed by 12 weeks of use of inhaled essential oil products (QueaseEASE for nausea and STILL for stress or anxiety) as needed. Participants then complete 12 weeks of use of a wearable transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) device (ReliefBand) as needed for nausea. The study is designed to evaluate changes in factors that may contribute to chronic nausea, including anxiety, stress, sleep disturbance, pain, autonomic symptoms, and bowel-related symptoms. Participants serve as their own controls through comparison with baseline assessments.
Other: Inhaled Essential Oils
Participants will use two commercially available inhaled essential oil products during a 12-week intervention period. QueaseEASE, containing peppermint, ginger, lavender, and spearmint essential oils, will be used as needed for nausea. STILL, containing sweet orange, ylang ylang, lavender, and bergamot essential oils, will be used as needed for stress or anxiety. Participants may use either or both products according to their symptoms. The intervention is being studied to evaluate potential mechanisms through which inhaled essential oils may influence nausea and related symptom domains, including anxiety, stress, sleep disturbance, pain, autonomic symptoms, and bowel-related symptoms.
Other Names:
  • QueaseEASE
  • STILL
Device: Wearable TENS Device
participants will use the ReliefBand wearable transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) device during a 12-week intervention period following completion of the inhaled essential oil phase. The device is worn on the wrist and delivers electrical stimulation to the median nerve. Participants will use the device as needed for nausea and will not use the inhaled essential oil products during this phase. The intervention is being studied to evaluate potential mechanisms through which wearable TENS therapy may influence nausea and related symptom domains, including anxiety, stress, sleep disturbance, pain, autonomic symptoms, and bowel-related symptoms.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Anxiety Severity as a Potential Mechanism of Chronic Nausea
Time Frame: Baseline through 3 months
Change in anxiety severity from baseline during inhaled essential oil use assessed using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) questionnaire. Modulation of anxiety severity is hypothesized as a mechanism by which Inhaled essential oils affect chronic Nausea
Baseline through 3 months
Change in Anxiety Severity as a Potential Mechanism of How TENS Units Affect Chronic Nausea
Time Frame: Change from 2nd baseline to 3 months after using TENS unit
Change in anxiety severity from baseline during wearable TENS device use, assessed using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) questionnaire. Modulation of anxiety severity is hypothesized as a mechanism by which TENS units affect chronic Nausea
Change from 2nd baseline to 3 months after using TENS unit

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Autonomic Symptom Burden as a Potential Mechanism by which Inhaled Essential Oils Affect Chronic Nausea
Time Frame: Baseline to 3 months
Change in autonomic symptom severity from baseline during inhaled essential oil use assessed using the COMPASS-31 questionnaire. This will evaluate if the change in autonomic symptoms from baseline could be a mechanism by which inhaled essential oils can affect chronic nausea.
Baseline to 3 months
Change in Autonomic Symptom Burden as a Potential Mechanism by which TENS units Affect Chronic Nausea
Time Frame: Second Baseline to 3 months after using TENS unit
Change in autonomic symptom severity from baseline during TENS unit use assessed using the COMPASS-31 questionnaire. This will evaluate if the change in autonomic symptoms from baseline could be a mechanism by which TENS units can affect chronic nausea.
Second Baseline to 3 months after using TENS unit

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Ohio State University

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Subhankar CHAKRABORTY, MD, Ph.D., Ohio State University

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
May 17, 2024

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
May 31, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 31, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
July 17, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 17, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
July 22, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
July 22, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 17, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
July 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 2023H0304

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

Due to privacy concerns, we cannot share IPD with other researchers

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

Yes

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Clinical Trials on Anxiety

Clinical Trials on Inhaled Essential Oils

Search Similar Trials

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

Conditions

Rare Diseases

Drug Interventions

Dietary Supplements

Sponsor/Collaborators

Locations

Cookie Settings

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. For more details carefully read our Privacy and Cookies Policy. ...>>>You can change your preferences or withdraw your consent at any time by deleting the cookies from your website or computer as described in the policy. Please accept it and choose your preferences by ticking the corresponding boxes in the "Manage Settings" section below. Please carefully read our Terms of Service before you proceed with using any part of this website.
«Manage Settings