# If EMTs try this one on me, they're gonna find out what REAL pain is **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 11, 2018, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-emts-try-this-one-on-me-theyre-gonna-find-out-what-real-pain-is/813961 "2018-05-11T04:14:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2018, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-emts-try-this-one-on-me-theyre-gonna-find-out-what-real-pain-is/813961/1 "2018-05-11T04:14:11Z")
In La Crosse, Wisconsin, ambulance crews are being encouraged to use aromatherapy for “minor” pain in emergency situations. Yep, why risk an opioid drug that’s bound to make you a hopeless addict before you reach the hospital. Here, we’ll stick essential oils on your chest. > **[La Crosse Ambulance Service Using Essential Oils Instead Of Opioids](https://www.wpr.org/la-crosse-ambulance-service-using-essential-oils-instead-opioids)** > > An ambulance service in the La Crosse area is using aromatherapy as a way to cut down on pain medication use. Tri-State Ambulance is equipping paramedics with six different essential oils that can help treat pain, nausea or anxiety. At first I thought it was a gag, like [Homeopathic Emergency Department](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgxzSUxxRzE). But these loons are serious. Note that they’re using this stuff in the hospital too. :eek::smack: ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2018, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-emts-try-this-one-on-me-theyre-gonna-find-out-what-real-pain-is/813961/2 "2018-05-11T04:22:09Z")
Aromatherapy has a lot of woo attached to it, and this is one of those times. :smack: It does have its uses; this is not one of them. How loud does the person have to be screaming to get pain meds, anyway? And it’s not like a single dose is going to lead to addiction. This is as insane as demanding that every restaurant, beauty salon, library, etc. stock Narcan in case an addict should happen to wander in. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2018, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-emts-try-this-one-on-me-theyre-gonna-find-out-what-real-pain-is/813961/3 "2018-05-11T08:08:44Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Note that they’re using this stuff in the hospital too. :eek::smack: Well no, if you read the article you linked to, the doctor says that anyone who needs natcotics will get them. This is to keep the patients amused in the back of the ambulance, and give the EMT’s something to do to keep the patients occupied. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2018, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-emts-try-this-one-on-me-theyre-gonna-find-out-what-real-pain-is/813961/4 "2018-05-11T09:40:52Z")
I have to admit, **jackmannii** , I rolled my eyes a little at your thread title. But after learning the details, I’m with ya. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2018, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-emts-try-this-one-on-me-theyre-gonna-find-out-what-real-pain-is/813961/5 "2018-05-11T09:55:48Z")
> [@Melbourne](#): > > This is to keep the patients amused in the back of the ambulance, and give the EMT’s something to do to keep the patients occupied. That’s pretty much how it reads to me. It’s a modern woo-flavored placebo, for patients who aren’t in severe enough pain to warrant serious narcotics. As the article notes, covering/diverting from unpleasant smells like diesel exhaust and the plastic odors of equipment in the ambulance might help some people who are experiencing nausea, too. I’m still not really happy with it, because I feel it unduly legitimizes the woo. I don’t know if keeping patients a little more calm and cooperative because they feel the EMT is doing something for them justifies that downside. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2018, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-emts-try-this-one-on-me-theyre-gonna-find-out-what-real-pain-is/813961/6 "2018-05-11T13:40:41Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Note that they’re using this stuff in the hospital too. > [@Melbourne](#): > > Well no, if you read the article you linked to, the doctor says that anyone who needs natcotics will get them. From the linked article: _“Gundersen Health System, the parent company of Tri-State, has been using essential oils in the hospital setting for several years. Eberlein said the success with essential oils among patients in post-operative care was what inspired him to look at using the therapy in ambulances.”_ One wonders how “success” in post-operative patients is defined. :dubious: Memo to the hospital system and ambulance service: if patients don’t need pain meds, don’t hand them out indiscriminately. If they have “minor” pain, use Tylenol or another evidence-based method of pain relief. Don’t enable quackery\* while spreading the perception that the Opioid Crisis is so awful that people now have to wonder if they’ll have to endure pain unnecessarily\*\* as secondary victims of the crackdown. \*Aromatherapy doesn’t seem to pass the [smell test](http://mcgill.ca/oss/article/health-and-nutrition-quackery/aromatherapy-fragrant-medicine-or-stinky-pseudoscience). It still has managed [to invade academia](http://respectfulinsolence.com/2014/12/09/quackademic-medicine-marches-on-essential-oils-and-quackademia-for-the-poor/). \*\*Google “battlefield acupuncture”, if you dare. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2018, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-emts-try-this-one-on-me-theyre-gonna-find-out-what-real-pain-is/813961/7 "2018-05-11T13:51:54Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Aromatherapy doesn’t seem to pass the [smell test](http://mcgill.ca/oss/article/health-and-nutrition-quackery/aromatherapy-fragrant-medicine-or-stinky-pseudoscience). _:golf clap:_ Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2018, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-emts-try-this-one-on-me-theyre-gonna-find-out-what-real-pain-is/813961/8 "2018-05-11T14:14:41Z")
Why not just go with reiki and save on the cost of the oils? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2018, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-emts-try-this-one-on-me-theyre-gonna-find-out-what-real-pain-is/813961/9 "2018-05-11T14:15:33Z")
The article says they’re also going to make liquid Tylenol available to the paramedics - it’s surprising to me that they previously had **no** non-narcotic options available. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2018, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-emts-try-this-one-on-me-theyre-gonna-find-out-what-real-pain-is/813961/10 "2018-05-11T14:23:06Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > Why not just go with reiki and save on the cost of the oils? Does laughter cure pain? Because if it does reiki would work wonders for me. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2018, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-emts-try-this-one-on-me-theyre-gonna-find-out-what-real-pain-is/813961/11 "2018-05-11T16:47:59Z")
> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > The article says they’re also going to make liquid Tylenol available to the paramedics - it’s surprising to me that they previously had **no** non-narcotic options available. Most ambulance rides aren’t long gone for oral to be much use. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2018, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-emts-try-this-one-on-me-theyre-gonna-find-out-what-real-pain-is/813961/12 "2018-05-11T16:50:52Z")
> [@outlierrn](#): > > Most ambulance rides aren’t long gone for oral to be much use. I believe I saw the video you reference here. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2018, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-emts-try-this-one-on-me-theyre-gonna-find-out-what-real-pain-is/813961/13 "2018-05-11T17:08:02Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > At first I thought it was a gag, like [Homeopathic Emergency Department](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgxzSUxxRzE). Hah, ha, nice! Dilute - dilute - dilute - dilute, “Now put 3 drops on his tongue. If that doesn’t cure him I don’t know what will”. Dennis ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2018, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-emts-try-this-one-on-me-theyre-gonna-find-out-what-real-pain-is/813961/14 "2018-05-11T18:15:26Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I believe I saw the video you reference here. I meant orally administered medications,of course.