Effectiveness of Aromatherapy with Lavender Oil in Relieving Post Caesarean Incision Pain

Abstract

Background: Post caesarean section pain is a common cause of pain in obstetrics, safe pain control methods after caesarean section is a greater challenge for health care providers because the spread use of drugs can cause side effects. Non-pharmacological measures are safer with fewer side effects than pharmacological measures. Aim: The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effectiveness of aromatherapy with lavender oil in relieving post caesarean incision pain. Design: A quasi-experimental design comprising two groups was used, with a sample of convenience of 100 post caesarean section mothers. The study was conducted at the postpartum unit in Suez Canal University Hospital, Ismailia City, Egypt between October 2013 and January 2014. Fifty mothers comprising the experimental group were inhaled 1 cc of lavender essential oil via an oxygen facemask and used for three minutes, while fifty participants of the control group were given placebo then the pain level was assessed after half an hour using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Modified Johanson Pain-O-Meter (MJPOM). Results of the study showed that, aromatherapy with lavender oil via oxygen facemask effectively relieving post caesarian incision pain, and highly statistically significant differences in pain intensity between the groups understudy (p< 0.001) was observed. Conclusion: Lavender oil is a successful relieving pain after caesarean section. Therefore, hospital staff managers are encouraged to establish standards of aromatherapy care in maternity department and add aromatherapy concepts and techniques in the continued training program of nurses and midwives.