The clinical efficacy of lavender oil inhalation on intensity of menstrual pain from primary dysmenorrhea

Farid Zayeri,Ziba Raisi Dehkordi,Fatemeh Sadat Hosseini-Baharanchi

doi:10.15171/jhp.2019.32

Abstract

Introduction: Primary dysmenorrhea is defined as painful menses with cramping sensation in the lower abdomen with normal ovulatory cycles which has no pelvic pathology. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of inhalation of Lavandula angustifolia (lavender) essential oil on alleviating primary dysmenorrhea.Methods: This randomized double-blinded clinical trial included 96 students (48 in lavender and 48 in placebo groups) from Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Single students with regular menstrual cycles suffering from primary dysmenorrhea regarding the verbal multi-dimensional scoring system were included. The intervention group was administered to inhale lavender essential oil (diluted in sesame oil in 2:1 ratio). The control group only inhaled sesame essential oil. The visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to assess the pain score at the baseline and 1, 2, 4, and 48 hours after intervention. Generalized estimation equations method was used for data analysis.Results: The students’ mean ± standard deviation (SD) age was 20.32±1.38 years. No significant difference was found in demographic and menstrual characteristics between groups. The mean VAS was not significantly different between groups at the baseline. Lavender inhalation reduced the mean±SD primary dysmenorrhea score of 2.92±0.2 according to VAS significantly during 48 first hours adjusted for baseline VAS (P < 0.001).Conclusion: It could be concluded that lavender inhalation can decrease primary dysmenorrhea. The observed effectiveness of lavender inhalation as an inexpensive therapy without evidence of adverse event supports the interest for potential application of this therapy.

Highlights

Primary dysmenorrhea is defined as painful menses with cramping sensation in the lower abdomen with normal ovulatory cycles which has no pelvic pathology
For other time points in both cycles, the visual analogue scale (VAS) mean in the lavender group was significantly lower than the placebo group (P < 0.001)
Combining all data including cycle one and cycle two, the results revealed that the lavender inhalation reduced VAS 2.96±0.1 units over time in comparison to the placebo group (P < 0.001)

Summary

Introduction

Primary dysmenorrhea is defined as painful menses with cramping sensation in the lower abdomen with normal ovulatory cycles which has no pelvic pathology. Lavender inhalation reduced the mean±SD primary dysmenorrhea score of 2.92±0.2 according to VAS significantly during 48 first hours adjusted for baseline VAS (P < 0.001). Primary dysmenorrhea is defined as painful menses with cramping sensation in the lower abdomen with normal ovulatory cycles every month during the reproductive years with menses in the absence of identifiable pelvic pathology [1]. Dysmenorrhea accompanies spasmodic cramping pain in the inferior quadrants of the abdomen which radiates to the inner thigh [2] It usually begins a few hours before menstruation or contemporaneously at the beginning and lasts for 2-3 days [3]. Dysmenorrhea has a negative impact on female’s quality of

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