The Effect of Chamomile Scent on the Pain Intensity After Caesarean Section in Primiparous Mothers

Authors
Zahra Imanpanah 1
Mohammad mojali 2
Zahra ghasempour 3
Marziye Imanpanah 1
Atefeh Eshghi motlagh 3
Zobeideh Rafat 3
1 Neishabur University of Medical Sciences
2 دانشگاه علوم پزشکی گناباد، گناباد، ایران
3 , Shirvan University of Medical Sciences, North Khorasan, Bojnord, Iran
Abstract
Introduction: Cesarean section is one of the most common surgical procedures in women, and postoperative pain at the surgical incision site is a major concern for patients. Due to the potential side effects of analgesic medications, complementary methods such as aromatherapy can be considered a safe alternative for pain management. This study aimed to determine the effect of chamomile aroma on the intensity of postoperative pain in primiparous women after cesarean section.

Methods: This randomized clinical trial was conducted on 86 women who underwent cesarean section in 2017 at Hakim Hospital in Neyshabur, Iran. Six hours after surgery and at least four hours after the last injectable analgesic, pain intensity was measured using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). In the intervention group, a 10% chamomile solution was dropped onto a piece of sterile gauze and attached to the participant’s collar to be inhaled. In the control group, distilled water was used in the same manner. Pain intensity was reassessed ten minutes after inhalation. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20, an independent t-test, and the Spearman correlation coefficient. A significance level of p<0.05 was considered.

Results: Following the intervention, there was a significant reduction in pain intensity in the intervention group (p = 0.04). The mean pain score decreased from 5.9 before the intervention to 4.1 after it.

Conclusion: Inhalation of chamomile aroma after cesarean section is effective in reducing pain intensity in primiparous women. Therefore, its use is recommended as a complementary method by nurses for postoperative pain relief after cesarean delivery.
Keywords
Aromatherapy
Cesarean Section
Chamomile
Complementary Medicine
Medicinal Plants
pain
Postoperative Pain
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