A randomized controlled study of the effect of aromatherapy on acute pain, anxiety, and comfort level in women with primiparous cesarean section

This study was planned as a randomized, controlled experimental study to investigate the effect of aromatherapy on acute pain, comfort level, anxiety in primiparous cesarean section women. The study encompassed nulliparous women who had undergone cesarean section surgery in obstetrics and gynecology clinics at a Training and Research Hospital in Istanbul between March 2022-March 2023. Participants who met the inclusion criteria were included. The experimental massage group consisted of 30 women, the experimental inhaler group consisted of 30 women and the control group consisted of 60 women. Participants were randomized through a simple table of random numbers. All participants before the cesarean section, Descriptive Information Form, State Anxiety Scale, and Trait Anxiety Scale forms were applied. Starting from the eighth post-operative hour, the experimental massage group was massaged with an essential oil mixture for 10 minutes and the pain was evaluated with VAS. In the experimental inhaler group, the oil mixture was applied with aromatherapy sticks four times for 5 minutes and pain was evaluated with VAS, control group was left to clinical care. All participants were administered the State Anxiety Scale, Trait Anxiety Scale, and STAS on the second day. There was no significant difference between the State Anxiety and Trait Anxiety Scale scores of the groups in the first evaluation (p>0.05). In the final evaluation, it was determined that there was a significant difference between the State Anxiety Score, pain score, and postpartum comfort scores (p<0.05). In conclusion, aromatherapy application was found to be more effective in reducing the pain score and State Anxiety Scale score and increasing the Postpartum Comfort Scale score in the experimental massage group than in the experimental inhaler group. In the control group, it was observed that the pain score and State Anxiety Scale score were higher and the Postpartum Comfort Scale score was lower than both groups.