Effect of the inhalation aromatherapy applied during trigger point injection the pain, anxiety, comfort and cortisol level with myofascial pain syndrome individuals

The study was conducted as a placebo-randomized controlled trial to examine the effects of inhaler aromatherapy administered during trigger point injection on pain, anxiety, comfort and cortisol levels in patients with myofascial pain syndrome (MPS). The sample of the research; Between September 2017 and March 2018, MAS who had applied to the Ege University Algology Polyclinic was diagnosed and 66 patients, including 22 aromatherapy, 22 placebo and 22 controls, were selected for the first injection of the trigger point. During injection of the trigger point for individuals with myofascial pain syndrome; the aromatherapy group with diffuser and lavender oil, odorless baby oil inhalation was applied to the placebo group. The control group was not administered any other routine. Research data; Personal Identification Form, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), State Anxiety Inventory, Distress Thermometer, General Comfort Scale, Patient and Physician Satisfaction Scale and saliva sample for cortisol were collected by face to face interview technique. In the analysis of the data; Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) package program, analysis of cortisol values was obtained by using Graphpad Prism v7 program. In the evaluation of the data, the normal distribution suitability of numerical data was evaluated by shapiro-wilk test, descriptive statistics were shown by number and percentage, mean and standard deviation of measurement data. Independent samples were t test, one way analysis of variance, Pearson correlation analysis, chi-square, Kruskal Wallis, Wilcoxon, Friedman and Mann Whitney U tests. The results were evaluated at 95% confidence interval, p <0.05 significance level. At the end of study; the mean age of the sample patients was 48.8 ± 11.35 and 78.8% were females. When the average pain scores of the patients were examined; in aromatherapy group than in the placebo and control groups, and the process is finished mid-points average of the significantly decreased while it increased in placebo and control groups (p <0.05). When the anxiety levels of the patients were examined, it was found that the last measurement media of the patients in the aromatherapy group were significantly lower than the first measurement median (p <0.05), but there was no significant difference between the first and last measurement state anxiety medians of the individuals in the placebo group and control group (p> 0.05). In addition, the median value of the aromatherapy group was significantly lower after the distress thermometer treatment, while the placebo and control group increased significantly. Compared to the aromatherapy, placebo and control groups, the final total average in the aromatherapy group was significantly higher when compared to the general comfort scale, but significantly lower in the placebo and control groups (p <0.05). Patients (8.3 ± 1:46) and doctors (9.0 ± 0.00) were significantly higher satisfaction level from aromatherapy application. If the vital signs of patients; There was no significant relationship between body temperature and saturation levels of all three groups before and after the procedure (p> 0.05). In the aromatherapy group, respiratory rate, heart rate and diastolic blood pressures were significantly lower than those of the control group (p <0.05), but there was no significant difference in systolic blood pressure (p> 0.05). However systolic blood pressure of the placebo control group after treatment were significantly higher (p <0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between pre- and post-treatment salivary cortisol results between aromatherapy, placebo and control groups and within the group (p> 0.05). As a result of this study; it is observed that aromatherapy administered during trigger point injection in patients with myofascial pain syndrome can decrease pain intensity, anxiety and stress level, increase comfort level and patient satisfaction. Considering these positive effects, it can be used as an independent nursing intervention. Key words: Myofascial pain syndrome; Aromatherapy; Nursing; Pain; Anxiety; Comfort; Cortisol