Research literature regarding the effectiveness of lavender essential oil aromatherapy in reducing postoperative surgical wound pain is limited and the results are inconsistent. The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of aromatherapy with 2% lavender essential oil via bottle necklace for postoperative arthroscopic knee wound pain relief. This was a time series experimental design study comprised of two groups. Twenty eight patients comprising the experimental group were given bottle necklaces filled with 0.5ml of 2% lavender essential oil, while thirty two participants of the control group were given empty bottle necklaces to wear. Aromatherapy with 2% lavender essential oil via bottle necklace effectively reduced pain for a long term (72 hours) use, and there were differences in the rate of pain decline between the experimental and control groups. There are no significant findings of groups (experimental group/control group) at 15 minutes, 4, 8, 24, and 48 hours. However, the reduction slope of pain score at the 72th hour after recovery from anesthesia in the experimental group was significantly greater than that of the control group. The pain scores of the experimental group decreased from 6.9 to 1.8, while the pain ratings of the control group decreased to 3.5 from 6.4. This approach to postoperative arthroscopic surgery knee wound pain relief is not recommended for immediate effect, but for a long term use (at least 72 hours after recovery from anesthesia). Future research should aim at establishing standards of aromatherapy care.
關聯:
JMED Research Vol. 2014 (2014), Article ID 183395, 9 pages
