The Effect of Chamomile Flower Essence on Pain Severity after Elective Caesarean Section under Spinal Anaesthesia:
A Randomized Clinical Trial
UC01-UC04
Correspondence
Dr. Jamal Seidi,
Pasdaran St., Sanandaj, Kurdistan, Iran.
E-mail: jamal.seidi@muk.ac.ir
Introduction: Nowadays, herbal essence and aromatherapy are used as a form of complementary medicine and non-pharmacological interventions alongside modern medicine and pharmacological interventions.
Aim: To evaluate the effect of chamomile flower essence on pain severity following elective caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia.
Materials and Methods: This single-blind randomized clinical trial was conducted on 80 women referred to Besat hospital in Sanandaj, Iran in 2016. In total 80 patients who were candidates for elective caesarean section were selected for this study. Following caesarean section, patients were randomly divided into intervention and control groups. For patients in intervention group inhalation of two drops of chamomile flower essence was used. For patients in control group two drops of normal saline was used as placebo. All patients received a 100 mg sodium diclofenac rectal suppository in the recovery room. In case of pain six hours post caesarean section, intervention was performed. Pain intensity was measured by the Visual Analog Scale. Data were analysed using SPSS statistical software version 20. Independent t-test and chi-square test were also used.
Results: Pain intensity in the intervention group was significantly lower than the control group (p <0.001). The need for analgesics was also significantly lower in the intervention group than the control group (p <0.001).
Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the use of chamomile flower essence following caesarean section reduced pain and also the need for analgesics. Therefore, the use of aromatherapy alongside drug therapy to reduce pain is recommended.