EFFECTS OF AROMATHERAPY ON SYMPTOMS OF PRIMARY DYSMENORRHEA IN COLLEGE STUDENTS: CASE SERIES

Abstract

This study sought to verify the effects of aromatherapy on the symptoms of primary dysmenorrhea (PD) in university women. A case series was conducted with nine students from Santa Cecília University, recruited through social media. The intervention consisted of superficial massage with essential oils of lavender, geranium, and sage, diluted in almond oil, applied to the abdominal and lumbosacral regions. Pain intensity was measured before (Ti) and after (Tf) using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Statistical analysis used the paired Student's t-test and Cohen's d. The mean VAS reduced from 5.33 (SD=1.15) in Ti to 1.44 (SD=0.95) in Tf (p=0.0001), with a large effect size (d=-2.41). It is concluded that aromatherapy was effective in reducing PD symptoms in the evaluated participants