Abstract:

Background: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a collection of physical and psychological symptoms that vary in frequency and intensity and can be treated with both pharmaceutical and nonpharmacological techniques. The goal of this study was to assess the effects of aromatherapy on the management of premenstrual syndrome among university students.

Method: This study was conducted in two phases; Phase1 is a screening phase to select the illegible students. Phase 2 was a randomized,  placebo-controlled clinical trial. The outcome variables: Premenstrual syndrome symptoms and psychosocial variables (depression, stress and anxiety). The intervention period was three months; the intervention protocol: apply 2-3 drops of oil on a cotton pad, 15 minutes before sleep twice weekly. For placebo: sweet almond oil was used in a similar manner as rose oil.

Results: a total of 300 participants were screened for eligibility (scored moderate to severe PMS), 107 participants met the inclusion criteria. A total of 69 participants agreed to join the intervention, and were thereafter randomly divided into two groups: 34 in the control and 35 in the intervention group.  The results revealed significant changes in the mean of PMS  were reported in both intervention (-40%) and the control(-20%) group. A similar trend was reported in depression and anxiety scores. While in stress score both intervention and control groups showed similar decreases in the score. In conclusion: Aromatherapy using Rosa damascene and placebo improved the symptoms of PMS, Stress, anxiety and depression, but the placebo intervention showed minor improvement in the symptoms of  PMS, anxiety, and depression. Further studies are needed to determine the effect for longer periods among different age groups.  

Conference Title

The international conference on enhancing clinical nutrition in Palestine

Conference Country

Palestine

Conference Date

March 14, 2023 - March 16, 2023

Conference Sponsor

جامعة الأزهر - غزة