Implementation of Lavender Aromatherapy for Post-Caesarean Section Mothers Experiencing Acute Pain
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53713/htechj.v3i5.491Keywords:
Caesarean Section; Acute Pain; Lavender AromatherapyAbstract
A Caesarean section is a surgical procedure through the abdominal wall and uterus to remove the fetus, which generally causes more severe postpartum pain than standard delivery. Pain due to surgery, if not immediately addressed, will hinder the mother's recovery process and the baby's breastfeeding process. One effort that can be done to reduce pain is with non-pharmacological methods, one of which is through the administration of lavender aromatherapy. This study aimed to explore the implementation of lavender aromatherapy administration for post-cesarean section mothers experiencing acute pain in the Lotus Room of Dr. Haryoto Lumajang Regional Hospital. The method used in this study was a case study involving one participant who met the inclusion criteria, namely a post-CS patient treated in the Lotus Room of Dr. Haryoto Lumajang Regional Hospital, exhibiting 5 out of 6 significant signs and symptoms of acute pain with a moderate to severe pain scale. Data was collected on March 18-20, 2025, using interviews, observation, and documentation techniques. The measurement instrument for the level of pain reduction was the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) and the observation sheet for outcome criteria. Aromatherapy was implemented using a diffuser with five drops of lavender essential oil twice daily for 20 minutes. The study results showed a reduction in pain levels, with the following criteria: pain complaints decreased from 8 (severe) to 2 (mild), decreased grimacing, decreased anxiety, decreased protective behavior, improved pulse rate, and improved sleep quality. Pain management with one of the lavender aromatherapy interventions can reduce pain from 8 to 2 on NRS.
References
Alshamandy, S. A., Abdelrahman, F. A., Bahaa, H. A., & Ahmed, N. F. (2023). Effect of post cesarean nursing instructions on woman’s pain level and bowel motility: comparative study. Minia Scientific Nursing Journal, 14(2), 21-33. https://doi.org/10.21608/msnj.2023.251319.1089
Anjelia, N. (2021). The Effect of Lavender Essential Oil On Post-Caesarean Section at Sekayu District General Hospital in 2020. Journal of Maternal and Child Health Sciences (JMCHS), 1(1), 8-13. https://doi.org/10.36086/maternalandchild.v1i1.953
Antonelli, M., & Donelli, D. (2020). Efficacy, safety and tolerability of aroma massage with lavender essential oil: An overview. International Journal of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork: Research, Education, and Practice, 13(1), 32–36. https://doi.org/10.3822/IJTMB.V13I1.529
Cheng, J., Wan, M., Yu, X., Yan, R., Lin, Z., Liu, H., & Chen, L. (2024). Pharmacologic Analgesia for Cesarean Section: An Update in 2024. Current Pain and Headache Reports, 28(10), 985-998. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-024-01278-8
Davydov, D. M. (2021). Linking the heart and pain: Physiological and psychophysiological mechanisms. Features and Assessments of Pain, Anaesthesia, and Analgesia, 211-223. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-818988-7.00011-X
Duch, P., Ekelund, K., & Nedergaard, H. K. (2025). What matters to mothers: A qualitative exploration of pain and recovery after cesarean section. Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica, 69(3), e14579. https://doi.org/10.1111/aas.14579
Faizah, A., & Silalahi, R. D. (2025). The Effect Of Lavender Aromatherapy On Pain Levels In Postoperative Patients Caesarean Section In The Muhammad Sani Hospital 2024. Zona Keperawatan: Program Studi Keperawatan Universitas Batam, 15(2). https://doi.org/10.37776/zk.v15i2.1687
Ghalgar, Z., Vakilian, K., Rizi, S. M., Ghaemmaghami, M., & Moradzadeh, R. (2025). Comparison of the Effects of Aromatherapy and Mindfulness through Social Media on the Sleep Quality of Women in the Postpartum Period-A Randomized Clinical Trial Study. Current Womens Health Reviews, 21(5), E15734048302262. https://doi.org/10.2174/0115734048302262240812054604
Javes, A. S. (2025). Physical Therapy May Improve Recovery After Cesarean Section During Hospital Admission: A Case Report. Journal of Acute Care Physical Therapy, 16(2), 55-60. https://doi.org/10.1097/JAT.0000000000000253
Langenaeken, A., & Lavand’homme, P. (2025). Chronic pain after cesarean delivery: What do we know today? A narrative review. International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia, 62, 104331. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijoa.2025.104331
Larsson, C., Djuvfelt, E., Lindam, A., Tunón, K., & Nordin, P. (2021). Surgical complications after caesarean section: A population-based cohort study. PLOS ONE, 16(10), e0258222. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0258222
Li, M. T., Robinson, C. L., Ruan, Q. Z., Surapaneni, S., & Southerland, W. (2022). The influence of sleep disturbance on chronic pain. Current Pain and Headache Reports, 26(10), 795-804. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-022-01074-2
Marchand, S. (2024). Non-pharmacological Pain Treatment. In The Pain Phenomenon (pp. 187-235). Cham: Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-56541-0_7
Moussa, N., & Ogle, O. E. (2022). Acute Pain Management. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinics of North America, 34(1), 35-47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coms.2021.08.014
Nori, W., Kassim, M. A., Helmi, Z. R., Pantazi, A. C., Brezeanu, D., Brezeanu, A. M., Penciu, R. C., & Serbanescu, L. (2022). Non-Pharmacological Pain Management in Labor: A Systematic Review. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 12(23), 7203. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12237203
Nouira, M., Souayeh, N., Kanzari, S. A., Rouis, H., Lika, A., Mbarki, C., ... & Bettaieb, H. (2024). Aromatherapy Using Lavender Oil Effectiveness on Pain and Anxiety After C-Section: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health, 14(4), 1536-1544. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44197-024-00305-6
Pilewska-Kozak, A. B., Dziurka, M., Bałanda–Bałdyga, A., Monist, M. J., Kopiel, E., Jurek, K., ... & Dobrowolska, B. (2024). Factors conditioning pain control and reduction in post-cesarean section parturients: a cross-sectional study. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 24(1), 382. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-024-06579-9
Rahmawati, I., & Yuniarti, E. V. (2020). The influence of lavender aromatherapy to decrease of pain on patient post-sectio caesarea (sc) operations in hospital islamic sakinah mojokerto. International Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Science (Ijnms), 4(1), 85–90. https://doi.org/10.29082/ijnms/2020/vol4/iss1/251
Sulistiorini, Novelia, S., & Syamsiah, S. (2022). Post Caesarean Section Wound Healing among Postpartum Women who Consumed Boiled Eggs . Nursing and Health Sciences Journal (NHSJ), 2(2), 154–158. https://doi.org/10.53713/nhs.v2i2.74
Veef, E., & Van de Velde, M. (2022). Post-cesarean section analgesia. Best Practice & Research Clinical Anaesthesiology, 36(1), 83-88. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpa.2022.02.006
Wang, L. Z., Huang, J. Y., Hu, H. J., & Xia, F. (2025). Incidence of chronic postsurgical pain after caesarean delivery: a systematic review and meta‐analysis. Anaesthesia, 80(7), 834-845. https://doi.org/10.1111/anae.16596
Winarsih, W., & Widadi, S. Y. (2024). Analysis of Nursing Care to mother with Post-Caesarean Pain and Lavender Aromatherapy Intervention. Nursing Case Insight Journal, 2(3), 80-82. https://doi.org/10.63166/vkzd6462