Effects of Geranium Aromatherapy Massage on Premenstrual Syndrome: A Clinical Trial

Seyede Maryam Lotfipur-Rafsanjani; Ali Ravari; Zohreh Ghorashi; Saiedeh Haji-Maghsoudi; Jafar Akbarinasab; Reza Bekhradi

doi:10.4103/ijpvm.IJPVM_40_16

Effects of Geranium Aromatherapy Massage on Premenstrual Syndrome: A Clinical Trial

Int J Prev Med. 2018 Nov 5:9:98. doi: 10.4103/ijpvm.IJPVM_40_16. eCollection 2018.

Authors

Seyede Maryam Lotfipur-Rafsanjani^{1

2}, Ali Ravari^{1

3}, Zohreh Ghorashi^{1

2}, Saiedeh Haji-Maghsoudi⁴, Jafar Akbarinasab^{1

5}, Reza Bekhradi⁶

Affiliations

¹ Geriatric Care Research Center, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran.
² Department of Midwifery, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran.
³ Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran.
⁴ Research Center for Modeling in Health, Institute for Futures Studies in Kerman University of Medical sciences, Kerman, Iran.
⁵ Department of Health, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran.
⁶ Department of Research, Barij Essence Pharmaceutical Company, Mashhad, Iran.

Abstract

Introduction: This study evaluated the effects of geranium aromatherapy massage on premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

Methods: A total of 120 female students with diagnosed PMS were randomly divided into three groups as control group, aromatherapy massage group, and massage group. Essential oil of geranium 2% in almond oil and sweet almond oil were used in aromatherapy massage group and massage group, respectively. Aromatherapy massage protocol was run for 8 weeks.

Results: The study revealed that aromatherapy massage decreased the PMS physical and mental symptoms and massage therapy decreased the PMS physical and mental symptoms too (P < 0.001); however, this decrease was more in aromatherapy massage group (P < 0.001).

Conclusions: This study recommends aromatherapy massage, as a complementary treatment, to improve PMS.

Keywords: Aromatherapy; geranium; massage; premenstrual syndrome.