Comparing the effects of clinical aromatherapy with rose and peppermint on postoperative pain in children aged 6–12 years: A randomized controlled trial

IF 2.3 4区医学 Q2 NURSING

Journal of Pediatric Nursing-Nursing Care of Children & Families Pub Date : 2026-05-01 Epub Date: 2026-02-12 DOI:10.1016/j.pedn.2026.01.049

Fatemeh Ghasemi , Zahra Nadri , Fatemeh Valizadeh , Rasool Mohammadi , Hanieh Seifosadat

{"title":"Comparing the effects of clinical aromatherapy with rose and peppermint on postoperative pain in children aged 6–12 years: A randomized controlled trial","authors":"Fatemeh Ghasemi , Zahra Nadri , Fatemeh Valizadeh , Rasool Mohammadi , Hanieh Seifosadat","doi":"10.1016/j.pedn.2026.01.049","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Effective postoperative pain management in children is essential. Aromatherapy using rose and peppermint essential oils has been suggested as a complementary approach. This study aimed to compare the effects of inhalation aromatherapy with rose and peppermint essential oils on postoperative pain in children.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This randomized controlled trial was conducted in 2024 at a pediatric surgical center in Tehran, Iran. One hundred children aged 6–12 years undergoing abdominal surgery were randomly allocated to a rose essential oil group (<em>n</em> = 34), a peppermint essential oil group (<em>n</em> = 34), or a control group (<em>n</em> = 32). The intervention groups received inhalation aromatherapy at predetermined postoperative intervals, while the control group received saline pads. Pain intensity was assessed using the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability (FLACC) Behavioral Pain Scale. Data were analyzed using chi-square tests, one-way analysis of variance, and repeated-measures analysis of variance with SPSS version 26.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Significant differences in mean pain scores were observed between groups at 6, 9, 12, and 16 h post-surgery (<em>P</em> < 0.001). The peppermint group demonstrated lower pain scores compared with the rose group, and both intervention groups had lower pain scores than the control group (<em>P</em> < 0.001).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Inhalation aromatherapy with both peppermint and rose essential oils was effective in reducing postoperative pain in children, with greater efficacy observed for peppermint.</div></div><div><h3>Implications for nursing practice</h3><div>Peppermint and rose essential oil aromatherapy can be safely integrated into pediatric postoperative nursing care as supportive, non-pharmacologic interventions to enhance pain management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48899,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Pediatric Nursing-Nursing Care of Children & Families","volume":"88 ","pages":"Pages 1-9"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3000,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Pediatric Nursing-Nursing Care of Children & Families","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0882596326000606","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2026/2/12 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"NURSING","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objective

Effective postoperative pain management in children is essential. Aromatherapy using rose and peppermint essential oils has been suggested as a complementary approach. This study aimed to compare the effects of inhalation aromatherapy with rose and peppermint essential oils on postoperative pain in children.

Methods

This randomized controlled trial was conducted in 2024 at a pediatric surgical center in Tehran, Iran. One hundred children aged 6–12 years undergoing abdominal surgery were randomly allocated to a rose essential oil group (n = 34), a peppermint essential oil group (n = 34), or a control group (n = 32). The intervention groups received inhalation aromatherapy at predetermined postoperative intervals, while the control group received saline pads. Pain intensity was assessed using the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability (FLACC) Behavioral Pain Scale. Data were analyzed using chi-square tests, one-way analysis of variance, and repeated-measures analysis of variance with SPSS version 26.

Results

Significant differences in mean pain scores were observed between groups at 6, 9, 12, and 16 h post-surgery (P < 0.001). The peppermint group demonstrated lower pain scores compared with the rose group, and both intervention groups had lower pain scores than the control group (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Inhalation aromatherapy with both peppermint and rose essential oils was effective in reducing postoperative pain in children, with greater efficacy observed for peppermint.

Implications for nursing practice

Peppermint and rose essential oil aromatherapy can be safely integrated into pediatric postoperative nursing care as supportive, non-pharmacologic interventions to enhance pain management.

查看原文本刊更多论文

比较玫瑰和薄荷临床芳香疗法对6-12岁儿童术后疼痛的影响：一项随机对照试验

目的有效的儿童术后疼痛管理是至关重要的。使用玫瑰和薄荷精油的芳香疗法已被建议作为一种补充方法。本研究旨在比较玫瑰精油和薄荷精油吸入芳香疗法对儿童术后疼痛的影响。方法本随机对照试验于2024年在伊朗德黑兰的一家儿科外科中心进行。100名6-12岁接受腹部手术的儿童被随机分为玫瑰精油组（n = 34）、薄荷精油组（n = 34）和对照组（n = 32）。干预组在术后预定的时间间隔内接受吸入芳香疗法，对照组接受生理盐水垫。采用面部、腿部、活动、哭泣、安慰（FLACC）行为疼痛量表评估疼痛强度。数据分析采用卡方检验、单因素方差分析和SPSS 26重复测量方差分析。结果两组患者术后6、9、12、16 h的平均疼痛评分差异有统计学意义（P < 0.001）。薄荷组疼痛评分低于玫瑰组，两个干预组的疼痛评分均低于对照组（P < 0.001）。结论薄荷和玫瑰精油联合吸入芳香疗法可有效减轻患儿术后疼痛，其中薄荷效果更佳。对护理实践的启示薄荷和玫瑰精油芳香疗法可以安全地整合到儿科术后护理中，作为支持性的非药物干预措施，以加强疼痛管理。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Journal of Pediatric Nursing-Nursing Care of Children & Families NURSING-PEDIATRICS

CiteScore

3.70

自引率

8.30%

发文量

291

审稿时长

65 days

期刊介绍： Official Journal of the Society of Pediatric Nurses and the Pediatric Endocrinology Nursing Society (PENS) The Journal of Pediatric Nursing: Nursing Care of Children and Families (JPN) is interested in publishing evidence-based practice, quality improvement, theory, and research papers on a variety of topics from US and international authors. JPN is the official journal of the Society of Pediatric Nurses and the Pediatric Endocrinology Nursing Society. Cecily L. Betz, PhD, RN, FAAN is the Founder and Editor in Chief. Journal content covers the life span from birth to adolescence. Submissions should be pertinent to the nursing care needs of healthy and ill infants, children, and adolescents, addressing their biopsychosocial needs. JPN also features the following regular columns for which authors may submit brief papers: Hot Topics and Technology.