The Effects of Aromatherapy Massage and Reflexology on Pain and Fatigue in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to compare the effects of aromatherapy massage and reflexology on pain and fatigue in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Results Summary
Both aromatherapy massage and reflexology significantly reduced pain and fatigue scores compared to the control group, with reflexology showing earlier reductions in symptoms.
Population
51 patients with rheumatoid arthritis recruited from a university hospital rheumatology clinic in Turkey.
Effective Dosage
Aromatherapy massage (30 minutes, both knees) and reflexology (40 minutes, both feet) administered weekly.
Duration
6 weeks
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
aromatherapy massage | decrease | pain scores | patients with rheumatoid arthritis | - | significantly decreased | #1 |
aromatherapy massage | decrease | fatigue scores | patients with rheumatoid arthritis | - | significantly decreased | #2 |
reflexology | decrease | pain scores | patients with rheumatoid arthritis | - | significantly decreased | #3 |
reflexology | decrease | fatigue scores | patients with rheumatoid arthritis | - | significantly decreased | #4 |
reflexology | decrease | mean pain scores | patients with rheumatoid arthritis | week 1 vs week 2 | started to decrease earlier than aromatherapy massage | #5 |
reflexology | decrease | mean fatigue scores | patients with rheumatoid arthritis | week 1 vs week 4 | started to decrease earlier than aromatherapy massage | #6 |
Nonpharmacologic interventions for symptom management in patients with rheumatoid arthritis are underinvestigated. Limited data suggest that aromatherapy massage and reflexology may help to reduce pain and fatigue in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The aim of this study was to examine and compare the effects of aromatherapy massage and reflexology on pain and fatigue in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The study sample was randomly assigned to either an aromatherapy massage (n = 17), reflexology (n = 17) or the control group (n = 17). Aromatherapy massage was applied to both knees of subjects in the first intervention group for 30 minutes. Reflexology was administered to both feet of subjects in the second intervention group for 40 minutes during weekly home visits. Control group subjects received no intervention. Fifty-one subjects with rheumatoid arthritis were recruited from a university hospital rheumatology clinic in Turkey between July 2014 and January 2015 for this randomized controlled trial. Data were collected by personal information form, DAS28 index, Visual Analog Scale and Fatigue Severity Scale. Pain and fatigue scores were measured at baseline and within an hour after each intervention for 6 weeks. Pain and fatigue scores significantly decreased in the aromatherapy massage and reflexology groups compared with the control group (p < .05). The reflexology intervention started to decrease mean pain and fatigue scores earlier than aromatherapy massage (week 1 vs week 2 for pain, week 1 vs week 4 for fatigue) (p < .05). Aromatherapy massage and reflexology are simple and effective nonpharmacologic nursing interventions that can be used to help manage pain and fatigue in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.