Abstract
EFFECTIVENESS OF AROMATHERAPY ON JOINT PAIN AND QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG THE WOMEN WITH MENOPAUSE AT SELECTED VILLAGES OF THIRUVALLUR DISTRICT

Menopause is an event that occurs in women‟s midlife which becomes complicated when the women experience the symptoms such as joint pain, fatigue and hot flushes etc. The study discovered the effects of aromatherapy on joint pain and quality of life among the women with menopause. A randomized pretest posttest control group research design was conducted at two villages of Rural Health and Training Centre of SRMC at Thirvallur district. 60 menopausal women with joint pain and impaired quality of life aged 45-55 years were divided as 30 in both the study and the control groups. Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) and Menopausal Rating Scale (MRS) are utilized to assess the joint pain and quality of life. Study group participant received 15mins massage on knee joints for thrice a week for 4 weeks with eucalyptus oil. Routine practices were followed in the control group. The collected data were examined using descriptive and inferential statistics. A significant difference at the level of p<0.001 was found between the pretest and posttest on joint paint and the quality of life. The study concluded that aromatherapy was the effective method to reduce joint pain and had improved the quality of life among women with menopause.