Table 1.
Studies on the effect of complementary medicine on pain relief and wound healing after cesarean
| Author/year (reference number) | Location | Variables | Research sample | Intervention group | Control group | Tool | Complications | Results and outcomes | Jadad scale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fazel et al., 2004 [12] | Iran | Post-cesarean section pain | N: 107 | 40 drops of mint essential oil in 30 ml of water (n = 60) | Placebo (n = 47) | VAS | Not mentioned | Mint essential oil is more effective than placebo in reducing the post-cesarean section pain intensity. | 3 |
| Fazel et al., 2008 [14] | Iran | Pain intensity of bloating after cesarean section | N: 124 | 40 drops of cumin essential oil in 30 ml of water (n = 66) | Placebo (n = 58) | VAS | Not mentioned | Cumin essential oil is more effective than placebo in reducing pain intensity of bloating after cesarean section. | 4 |
| Sobhani et al., 2002 [16] | Iran | Post-cesarean section pain | N: 480 | Inhalation of 4 drops of Lavender solution (n = 240) | Inhalation of Lavender Perfume, not palliative (n = 240) | VAS | Not mentioned | Aromatherapy with lavender significantly reduces post-cesarean section pain. | 4 |
| Ebrahimi Houshyar et al., 2015 [17] | Iran | Post-cesarean section pain | N: 150 | Aromatherapy with lavender essential oil (n = 50), TENS unit (n = 50) | Placebo (n = 50) | VAS | Not mentioned | The TENS unit significantly reduces pain compared to the lavender essential oil and control groups. | 5 |
| Najafi et al., 2016 [18] | Iran | Post-cesarean section pain | N: 80 | Inhalation of 2 drops of Lavender essential oil (n = 40) | Inhalation of placebo (n = 40) | VAS | Not mentioned | Lavender essential oil significantly reduces post-cesarean section pain intensity and painkiller need. | 5 |
| Olapour et al., 2013 [19] | Iran | Post-cesarean section pain | N: 60 | Inhalation of 3 drops of Lavender (n = 30) | Inhalation of placebo (n = 30) | VAS | Not mentioned | Lavender essential oil significantly reduces post-cesarean section pain intensity and painkiller need. | 3 |
| Samadi et al., 2010 [21] | Iran | Healing post-cesarean wound and relieving pain | N: 125 | Hypericum cream (n = 47) | Placebo cream (n = 44), No intervention (n = 34) | VAS REEDA |
Not mentioned | Hypericum cream is more effective than placebo in healing post-cesarean wound and relieving pain. | 4 |
| Lavagna et al., 2001 [24] | Italy | Healing post-cesarean wound | N: 24 | 70% Hypericum ointment and 30% Calandula twice daily for 16 days (n = 12) | Wheat germ ointment (n = 12) | Surface Perimeter Area (SPA) | Not mentioned | The topical combination of 70% Hypericum ointment and 30% Calandula is more effective than Wheat germ ointment in healing post-cesarean wound. | 3 |
| Nikpour et al., 2014 [26] | Iran | Wound healing | N: 75 | 25% honey gel (n = 37) | Placebo (n = 38) | REEDA | No | The use of topical honey is effective in accelerating wound healing. | 5 |
| Shirvani et al., 2013 [27] | Iran | Post-cesarean section pain | N: 138 | 25% honey gel (n = 37) | Placebo (n = 47), No intervention (n = 54) | VAS | Not mentioned | Topical use of honey gel is more effective than placebo in relieving pain and reducing painkiller need. | 5 |
| Heidari et al., 2013 [28] | Iran | Healing post-cesarean wound and relieving pain | N: 124 | Honey (n = 44) | Placebo (n = 40), Control [no intervention (n = 40)] | REEDA VAS |
Not mentioned | Honey has no effect on reducing pain and improving post-cesarean wound. | 5 |
| Shakeri et al., 2017 [30] | Iran | Post-cesarean section pain | N: 102 | Oral dill essential oils (n = 51) | Placebo (n = 51) | VAS | No | Dill essential oils are effective in reducing post-cesarean section pain. | 4 |
| Fazel et al., 2017 [31] | Iran | Pain intensity of bloating after cesarean section | N: 118 | Oral dill essential oils (n = 60) | Placebo (n = 58) | VAS | No | Dill essential oils are effective in reducing bloating and pain after cesarean section. | 5 |
| Soorgi et al., 2016 [33] | Iran | Wound healing | N: 125 | Group A: 2.5% grape seed ointment (n = 41), Group B: 5% grape seed ointment (n = 42) every 12 hours | Placebo (n = 42) | REEDA | Not mentioned | Topical use of 5% grape seed ointment can accelerate post-cesarean wound repair and shorten its closure time. | 4 |
| Sharifpour et al., 2017 [36] | Iran | Post-cesarean section pain | N: 120 | Inhalation of 3 drops of orange blossom (n = 40), Inhalation of 3 drops of Salvia officinalis (n = 40) | Inhalation of normal saline (n = 40) | VAS | Not mentioned | Inhalation of Salvia officinalis and orange blossom are both effective in relieving post-cesarean section pain. | 3 |
| Molazem et al., 2014 [39] | Iran | Wound healing | N: 90 | Topical Aloe Vera gel immediately after surgery (n = 45) | Routine dressing (n = 45) | REEDA | No | Aloe vera gel is effective in improving post-cesarean wound. | 5 |
| Schmidt et al., 1991 [40] | America | Wound healing | N: 21 | Aloe Vera gel | Routine dressing | Observation | Not mentioned | The use of aloe vera gel was associated with a significant delay in wound healing compared to the control group. | 3 |
| Gharabaghi et al., 2011 [42] | Iran | Post-cesarean section pain | N: 92 | 400-mg capsule 15 minutes before anesthesia (n = 46) | Placebo (n = 46) | VAS | No | Rosa extract is effective in reducing post-cesarean section pain. | 3 |
| Najafi et al., 2017 [44] | Iran | Post-cesarean section pain | N: 80 | Inhalation of 2 drops of chamomile essential oil (n = 40) | Inhalation of normal saline (n = 40) | VAS | Not mentioned | Chamomile essential oil was more effective than placebo in reducing post-cesarean wound and pain. | 4 |
| Mahmudi et al., 2015 [46] | Iran | Wound healing | N: 162 | Turmeric ointment twice a day for 14 days (n = 55) | Placebo (n = 54), Control (n = 53) | REEDA | Not mentioned | Turmeric ointment accelerates wound healing after cesarean section. | 4 |
| Soleimani et al., 2019 [47] | Iran | Wound healing | N: 120 | 5% Vaseline-based flaxseed ointment twice daily for 8 days (n = 40) | Vaseline (n = 40), Routine hospital care (n = 40) | REEDA | No | Flaxseed oil is effective in improving post-cesarean wound. | 5 |
| Rezaei et al., 2017 [49] | Iran | Post-cesarean section pain | N: 156 | Hand and foot massage (n = 52), Foot massage (n = 52) | Control (n = 52) | VAS | Not mentioned | Hand and foot massage relieves post-cesarean section pain. | 4 |
| Najar et al., 2013 [50] | Iran | Post-cesarean section pain | N: 80 | Hand and foot massage (n = 40) | Control (n = 40) | VAS | Not mentioned | Hand and foot massage relieves post-cesarean section pain. | 5 |
| Irani et al., 2015 [51] | Iran | Post-cesarean section pain | N: 80 | Hand and foot massage (n = 40) | Control (n = 40) | VAS | Not mentioned | Hand and foot massage relieves post-cesarean section pain. | 5 |
| Saatsaz et al., 2016 [52] | Iran | Post-cesarean section pain | N: 156 | Hand and foot massage (n = 52), Foot massage (n = 52) | Control (n = 52) | VAS | Not mentioned | Foot reflexology relieves post-cesarean section pain. | 5 |
| Razmjoo et al., 2012 [53] | Iran | Post-cesarean section pain | N: 61 | Foot reflexology | Control | VAS | Not mentioned | Foot reflexology relieves post-cesarean section pain. | 5 |
| Ramezani et al., 2016 [55] | Iran | Post-cesarean section pain | N: 108 | LI4 point acupressure (n = 54) | Touch a point without pressure (n = 54) | VAS | Not mentioned | LI4 point acupressure is not effective in relieving pain and reducing painkiller need. | 4 |
| Negahban Bonabi et al., 2018 [56] | Iran | Post-cesarean section pain | N: 96 | LI4 point acupressure (n = 32), SP6 point acupressure (n = 32) | Touch a point without pressure (n = 32) | VAS | Not mentioned | LI4 point acupressure is better than SP6 point acupressure in relieving post-cesarean section pain. | 3 |