Abstract:

Although menopause is a natural biological process that affects the lives of all women, many women may experience various disturbing symptoms such as hot flashes, depression, vaginal dryness, low libido, osteoporosis, fatigue, sleep disorders, palpitations, and emotional instability. These symptoms negatively affect the quality of life of women. Many women use complementary therapy methods to reduce these symptoms they experience due to menopause. The aim of this review is to examine interventional studies evaluating the therapeutic effects of aromatherapy as a treatment for menopausal symptoms. In the available literature, there are 16 studies examining the effectiveness of aromatherapy in women in menopausal period. It is seen that 11 of the studies were conducted in Iran, three in Korea, one in Japan and one in our country. Aromatherapy was applied by massage in six of the studies, inhalation in six, and oral in four. In these studies, it was observed that aromatherapy application reduced menopausal symptoms, improved psychological health, quality of life specific to menopause, sleep quality, blood pressure and blood parameters. Considering the adverse effects of menopausal symptoms on quality of life, aromatherapy, a simple, non-invasive, safe and effective method, can be used by menopausal women.

Keywords: