The Effect of Foot Massage Using Lemongrass Oil on Reducing the Intensity of Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain in the Elderly at the Aisyiyah Clinic, Ambulu Sub-district, Jember Regency

Abstract

Rheumatoid Arthritis is an autoimmune chronic inflammatory disorder that attacks the joints causing damage to the joints and being a source of morbidity that can cause considerable death. Foot massage using lemongrass oil is a non-pharmacological therapy that can reduce pain and provide a relaxing effect. Objective: This study aims to determine the effect of giving foot massage using lemongrass oil on reducing the intensity of rheumatoid arthritis pain in the elderly. Method: This is a pre-experimental study with a pre-test post-test one group design. The population was 135 people, and a sample of 38 people was taken using the purposive sampling technique based on inclusion criteria. The dependent and independent variables in this study were rheumatoid arthritis pain and foot massage using lemongrass oil. Data collection used a scale of Bourbonnais pain and SOP foot massage. The data analysis used in this study was the Kolmogorov-Smirnov for normality test and the paired t-test (P < 0.05). Results: The results showed that most (63%), as many as 24 respondents experienced moderate pain (scale 4-6) before being given therapy, and most (66%), as many as 25 respondents, had no pain (scale 0) after being given therapy. The results of the normality test are normally distributed, and the results of the paired t-test test are P = 0.000 or P < 0.05, which showed the effect of giving foot massage using lemongrass oil on reducing the intensity of rheumatoid arthritis pain in the elderly. Conclusion: There is an effect of giving foot massage using lemongrass oil on reducing the intensity of rheumatoid arthritis pain in the elderly. For this reason, foot massage using lemongrass oil can be an alternative to overcome rheumatoid arthritis pain.