This study was conducted to investigate the effects of bed bath on the condition and cleanliness of the skin comparing with tub bath. The subjects were 7 healthy females aged 24 to 41. Stratum corneum hydration, skin lipid, skin surface pH and ATP bioluminescence were measured just before, and four times after bed/tub bath in 120 minutes. The following results were obtained ; 1) regarding to the stratum corneum hydration, the amount increased right after tub bath and significantly decreased 60 minutes later, compared with the level before bath. ; 2) the amount of the skin lipid decreased significantly through the experiment period after tub bath, and the degree of the decline in the tub bath group was greater than that in the bed bath group ; 3) in the both group, the pH rose immediately after the intervention ; however, in the bed bath group, it returned to the initial level within 30 minutes ; 4) as for the ATP, the amount decreased significantly right after and returned to the initial level 120 minutes after bed/tub bath, and the degree of decline in the tub bath group was grater than that in the bed bath group. These results suggested that because of the smaller changes in hydration, lipid, pH and ATP on the skin, the bed bath is less damageable on the skin function than the tub bath. However, the data also indicated that the bed bath is less effective on removal of skin lipid and microbe than the tub bath.

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　Recently, aromatherapy has been introduced to nursing care settings ; however, the efficacy of fragrance on pain relief remains unclear. The present study examines the effectiveness of inhalation of true lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) essential oil on an experimental pain threshold. Twenty-seven healthy adult women participated in the study. Three drops of the essential oil were placed on a small piece of cotton, and after a ten-minute rest the experimental group subjects inhaled the fragrance for 10 minutes while seated. Then, measurement of the pain threshold was made with a reaction time to the thermal stimulations to their palms. In the experimental group, the threshold was measured before and while inhaling of the aroma. In the control group, it was assessed twice without an exposure to the fragrance. Following the measurements, in order to find out a correlation between the degree of preference and the changes in the pain threshold, the experimental group subjects were asked to rate their preference for the fragrance using a 7 point scale where “1” was “I hate the fragrance” and “7” was “I like it very much.” The results of the experimental group showed a statistically significant rise in the pain threshold. It was not found in the control group. Regarding the correlation, the p value did not reach the level of significance. The findings support the usefulness of the fragrance for pain management, and suggest that the analgesic effect is not strongly influenced by the preferences for the aroma.

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It has been known that sympathetic nerve activity increases to various pain. This study was designed to clarify whether favorite essential oil or music affects sympathetic response to pricking pain and has an effect in relieving pain. Skin conductance level (SCL) and skinblood flow (BF) of palmar side of the finger-tip were measured to evaluate autonomic function in 25 healthy female subjects. Painful stimulation was applied to the antebrachium or brachium by electrical stimulation. Each subject was tested under 5 different conditions, i.e., control, cooling or warming the stimulus site, inhaling essential oil or listening to the music which each subject likes. Visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to evaluate subjective pain sensation. Painful electrical stimulation produced an increase in SCL and a decrease in BF, resulting from increased sympathetic nerve activity. Both autonomic responses were significantly augmented during warming the stimulus site, whereas during cooling both responses were reduced significantly compared to that under control. Autonomic responses decreased by essential oil or music, but they were smaller than that in cooling. Subjective pain sensation by VAS also showed similar results to the autonomic responses. These results suggest that cooling must be the most effective in relieving pricking pain, and that essential oil or music might contribute to the relief of the chronic pain.

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