CAMPHOR OIL FOR KNEE PAIN RELIEF IN POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN: A STUDY IN COIMBATORE, INDIA

Background: Knee joint pain (arthralgia) is a widespread concern for women experiencing menopause. This investigation aimed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of topical Camphor Oil in alleviating knee joint discomfort among a group of menopausal women residing in a specific rural area of Coimbatore. Methodology: The study utilized a quantitative, evaluative research design, specifically a one-group pretest-posttest pre-experimental approach. Imogene King's Goal Attainment Theory provided the guiding conceptual framework. Participants were recruited in Semmanichettipalayam using a non-probability convenience sampling technique. Data were collected using a demographic survey and the Numerical Pain Intensity Scale. Expert validation ensured the content validity of both the data collection tool and the camphor oil intervention. Results: The mean difference score in the experimental group was 5.40 and the calculated, t-test + = 40.854 was found to be statistically significant at p<0.001 level which depicted clearly that, there was a significant decrease in the level of Knee Joint Pain after application camphor oil in the experimental group of post-menopausal women whereas mean pain score during the pretest was 4.03 out of a maximum score of 9, corresponding to a mean percentage of 40.33%, with a standard deviation of 2.53. After the intervention, the mean pain score decreased to 1.50, with a mean percentage of 15.00% and a standard deviation of 1.94. The difference in mean percentage between the pretest and posttest was 25.33%, indicating a notable decline in pain levels. The calculated paired ‘t’ value was 15.983, which is highly significant at the 0.01 level (p < 0.01). Conclusion: The findings unequivocally demonstrate that applying camphor oil is an effective and beneficial intervention for significantly reducing the severity of knee joint pain in post-menopausal women.