The effect of guided imagery on pain levels in post-caesarean section patients

Abstract

Background: Cesarean section is one form of surgical procedure involving incision of the abdominal and uterine walls, which poses a risk of postoperative pain. Pain is a common issue experienced by women after cesarean section, particularly within the first 48 hours. Uncontrolled pain can lead to physical and psychological complications such as postpartum depression and difficulties in infant care. Pain management may involve pharmacological therapy, but non-pharmacological alternatives such as relaxation therapy like guided imagery need to be explored, which can help reduce post-cesarean section pain. Methods: This study is experimental, utilizing a randomized controlled trial pre-test and post-test control group double-blind design. The research was conducted from July to September 2022. A simple randomized sampling technique was employed, with a sample size of 32 post-cesarean section patients divided into two groups: the treatment group (guided imagery and standard therapy) consisting of 16 patients, and the control group (standard therapy) consisting of 16 patients. Results: The study revealed a decrease in visual analogue score (VAS) scores by -2.875±0.619 with an effect size of 0.641 in the treatment group. The study had a significant impact with a p value of 0.000 (p<0.05). Conclusions: Guided imagery is effective in reducing the pain level of post-cesarean section patients.