The Effect of Warm Ginger Compresses on the Intensity of Dysmenorrhea Pain in Adolescent Girls Aged 13-14 Years

Abstract

Dysmenorrhea is a common gynecological complaint among adolescent girls and can interfere with academic activities and quality of life. Safe and easily applicable non-pharmacological interventions are essential, particularly in school settings. One potentially effective intervention is warm ginger compresses, which combine the warming effect and anti-inflammatory properties of ginger. This study aims to analyze the effect of warm ginger compresses on the intensity of dysmenorrhea pain in 13–14-year-old adolescent girls at SMP 4 Muara Teweh. The study used a quantitative approach with a pre-experimental design and a one-group pretest–posttest design. The study sample consisted of 30 female students who experienced dysmenorrhea and were selected using total sampling technique. The intensity of dysmenorrhea pain was measured before and after the intervention using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS). The intervention, in the form of warm ginger compresses, was administered for 15–20 minutes on the first or second day of menstruation. The data were analyzed univariately and bivariately, with statistical tests to compare pain levels before and after the intervention. The results showed that before the intervention, most respondents experienced moderate to severe pain, while after the intervention, the majority of respondents experienced mild pain and no severe pain was found. Statistical analysis showed a significant difference between pain levels before and after the application of warm ginger compresses (p = 0.000). The conclusion of this study shows that warm ginger compresses have a significant effect in reducing the intensity of dysmenorrhea pain in adolescent girls. This intervention can be recommended as an effective and easy-to-apply non-pharmacological alternative in the management of dysmenorrhea in school settings.