الفهرس 
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Abstract
Dysmenorrhea is a disorder characterized by lower abdominal pain that occurs during menstruation, however, the pain may start 2 or more days before it . It is sometimes associated with headache, nausea, vomiting, diffuse abdominal pain, backache, general malaise, weakness, and other gastrointestinal symptoms. It is classified into two categories: primary and secondary dysmenorrhea. Primary dysmenorrhea (spasmodic) is a common gynecological complaint that may affect as many as 50% of women. where 10% of them may cycle. Higher prevalence rates up to 90% are seen in women less than 25 years. On the other hand, secondary (congestive) dysmenorrhea is menstrual pain associated with underlying pelvic pathology. It starts in the 20s or 30s years of age, after relatively painless menstrual cycles in the past.
Treatment approaches for primary dysmenorrhea include the use of no steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to block the production and action of prostaglandins, which are responsible for the cramping and pain. Hormonal contraceptives may also be a useful treatment. These pharmacological treatment approaches may not be entirely effective and has side-effects for some cases. In addition, women/girls with primary dysmenorrhea may show resistance or unwillingness to take any medications. Thus, there is a need to identify easy and effective methods to ease and effective methods to ease their discomfort and improve their quality of life during menses.
Aromatherapy is one of the alternative therapies used for management of primary dysmenorrhea. It refers to the use of essential fragrant oils ( the pure volatile portion of aromatic plant normally extracted by distillation) for therapeutic or medical purposes. Among the recommended essential oils which have sedative effect is ginger oil. Ginger, the rhizome of Zingiber officinale, is a traditional medicine with anti-inflammatory and ant carcinogenic properties. It is a botanical generally recognized as safe by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).