The present study was conducted on six residents with lower-extremity edema who were admitted to the welfare facility for the elderly to clarify the effects of foot bath therapy with aromatic oil on such pathological condition. Each subject received a total of 12 sessions of foot bath therapy (triweekly 10-minute foot bath therapy for four weeks). Before and after each session of foot bath therapy, each subject underwent checking of the following items: the lower limb circumferences, pulse, blood pressure, skin condition, presence/absence of chill/cyanosis, and speech. The differences between pretreatment and post-treatment results were used to analyze the effects of foot bath therapy. The lower limb circumferences obtained at various measurement sites consistently showed a decreasing tendency, and, in particular, the circumference measured 10 cm below the right knee decreased significantly. Both pulse and blood pressure showed a tendency to decrease. In particular, a significant decrease in systolic blood pressure suggested vasodilatation and decreased peripheral vascular resistance due to decreased sympathetic tone. Dry skin of the lower extremities and tinea of the toe webs observed before treatment were improved or disappeared at the time of completion of foot bath therapy. These results suggested that foot bath therapy with aromatic oil was beneficial care that contributed to relief of edema and improvement of dry skin, and brought about a more comfortable feeling.

本研究の目的は，介護老人福祉施設に入所中の高齢者で，下肢の浮腫がある者に対して実施したアロマオイルを加えた足浴の効果を明らかにすることである。６名の高齢者に対し，足浴を１回10分，週３回，計12回実施した。足浴の効果は，下肢の周径，脈拍，血圧，皮膚の状態，冷感・チアノーゼの有無，発語などについて，足浴実施前後の変化より分析した。下肢の周径では，全ての測定部位に縮小傾向がみられ，特に右膝下10㎝の部位は有意に縮小した。脈拍，血圧は，ともに低下傾向にあったが，特に収縮期血圧は有意に低下しており，交感神経の緊張の低下による血管の拡張や末梢血管抵抗の減少が推察された。また，対象者の下肢にみられた皮膚乾燥や足趾間の白癬は，足浴終了時には軽減・消失した。アロマオイルを加えた足浴は，浮腫の軽減とともに，皮膚乾燥の改善や心地よさをもたらすケアであったことが示唆された。