APPLICATION OF AUTOGENIC RELAXATION THERAPY FOR ACUTE PAIN IN HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS IN THE KRISAN WARD OF ARIFIN ACHMAD REGIONAL HOSPITAL RIAU PROVINCE

Abstrak

Background: Hypertension remains a leading cause of death worldwide and is often accompanied by headaches due to increased cerebral vascular pressure. To address pain in hypertensive patients, relaxation techniques can be administered, one of which is autogenic relaxation therapy. Objective: This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of autogenic relaxation therapy in reducing headaches in hypertensive patients. Method: This study employed a case study method. The sample in this case study consisted of two individuals: patient 1, aged 49 years, who experienced headaches, and patient 2, aged 40 years, who also experienced headaches. Autogenic relaxation therapy was administered once a day for three consecutive days, with each session lasting 15 minutes. The instruments used were the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) and an observation sheet. Results: The results showed a decrease in pain levels in hypertensive patients. Patient 1 had a score of 6 before treatment and a score of 2 after treatment. Patient 2 had a score of 5 before treatment and a score of 2 after treatment. Conclusion: Autogenic relaxation therapy has been proven effective in reducing the intensity of acute pain in hypertensive patients. The mechanism of pain reduction occurs through muscle relaxation, increased blood circulation, and decreased sympathetic nerve activity. Thus, this therapy can be used as a simple, safe, and effective non- pharmacological nursing intervention in the management of acute pain in hypertensive patients.