placebo is all in the mind

[paula_w]

With the right focus and timing, one could confuse people for an entire career just playing games with placebos.

cynical...yes...paula
Placebo effect includes price, study reveals

By Dennis O'Brien | Sun reporter
March 8, 2008

For years, experts have known that placebos - fake injections and pills with no real medication - can improve the health of patients with pain, asthma, high blood pressure and angina. Now they've learned that raising the price of a fake pill makes it work even better.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nation/bal-te.placebo08mar08,0,6143247.story

[CTenaLouise]

I have come to the conclussion - if that is what they want to do...
play games with people - that are ill -
to see if the faith system is stronger than the medicine -
then I will never be part of any clinical study -

mind games has no place in medicine for humane beings...

[MooseasaurusRex]

Odd.

And very interesting.

Opens a whole new can of worms for me.

In a good way.

*No smilies available to mimic my smile.*

[BrownEyedGirl]

In my opinion, this really isn't a bad thing. I don't believe that the researchers are just messing with sick people. When you take part in a clinical trial that contains a placebo, you are well aware that you might get a placebo so there are is no secret there.

I guess I find it fascinating the power of the human mind. How we can heal ourselves in certain areas just with the power of suggestion. Take improvment in blood pressure for instance. This is not a subjective response (what someone feels or their perception of pain, etc.), instead, this is a real MEASUREABLE response - you can't deny if the blood pressure reading is better or worse. The article states:

So, how do placebos work their magic? Researchers have known for years that they trigger a biochemical response in the brain, releasing neurotransmitters such as dopamine that act as natural painkillers. They also know that packaging can enhance the effect.

I think that we have untapped powers of healing ourselves - powers the we don't yet understand. I would love to know more about what to do to make myself feel better without more medication.

Lora

[paula_w]

While I wonder about placebos, and read all of your honest reactions, I think Lora's comment hit a nail on the head. Is placebo effect (or should it be affect?) measurable? I think not. It may be the most individual component of all. And they don't dig deep enough to measure it individually. Couldn't they just factor it in, like standard deviation?

While the workings of the mind are mind - boggling and vastly untapped -there is a generation now that needs to get something on the market. You can debate about the priorties. but , like MK, a warning to those of you who are younger on the continuum and younger age-wise - what you are going to need had better be discovered and working toward some kind of clinical trial - time speeds by but the work crawls.

paula

[imark3000]

are one ..
Illness stems from and affects both ..
and so is healing !
So says all ancient medicines. Specialisation (too much of it) is the biggest failure of today's medical practice :(

[reverett123]

It tickles me and maddens me simultaneously to think about the placebo effect. Here is one of the most powerful healing effects yet observed and it is sitting there across the table looking Science right in the eye. Yet, just because they can't fit it in to their view of the universe they belittle it and pretend that it is not real.

The facts are that it works. That is Reality. Theory ultimately bows to Reality regardless of how anyone feels about it. Hard science my *** - these guys put their pants on two legs at a time just like me. :)