Feel free to discuss any topic of general interest, so long as nothing you post here is likely to be interpreted as insulting, and/or inflammatory, nor clearly designed to provoke any individual or group. Please be considerate of others feelings, and they will be considerate of yours.
Maybe doctors are going about it all wrong, and they're wasting too much time and money on testing and treatments. Look at this study, where fake acupuncture, (and a few sympathetic words), resulted in improvement in 62% of IBS cases. A 62% success rate - that's better than the success rate with any bona fide medical treatment for IBS, isn't it?
This interesting result also supports my claim that IBS is more closely connected with stress, than any other cause.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
No needles. It isn't clear from the article whether patients think that needles are being used, or not.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
What to think about the placebo effect in general? Sometimes symptoms get better if people think they get real medication. A while ago I read a book of Ben Goldarce called Bad Science. In this book he was very critical about some alternative treatments, but quite serious about the placebo effect. He referred to tests and research that had been done on this phenomenon. It even makes a difference, what size and color the pills are and how they have to been taken during the day.
For a lot of diseases the body had a self healing capacity, never underestimate that. I still think that is best "medicine" there is and no site effects.
Diet, life changes, positive attitude can also make a huge difference (IMO)
And very important finding your own way in how to deal with whatever disease with all kind of mainstream and alternative medicine.
(What I am not trying to say is, the other way around, what sometimes is preached in some "new age" groups. That a disease or illness is the result of your own negative thinking or is something you're "asked for" because "you soul want to experience it". Or even worse, If you don't get cured, that is because you are not trying hard enough, think to negative or more of that BS)
I totally agree with everything you said in that post. In 2001, a report describing some extensive research into this matter, was published in the New England Journal of Medicine, (NEJM), to dispute the claim that placebos in general, have powerful clinical effects. The authors agreed that placebos seem to have a small effect on pain, but they disputed most other claims that placebos are capable of providing clinical benefits.
The article that I cited in my first post in this thread, flies in the face of this research claim, (that placebos are generally either ineffective, or provide very small benefits). The article in the NEJM claims that placebos are capable of providing only a 6.5 % reduction in pain, (and no other significant benefits), and yet the "fake acupuncture" research shows that 62 % of the patients in that trial experienced an improvement in clinical symptoms. That's an overwhelming number. This may be a unique case, but clearly, it is a salient exception to the claims in the article in the NEJM, and it proves that the broad conclusions stated in that article, about the general ineffectiveness of placebos, is just plain wrong.
Of course, the authors would probably defend their claims, by pointing out that a placebo is technically defined as a "sham substance", but that's incorrect - a placebo can also be a "sham treatment".
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
My husband came across an interesting scientific article on placebos last week. I'll have to get the reference from him and post it, but it had to do with how to devise the best placebo, because if you can figure out that you are taking the placebo instead of the real drug, the placebo won't do anything. They tested 3 conditions: (1) An inert pill placebo; (2) a placebo that contained a different drug that mimiced a known side effect of the real drug; (3) the real drug. It turned out that patients who got the placebo that appeared to give them a side effect of the real drug had a much stronger response, almost as good as the real drug! So the placebo effect in some cases can be about as good as taking the real drug, as long as the patient is convinced that they aren't taking a placebo!
Rosie
Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time………Thomas Edison
I am a believer in the placebo effect, having seen it myself a number of times.
A treatment that is sometimes used for warts in kids is to draw a circle around the wart and tell the kid that the wart will magically go away in a few days. I have seen this work! I have seen other examples too, if anyone is interested.
Yes, a placebo study has to be carefully designed. Not only is it important for the patient to have no idea whatsoever of the real drug vs. the placebo, it is important that the doc/nurse/researcher/receptionist not know either.
I saw a study where even cultural factors were important. In many societies the color blue is associated with peacefulness, serenity, etc. Thus, some researchers designed an "antianxiety" blue placebo pill. However, this placebo did not work in Italy, where the color blue is associated with their national soccer team and conjures up intense feelings. When the placebo was made red, it worked for Italians, for whom red apparently is associated with feelings mother and child, nurturing, etc. Fascinating!
Love,
Polly
Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused.
Sorry------FAKE accupuncture???? dont know about that---yet I do know how suggestion can *work on peoples issues*
guess I am sorta contradicting what I am posting~~~~~~
Barbara
the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control
Shirley, my dentist uses accupressure as an alternative to novocaine. It works. Or I should say, it worked for me. Or I thought it did, which is the main thing....
Glad it worked, hazel!! Unless it was an invasive procedure I'd probably try it. I REALLY hate those shots. In fact, until I started this major overhaul in my mouth most work was done without novcaine. I've sure made up for missed shots since though.
Love, Shirley
When the eagles are silent, the parrots begin to jabber"
-- Winston Churchill
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