The Placebo Effect
The placebo effect has been described as one of the most remarkable phenomenons.
The placebo effect has been described as one of the most remarkable phenomenons. It’s very common in every medical experiment. Tell a sick person they are getting a powerful medicine, give them a saltwater injection and about a third will improve. It is the patients believe in the treatment that works. The body can be healed by this belief system that we are only beginning to understand.
The mind can trigger healing through proper suggestions. Pregnant women have been given ipecac for nausea (which induces vomiting) and being told it would cure their nausea, has actually soothed the discomfort. The message is, that whatever you put your trust in can cure you.
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Most of us can’t just take a placebo knowingly and have a cure. If we could we would always cure ourselves. But the power is still there. We just don’t know how to use it. With research going on it seems that endorphins play a large role.
In one study done at the University of California at San Frisco, 23 dental patients who had teeth pulled a few hours earlier were given a placebo for pain. Over a third reported their pain eased. When injected with a substance that blocked the action of endorphins the pain returned. This shows their belief in the placebo unlocked endorphins that eased the pain.
Image via Wikipedia
Image via Wikipedia
C Norman Sheely, M.D. founder of Pain and Health Rehabilitation Center in La Crosse, Wisconsin, says he has found relaxation and visualization techniques to be the most single important therapy to offer chronically ill individuals. He says, drugs and surgery are often the least effective treatments for dealing with chronic pain.
People who use relaxation and visualization to control their pain have a 60% rate of success. They are able to resume a productive life style. Many more achieve a significant amount of relief.
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George W Whitehead | Jul 23, 2009 | Reply
Great, informative article, Ruby.
ken bultman | Jul 23, 2009 | Reply
I believe in the placebo effect but I don’t think it works with everyone as research indicates. Pain medication doesn’t work with everyone, either.
Katien | Jul 23, 2009 | Reply
I think that we all have the power to heal ourselves to some extent, but we all want an instant cure, which is why we turn to drugs. It would be good if we were taught how to harness our self-healing potential!
NA Staffieri | Jul 23, 2009 | Reply
The power of the mind is unmeasurable. My brain can tell my arm to move up and down. My brain can tell my body to heal itself. Same principle, only harder to accomplish.
Success begins with the belief that we can create this power. People who have negative thoughts about what will work ususally find that it doesn’t work.
Real power is not having the strength to hurt. That’s easy. Real power is having the strength to heal.
Melody SJAL | Jul 23, 2009 | Reply
Informative post.
Jenny Heart | Jul 23, 2009 | Reply
Well written. Food for thought. Like it!
Inna Tysoe | Jul 23, 2009 | Reply
Well written.
Thanks.
Inna
Lostash | Jul 23, 2009 | Reply
Mind over matter. It’s an interesting concept, and an interesting piece!
Tanya Wallace | Jul 23, 2009 | Reply
You always have wonderfully written articles on subjects that are always interesting!I believe that if you believe you will achieve with anything and everything in life including health.
deep blue | Jul 23, 2009 | Reply
Great ideas as always Ruby, thanks for sharing.
CA Johnson | Jul 23, 2009 | Reply
This is a great article, Ruby. It would be better to use mind over matter to help with pain.
Ruby Hawk | Jul 23, 2009 | Reply
Ken, you are correct. A placebo or the same medication doesn’t work on everyone. Sometimes I wonder if any of our researched medication really work or if it’s our belief in the remedy that works. Wouldn’t it be something if research is done in the future and we find it true. It’s something to tghink about. Thank you all for your interest and comments. I appreciate your response.
CHAN LEE PENG | Jul 23, 2009 | Reply
Great informative article, packed with useful info. Thanks and liked it.
PR Mace | Jul 25, 2009 | Reply
You would be surprised how well they work. It is mind over matter.
Moses Ingram | Jul 25, 2009 | Reply
Another great article and I know that this works.Some great books have been written on the subject too. Some people that we thought were crazy just might have had something. Thanks for this.
maranatha | Jul 26, 2009 | Reply
I have seen this in action. I know two ladies who learned techniques from a pain control clinic, and have reduced their drug intake to ibuprofrin only. The techniques basically are relaxation and meditiation techniques; combined with a good diet, proper exercise for their conditions, and proper rest.
S A JOHNSON | Jul 31, 2009 | Reply
Mind over matter. That’s what they say right? I believe these types of things because well one they have evidence to back it up but also because I, about 90 % of me anyway, do not believe in magic.
However, when my mom was about 8 she had warts all over he right hand (which apparently can happen if you have anemia), my great great grandpa who was also a medicine man told her that he wanted to play a game with her and every time she won, he would take a wart away. Well, a few days and many wins later the warts all disappeared.
When she was 10 her appendix* burst and at the time the nearest hospital was about three hours away and she lived with my great great grandpa on his ranch and they didn’t have a phone or a car to contact anyone and she had to wait a week for someone to come. Well at the time they didn’t know it was appendicitis and she said that during the week he would lean over her and blow tobacco smoke over her stomach and speak in Paiute. Even though her she was still in pain she felt like she was getting better and when my grandma got there and found out what happened they rushed to the hospital and when the doctor had finished examining her he told my grandma that her appendix had burst but somehow healed and he showed her where the healing showed up. He thought it was “very strange” and told her that it might be best if they just operated anyway and my grandma consented. They were afraid that it would burst again.
So, sorry for the long winded comment but anyway I totally believe in mind over matter but because the “Indian ways” I was brought up to believe, I get tugged a little to believe in that too.