It turns out that the placebo will work even if you tell the patients about it

Doctors do not like to lie to patients, believing that it is unethical. But sometimes lies contribute to healing. Considering the placebo effect, for a long time scientists were sure that without the holy faith of the patient in the miraculous nature of the pill this method can not work. And every time a doctor tells you that this medicine is good for your illness, you believe him. However, inside the capsule are vitamins or sugar. And this means that the doctor has to deceive you again and again. Not so long ago, amazing news shocked the medicine. It turns out that patients who are aware of taking a placebo also feel better.

Do not underestimate the power of auto-suggestion

It is logical to assume that if the doctor gives you a pill with the words: "This is a sugar pill, take it", you will be sure of the complete failure of the idea. And really, can sugar cure such a serious disease as irritable bowel syndrome? In fact, these assumptions are erroneous. The degree of manifestation of the effect depends on various circumstances, not the least role in this is the level of suggestibility. In other words, if you know about the pacifier, but adjust your brain to the fact that this useless medicine works, it really will work. The same can be said about various procedures aimed at improving the patient.

Data are derived from a review of studies

A systematic review was conducted by a team of Harvard scientists. This evidence is of enormous weight, because they arose from the study of these five clinical trials aimed at studying the placebo effect. Note that in each study, patients knew that they were receiving dummy medications. The "open" placebo seems to have benefited patients with back pain, allergic rhinitis, irritable bowel syndrome, depression and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).

The history of the "open" placebo

Tests with an "open" placebo have been conducted for a long time. History takes us to the distant 1965, when Baltimore's doctors, Lee Park and Uno Covey, gave a pacifier to 15 neurotic patients, telling them the truth. Patients from the mouths of doctors heard the following: "Many people with your diagnosis helped this sugar pill. We are confident that this method can help you. " Surprisingly, some patients actually recovered. However, the scientific community found the results of this experiment to be controversial. The fact is that neurotic patients were sure that doctors lie to them, forcing them to take real medicines.

On the basis of modern research

Let's return now. The review study, which was discussed earlier, included several trials with an "open" placebo. In one study, Dr. Ted Kapchuk of the Harvard Medical School randomly distributed 80 patients with severe irritable bowel syndrome. One half of the participants took the dummy preparation and knew about it, the other part of the subjects was the control group.

People were informed that the treatment will be carried out with the help of an inert (harmless) substance. Scientists associate a significant improvement in the symptoms of IBS with psychology. The brain of the participants gave a command to the body for self-healing. Eventually, patients from the "open" placebo group had symptoms decreased by 15 percent compared to the control group of subjects who did without treatment.

Specific example

One of the participants in the Harvard experiment, Linda Buannono, suffered from irritable bowel syndrome for many years, but no treatment prescribed by doctors helped the woman. There were days when the participant experienced so much pain that she could not leave the house. The "open" placebo had a great influence on Linda. As a result, the woman admitted that she "had never felt so good before." At the end of the test, everything returned to normal. The patient ceased to receive a miraculous pacifier, and the symptoms returned. From despair, our heroine went to the pharmacist with a request to make for her the same drug. However, the expert found the patient's desire unethical.

What is the "blinded" test?

Other tests in this systematic review were small and "not blinded". Under the blindness of the experiment, one should understand the complete ignorance of participants (and researchers) as to which preparation they receive. This test is not considered biased, because you will never guess what is in your pill. Nevertheless, all the other experiments that participated in the survey yielded consistently positive results.

Principle of operation of the method

An "open" placebo can work in two ways. First, the patient expects the doctor to express his opinion to him. The doctor's recommendation is of great importance for autosuggestion: "Before you is a placebo pill, but it produces a significant improvement for patients with your diagnosis." This kind of farewell creates a positive expectation, which activates that part of the brain that is responsible for producing natural painkillers of endorphins.

Secondly, the immune system is activated in patients, which helps them to be healed. This happens according to the principle of the experiment conducted by Professor Pavlov over his dogs. Animals associated the sound of a bell with food, and they began to reflexively salivate.

When a doctor who you trust says that he expects a positive result from the treatment, your body tones the immune system and the method turns out to be effective.