The Placebo Effect Examined And Studied
February 7th, 2010 by Sanjib SarkarDigesting a medicine that does not contain any medical substance is called a placebo. People taking placebos generally are unaware that they are taking a medical substance. People that have become better taking a substance that contains no medicine is called the placebo effect.
Many critics point out that homeopathy works because of the placebo effect. Many homeopathic medicines contain no active substance so any benefits realized with homeopathy must be due to a placebo effect. So much does the placebo effect actually help is brought into question?
Some research studies have shown that inactive substances made with sugar or water can help patients approximately 1/3 of the time. Patients psychologically believe that this type of medicial treatment is helping them. These are small research studies and they are certainly not conclusive.
The placebo effect is problematic to research because the body can cure itself much of the time. The immune system attacks disease and illness on its own. Taking placebo pills should not improve the body's immune system. However, a person mind plays a big part in well being. If a person thinks their condition has improved by a substance, their body may improve.
Placebos are thought to help people mentally. How do they work on babies and pets? There are a wide range of homeopathic remedies for pets and babies. Pet and babies have no idea about these placebos. The person caring for the individual may experience the placebo effect. They feel as though what they have given their pet or infant has helped. Infants and pets may have just possibly healed by themselves.
Sugar pills and other placebos have not been researched enough at this point. A large percentage of over the counter medications have not been tested recently. Many people have no idea how medicine works.
Homeopathic studies are very favorable versus prescription or over the count medicine in studies. Most research suggest that homeopathic remedies work as well as prescription medicines. A trial study with a hay fever nasal spray showed the homeopathic worked as well as the conventional spray. This study had 146 participants.
Homeopathy studies have not fared as well when placed against sugar pills. Some research demonstrated that homeopathy products were superior to a placebo. Many other trials show no difference between the homeopathic medicine and the sugar pills. A homeopath generally individualizes remedies where these trials had no individualization. Prescription and other over the counter medicine against placebos would make for some great comparison data.
Homeopathy is not the only type of medicine where a placebo is in effect. Over the counter medicines may help cure by merely the placebo effect. Trials indicated placebo may help cure a patient's illness. How effective a medicine as a placebo is unknown?
Sanjib Sarkar is a content writer for Hmedicine.com. Hmedicine.com, a homeopathic remedies store, offers a vast selection of homeopathy information to the public. These store also carries a wide range of homeopathic remedies such as and .
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