The Placebo Effect: What Is It? - WebMD

What Is the Placebo Effect? ... Sometimes a person can have a response to a placebo. The response can be positive or negative. For instance, the ... MenuAbdominalPainArthritisBackPainCarpalTunnelSyndromeFibromyalgiaHipPainKneePainFootPainLupusMigraineNervePainOsteoarthritisRheumatoidArthritisTypesofPainSymptoms&CausesDiagnosis&TestsTreatment&CareLiving&ManagingSupport&ResourcesNewsReferenceSlideshowsQuizzesVideosFindaNeurologistFindanOrthopaedistMedicationsPillIdentifierCheckforDrugInteractionsDrugComparisonToolPainManagementReferenceMenuMedicallyReviewedbyCarolDerSarkissian, MDonFebruary08,2022InthisArticleHowArePlacebosUsed?WhatIsthePlaceboEffect?HowDoesthePlaceboEffectWork?Aplaceboisanythingthatseemstobea"real"medicaltreatment--butisn't.Itcouldbeapill,ashot,orsomeothertypeof"fake"treatment.Whatallplaceboshaveincommonisthattheydonotcontainanactivesubstancemeanttoaffecthealth.HowArePlacebosUsed?Researchersuseplacebosduringstudiestohelpthemunderstandwhateffectanewdrugorsomeothertreatmentmighthaveonaparticularcondition.Forinstance,somepeopleinastudymightbegivenanewdrugtolowercholesterol.Otherswouldgetaplacebo.Noneofthepeopleinthestudywillknowiftheygottherealtreatmentortheplacebo.Researchersthencomparetheeffectsofthedrugandtheplaceboonthepeopleinthestudy.Thatway,theycandeterminetheeffectivenessofthenewdrugandcheckforsideeffects.WhatIsthePlaceboEffect?Sometimesapersoncanhavearesponsetoaplacebo.Theresponsecanbepositiveornegative.Forinstance,theperson'ssymptomsmayimprove.Orthepersonmayhavewhatappearstobesideeffectsfromthetreatment.Theseresponsesareknownasthe"placeboeffect."Therearesomeconditionsinwhichaplacebocanproduceresultsevenwhenpeopleknowtheyaretakingaplacebo.Studiesshowthatplaceboscanhaveaneffectonconditionssuchas:DepressionPainSleepdisordersIrritablebowelsyndromeMenopauseInonestudyinvolvingasthma,peopleusingaplaceboinhalerdidnobetteronbreathingteststhansittinganddoingnothing.Butwhenresearchersaskedforpeople'sperceptionofhowtheyfelt,theplaceboinhalerwasreportedasbeingaseffectiveasmedicineinprovidingrelief.HowDoesthePlaceboEffectWork?Researchontheplaceboeffecthasfocusedontherelationshipofmindandbody.Oneofthemostcommontheoriesisthattheplaceboeffectisduetoaperson'sexpectations.Ifapersonexpectsapilltodosomething,thenit'spossiblethatthebody'sownchemistrycancauseeffectssimilartowhatamedicationmighthavecaused.Forinstance,inonestudy,peopleweregivenaplaceboandtolditwasastimulant.Aftertakingthepill,theirpulseratespedup,theirbloodpressureincreased,andtheirreactionspeedsimproved.Whenpeopleweregiventhesamepillandtolditwastohelpthemgettosleep,theyexperiencedtheoppositeeffects.Expertsalsosaythatthereisarelationshipbetweenhowstronglyapersonexpectstohaveresultsandwhetherornotresultsoccur.Thestrongerthefeeling,themorelikelyitisthatapersonwillexperiencepositiveeffects.Theremaybeaprofoundeffectduetotheinteractionbetweenapatientandhealthcareprovider.Thesameappearstobetruefornegativeeffects.Ifpeopleexpecttohavesideeffectssuchasheadaches,nausea,ordrowsiness,thereisagreaterchanceofthosereactionshappening.Thefactthattheplaceboeffectistiedtoexpectationsdoesn'tmakeitimaginaryorfake.Somestudiesshowthatthereareactualphysicalchangesthatoccurwiththeplaceboeffect.Forinstance,somestudieshavedocumentedanincreaseinthebody'sproductionofendorphins,oneofthebody'snaturalpainrelievers.Oneproblemwiththeplaceboeffectisthatitcanbedifficulttodistinguishfromtheactualeffectsofarealdrugduringastudy.Findingwaystodistinguishbetweentheplaceboeffectandtheeffectoftreatmentmayhelpimprovethetreatmentandlowerthecostofdrugtesting.Andmorestudymayalsoleadtowaystousethepoweroftheplaceboeffectintreatingdisease.MuscleSpasms&MultipleSclerosisManageYourMigraineRAPainReliefTipsTreatingandPreventingMigrainesWhenPainAffectsYourRelationshipKneeArthritis:TreatmentAdvancesKeepYourMedicinesStraightHowtoMakeSmartMedicationChoicesHowtoDealWithSideEffectsofMedicineAllergyMedicationsPharmacyandMedicationTipsHowtoOrganizeYourMedicationsMedicinesTopicsWhyYou’reInPainTopcausesandhowtofindrelief.GetMoving8exercisesforlesskneepain.AcupunctureGuideHowithelpsarthritis,migraines,anddentalpain.TruthAboutPainkillersHowmuchdoyouknowaboutyourmeds?Slideshow3SymptomsofCarpalTunnelSyndromeSlideshowWhat'sCausingYourLowBackPain?ArticleAntidepressantsforPain?Slideshow10FoodsThatFightPainSlideshowAlternativeTreatmentsforLong-TermPainSlideshowShouldYouUseaBrace?SlideshowTipsforCommonAchesandPainsVideoNSAIDs:WhatTheyAre&HowTheyWorkChronicPainSolutionsPersonalizedTipsforManagingMigraineVideo:HowtoDoTennisElbowExercises14TipstoRelieveBackPainQuiz:EverydayAchesandPainsVideo:5NaturalWaystoEaseBackPainHealthSolutionsPenisCurvedWhenErect?CouldIhaveCAD?TreatBentFingersTreatHR+,HER2-MBCTiredofDandruff?BenefitsofCBDRethinkMSTreatmentAFib-RelatedStrokesRiskofaFutureDVT/PEIsMyPenisNormal?RelapsingMSOptionsLiverTransplantsSaveLivesFinancePlasticSurgeryBentFingerCausesLivingWithPsoriasis?MissingTeeth?MorefromWebMD5TipstoHelpWithRelapsingMSHowtoThriveWithNarcolepsyReliefforBlockedHairFolliclesPsoriaticArthritisandYourSleepWhatPsoriasisFeelsLikeFirstPsoriaticArthritisFlareTalkingtoYourDoctorAboutRACrohn's:A'Full-Body'DiseaseAvoidingCrohn’sFlaresHealthBenefits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