no placebo effect

[Guest guest]

Did anyone know that meta-analysis on placebo research published in

NEJM 1594, 2001, showed that there are no placebo effects except for

subjective pain (which is no small thing). What has been thought to

be a placebo effect (some unknown body mind interaction of great

healing power) just does not occur in patients with other symptoms.

much less actually affect the course of a disease. All such effects

have been shown to be caused by observer bias or natural course of

the illness. This suggests on one hand that if acupuncture works for

things other than pain, it is a " real " effect. OTOH, it calls into

question the existence of any significant mindbody effect in

healing. So a placebo that reduces pain has never been shown to have

any effect on whatever processed caused the pain. This of course

also suggests that any therapy focused on pain could be effective

even if it was pure placebo. This really necessitates determining

the cause of any pain and actually correcting it. In Alon Marcus'

new book, he makes it clear that in his experience acupuncture and

chinese herbs are not capable of curing most pain complaints.

Correct me if I am wrong, but it appears that Alon uses CM to

facilitate healing for which the major factors are time, exercise,

posture, ergonomics, etc. In fact, most musculoskeletal experts feel

similarly. It is really the internal medicine crowd that claims

cures from TCM, which is ironic since it is in that area where

research is most lacking. Again, further making the case that we

should promote ourselves as those who relieve suffering rather than

those who cure disease.

 

 

Chinese Herbs