The placebo effect has been well well documented by the medical and research community since the early days of modern medicine, but until now it was believed that the placebo effect was successful only because patients believed they had been treated with a real cure. But a Harvard Medical School study taken on patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) indicates that placebo can be effective even if the people taking it know it has no pharmacological power.
Approximately 11% of the world population suffers from irritable bowel syndrome. This makes IBS one of the most common gastrointestinal diseases in the world. Diarrhea, constipation, flatulence or abdominal pain impact on the everyday life of those affected. Irritable bowel syndrome may not put your life at risk, but it can certainly have a significant effect on your quality of life. During episodes of frequent and urgent diarrhea, it is certainly difficult to work or travel. In the most severe cases, patients have problems with socialization, going out with friends, going to the movies, and some many other activities that non sufferers take for granted.
The causes of IBS are not well understood so treatment involves a multidisciplinary approach, and it is often necessary to try many treatment combinations to find the one that is most effective for the individual needs of each patient. Although some pharmaceuticals, such as anti-diarrhea medications, probiotics, anti-depressant, antispasmodics, and peppermint oil can decrease the symptoms, they are just a short-term solution.
Psychological influence on IBS
Many sufferers report that the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome can be exacerbated by stress. Certain mental states, feelings and thoughts can increase or decrease abdominal pain, bloated stomach, constipation, or diarrhea. So, there is a connection between IBS and psychological well-being. The placebo effect has proven to have a high response rate in such conditions as IBS, where patients have reported worsening of symptoms on psychological bases, without any physiological cause.
In order to better control the symptoms of IBS, it is important to understand how the signaling pathways between the brain and intestine work.
The connection between the brain and the bacterial colonization within the gastrointestinal tract has been proven for some time. The gut-brain axis is responsible for controlling hunger and appetite, but also for emotions and cognitive processes. An imbalance of these mechanisms can, therefore, have a negative impact on the gastrointestinal tract.
This also confirms the symptoms of some irritable bowel patients: According to scientific studies, around 40-60 percent of patients with irritable bowel syndrome suffer from mental illnesses such as anxiety, depression, or stress at the same time.
Harvard confirms the effectiveness of open-label placebo in IBS treatment
А Harvard Medical School study proves that placebo can be effective even if the people taking it know it has no pharmacological power.
The Harvard study tested the effectiveness of the well-known placebo against the effectiveness of any treatment. Harvard scientists divided patients suffering from irritable bowel syndrome into two groups. In the first group, patients did not receive any treatment, while patients in the second group had to take the prescribed medication twice a day.
At the same time, patients in the third group were told that the tablets did not contain any active substances (“Placebo” was even written on the jars). This group was also told that the effectiveness of these pills was related to psychological rather than physiological factors.
Only 35 percent of the untreated group of patients felt better, while 59 percent (a significant proportion in one study) of the placebo group reported improvement in symptoms, although they knew they were not taking the pharmaceutical medication.
The conclusion after the examination was that the treatment of IBS with a known placebo is as effective as the leading Irritable Bowel Syndrome drugs. Scientists agree that the pill-taking ritual itself helps patients feel better.
Conclusion
Numerous research within the testing of the treatment of pathological conditions and diseases show that the placebo effect is indisputable, and the existence of this phenomenon is real. So, the real question is why doctors don’t use placebo therapy more often since it is an inactive substance that can have no side effects.
Placebo studies show how the mind can initiate biochemical changes in the body by believing in the power of a drug that is in fact, an inactive substance. It is therefore not surprising that placebo is often effective in the treatment of psychophysiological disorders and conditions that are largely associated with stress and anxiety. Among them, mostly stand out the treatment of chronic pain, headaches, but also Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Ultimately though, it is important that patients agree to firstly consult with their doctor so that their symptoms can be properly diagnosed and monitored over time.
Recent Comments