Using medicines that contain no active medical substance to help you become better is called the placebo effect. Most people do not realize that they are taking a pill that has no medicine. Many people become better from their ailment even though there is nothing but a sugar pill.
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?
Trials have been conducted that show placebo pills help people getting better approximately 1/3 of the time. People think the medical treatment is helping them. These trials are inadequate in size and larger studies are needed.
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.
Other intriguing issues are how do pets and infants respond to placebos? These groups have no awareness that they are taking any medication at all. The placebo effect in this instance may be due to the person giving out the remedies. The caregiver of the placebo may feel like he improved the condition of the pet or infant. The infant or pet may have become better on their own without even taking any placebo medication.
Placebos need more research funding. They have not been studied enough at this point. An abundant amount of over the counter medication has not been studied and research. Many people are unaware of how common medicines work. Aspirin cures many people headaches but most people do not realize how their headaches were helped.
Research comparing homeopathy medicine to allopathic medicine has become quite favorable. Most research suggest that homeopathy medicine works as well as over the counter medications on very day issues such as hay fever. A research study of 146 participants found that a homeopathy nasal spray worked as well as a conventional nasal spray.
Homeopathic research with placebos have not been as favorable. Some trials show homeopathy works better than a placebo while other trials there is no difference between the placebo and homeopathy drug. Much of these trials do not individualize remedies such as a homeopath would do. Allopathic medicines compared to the placebo would be an intriguing comparison.
A placebo effect may exist in all forms of medicine just not homeopathy. How much a placebo effect can help a patient is unknown? Research does suggest that placebo can be help patients cure their ailments but this is far from conclusive.
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 Chelidonium Majusand Apis Mellifica.