If you believe it will help, it will help.
I love the placebo effect. It’s fascinating. You can give someone a completely useless sugar tablet and call it “migraine prophylaxis” and that person is likely to have fewer migraines. When placebos are given to patients with Parkinson’s disease, their brains release dopamine as if they had been given actual drug.
Looks like Olympic Athletes are taking advantage of this as well. Have you wondered about those colored stripes on some of the athletes? It’s called Kinesio Taping. I read a bit of the Research/Studies page. What I read were case reports and case series. These are essentially anecdotal reports of “I did this and it helped.” The tape is supposed to “assist and give support or to prevent over-contraction” and affect “the activation of the neurological system, the body’s information processor and the circulatory system.” Whatever. Looks like a placebo effect.
Did you see any on Usain Bolt?
We agree, it is a very fascinating phenomon. There is a lot more to be discovered about the placebo effect, especially in the area of self- healing and administration of placebos. There is a growing discussion about beneficial effects of doctors giving placebos, even when both they and the patient know they are placebos. We have experienced placebos working when taken as a support to one’s intentions for well being and relief from symptoms.
If you are curious check out our website: http://www.placebo.com.au