The information on the newly developed method of treatment "Placebo" is really limited on the internet. So I have tried to contribute in it by writing an article that is very easy to be apprehend even by common people.

Placebo --A Blessing

Doctor Erfan

Placebo is a term that is coined for dummy treatment only intended for psychological effects rather than physiologic. For the past decade, the Placebo technique is getting much repute. It has shown some miraculous results that would otherwise be impossible to achieve through drugs. The behavioral and mental health of chronically ill patients has improved significantly after this procedure.

In the Placebo technique, we have a controlled group of people who are given dummy/fake treatment often in form of some sugar pill. The Person is then told that he has received appropriate treatment. It gives mental satisfaction to the person and chances of recovery increase significantly.

In recent years, it has been widely adopted on cancer patients and has shown appreciative outcomes. But the question arises "Is it ethical to give dummy/fake treatment without acknowledgment of the recipient?".It has been an issue of hot debate among physicians and health professionals. Both supportive and contrary arguments are given.

In some studies, the patients were told about a placebo before the treatment because of ethics. But in these cases, the placebo was not as effective as it was in other blind researches that were without prior acknowledgment. Keeping ethical issues on side, using Placebo as an adjunct therapy along with the real treatment therapy, promises speedy recovery.

Medically Placebo reduces stress by activation of parasympathetic nervous system. This system inhibits all the stress contributing factors and hormones. It decreases blood pressure and heart beat. Low levels of stress hormone (Cortisol) leads to low blood glucose levels. Placebo in short is a compendium of great physical and mental wellness. The placebo effect is so strong that many drugs don’t provide more relief than placebo treatments.

A newly emerging filed in medicine is "Mind Body Medicine". The researchers checks various effects of nervous system on body. Studies on monks shows that they have trained their mind to such an extent that they control even the autonomic nervous system actions. All these suggests placebo reduces stress and course of some serious afflictions in a scientifically explainable way. Being a doctor I can surely say that Placebo if used correctly can significantly help diabetic, hypertensive as well as psychiatric patients

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