A placebo is often used in a clinical trial to separate groups into those receiving treatment and those who receive a harmless substitute. Sometimes referred to as sugar pills, placebo treatments have been around since the late 1700s when a British physician gave harmless medication to patients with incurable diseases. Though the doctor knew he could not cure his patients, he did appreciate that they expected treatment and the placebo offered them some comfort.
Today we understand that the placebo effect can go far beyond a sugar pill. For some, the very act of visiting a health care provider may be a placebo and provide a more positive outcome for a patient. When a health care provider displays a warm, friendly manner, is an active listener, and shows empathy the patient often comes away with a positive expectation.
Placebos can be helpful to target subjective or self-perceived symptoms. A placebo cannot cure cancer but it might help reduce a patient’s perceived pain from treatment. Placebos are most effective in helping with pain management, stress-related insomnia, and cancer treatment side effects. Though we are not sure exactly how placebos work, the answers are most likely in the brain because psychological factors are part of their positive response.
