Not everyone knows what a placebo is and in what areas of medicine it is used. Some people think that some kind of medicine is hidden under this term, but this is not so. Despite this, placebo treatments are very effective and common.
In this article, we will explain what a placebo is.
What does placebo mean
Placebo (from Latin Placebo – “I will please, please”) is a substance without obvious medicinal properties, used to imitate any medication in studies where the estimated effect may be distorted by the patient’s belief in the effectiveness of the drug, or to improve the patient’s well-being.
In simple terms, a placebo is a neutral substance for the human body that is passed off as a medical drug. In fact, a placebo is a dummy, which can be glucose, starch, or any other substance that only looks like a drug in appearance.
Although in the literal sense, the placebo is not a cure, at the same time, it does not cause any harm to the body. It’s just that the patient believes so strongly in the effectiveness of the medication (procedures, exercises) that he can calm down and improve his well-being.
The effectiveness of a placebo depends on the suggestibility of the patient and the external circumstances of the “treatment”. As a rule, hypochondriacs are successfully treated with placebo. This type of people is distinguished by suspiciousness and groundless fears about their health.
They often inspire themselves with the presence of a particular disease, or several diseases. Therefore, if a hypochondriac is given a placebo, that is, a pacifier, then he will calm down and will be “treated”. Thus, an imaginary drug will “cure” an imaginary disease.
As a rule, placebo pills have a certain color and shape: for psychostimulation – bright colors; for a calming effect – gray, green, blue. In some cases, injections, saline solutions, and even fake surgeries can act as placebos.
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