Placebo effect...really?

[ning]

I injured my left shoulder maybe 40 years ago, and for the last couple of months it has been so sore that I cannot sleep, or even lay on my left side for any length of time

I have no idea what I did to my shoulder (other than probably tear something 20 years ago, I remember a pop while benching way too much for my frame) but a couple years ago I suddenly started getting intense pain in the middle of the night, like wake up almost crying paralyzed in pain, and I was unable to reach overhead to grab my power cord, etc. It didn't hurt all of the time, just when I was in certain positions, so like an idiot occasionally I'd do something stupid like find a lawnmower-blade-killing rock in the yard, pick it up and throw it... and have my shoulder explode in pain.

Eventually I complained to a doctor, who said "impingement syndrome"; basically a substantially irritated tendon. I've basically learned not to sleep on that side any more, and my shoulder is almost normal about a year after I started making a point not to sleep on it. Another thing that helps a ton - topical ibuprofen gel. Nice thing about it is that it absorbs and helps the area it's on as opposed to affecting your whole body; you can use 10mg of ibuprofen equivalent and get relief where 400mg systemically did very little.
It's not sold in USA, but you can buy it and get it shipped eg from UK (I think the last time I shopped it was vivomed.com).

 

[CADplans]

The wife and I have always wanted to loose some weight, and ran across the KETO diet last year,,
as we started to show interest in KETO, we watched a BUNCH of YouTube videos,,

Several videos stated the pain relief effect that occurred when carbs are reduced (or eliminated)
Heck, there was such a fuss about carbs and pain,, there was a BIG lawsuit about it,,,

I will not go into our results, but, if you have enough pain,, you can completely cut carbs from your diet because of the pain relief,,
Since Thanksgiving,, I have had one donut (tax celebration) , three slices of bread, three pieces of birthday cake that were less than 2 inches by 2 inches square,,
That is it,,,
The only sugar that has been used in our house in 2019 was used to make hummingbird feeder solution,,, :laughing: :thumbsup:

Oh, yea,, EACH time I had one of the high carb foods listed above,, the next day, I suffered with returned pain,,, :confused2: :thumbdown:

 

[Locoweed]

I can understand how the mind would want to end pain. I have a hard time understanding the nocebo effect where people get side effects instead relief.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Similar to you, I have a couple B.S. degrees in science.
I have no idea if Bio-Ray bracelets work, don't work, work sometimes, etc... but I'm fascinated by stuff like this. The stuff science hasn't proven or explained, yet the anecdotal evidence (might) be there. This would include things like water witching, maybe even ghosts, Bigfoot, etc...

I think the scientific method (in establishing what "facts" and "reality" is ) has its faults and limitations.

This may be a simplification, but it only accepts "facts" and says "this is how reality works" when things are repeatable and thus predictable. I believe there's still a lot of natural phenomena that is so rare, or we don't understand ALL the conditions that create it (and thus can't repeat it in a scientific study) that a lot of phenomena gets dismissed.

Perhaps I am suggestible after all; what with the bracelet and water witching, another phenomenon comes to mind. I have made several posts over the last few months re: treating wasp stings with onion juice. It kills the pain, almost immediately, at least for me. I was told it was anecdotal, and not scientific, and essentially told it was all in my head. Who knows; it beats dancing around the campfire beating drums and chanting.

 

[CADplans]

re: treating wasp stings with onion juice.
It kills the pain, almost immediately, at least for me. I was told it was anecdotal, and not scientific, and essentially told it was all in my head.

Considering the pH of a wasp sting,, vinegar should relieve the pain,,,

 

[MossRoad]

I soak a cotton ball in witch hazel and apply it to the sting, bug-bite, etc... and it seems to stop the itch and swelling. As I mentioned before, that, and beer.

 

[bunyip]

I soak a cotton ball in witch hazel and apply it to the sting, bug-bite, etc... and it seems to stop the itch and swelling. As I mentioned before, that, and beer.

What a waste, you pour beer on a sting!!!
Anybody remember the 'blue bags' in the laundry, I have a vague recollection of grandmother using them on stings, no idea what was in them and haven't seen them since I was a kid in short pants.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

https://www.acehardware.com/departm...MIgdTvqKfo4wIVEz0MCh3OUwKHEAQYASABEgKt_vD_BwE

 

[Jim Shooz]

Anybody remember the 'blue bags' in the laundry, I have a vague recollection of grandmother using them on stings, no idea what was in them and haven't seen them since I was a kid in short pants.

I remember them from a long way back. The sheets would be boiled up in a copper and during the rinsing the blue would be put in to make them whiter.

 

[bunyip]

Didn't realise they still make them
Vintage Washing Laundry Reckitt s Bag Blue Reckitt & Coleman Hull Dolly Bag 195s NOS Dolly Blue
Memories......

 

[Dftodd]

We've all heard about people being able to predict weather by their aches and pains after an injury or illness.

I can tell if it's gonna snow by how I feel. I'll feel chilled to the bone and have a nasty sinus headache almost bordering on a migraine around 12 hours before it rolls in.

 

[stuckmotor]

Sometimes when I try a new medication, it seems to work at first. When the symptoms are back in a couple of weeks, I credit the initial improvement to the placebo effect. I hope you'll let us know how things are going two weeks from now.

 

[Travelover]

Study after study has shown the placebo effect is real, in fact it is part of any standard double blind drug evaluation. That said, it doesn't surprise me as the body has the ability to heal itself for most ailments. I don't will it to heal a cut for a broken bone, it just takes care of it by itself. By extension, it seems logical that the brain has the ability to do even more self healing with some guidance and direction.

 

[Steppenwolfe]

Study after study has shown the placebo effect is real, in fact it is part of any standard double blind drug evaluation. That said, it doesn't surprise me as the body has the ability to heal itself for most ailments. I don't will it to heal a cut for a broken bone, it just takes care of it by itself. By extension, it seems logical that the brain has the ability to do even more self healing with some guidance and direction.

I agree 100%. After 40 years in construction I have had more cuts (always need stitches, but I don't get them), scrapes, tears, and bang ups than you can imagine. Anytime something happens, I just say, "Lord, heal me fast, I don't have time for this". Never have been to the doctor for an injury, and my wife say's I heal faster than any normal person she has ever met.

 

[Jstpssng]

A lot of people are convinced I have a degree in BS.

Many of us are gifted with that degree.

 

[Jstpssng]

What a waste, you pour beer on a sting!!!
Anybody remember the 'blue bags' in the laundry, I have a vague recollection of grandmother using them on stings, no idea what was in them and haven't seen them since I was a kid in short pants.

I took that to mean that he applied the WH, then drank the beer!

 

[TractorGuy]

Huh! I've been having a lot of pain in my left shoulder. Pretty sure I have a couple of those copper bracelets with the magnets in them. Guess what I'm wearing to bed tonight.

 

[bunyip]

I took that to mean that he applied the WH, then drank the beer!

But a response like mine was too good to pass up.
Another placebo for the English is a cup of tea, seems to cure or solve all problems.

 

[kf4uda]

I agree 100%. After 40 years in construction I have had more cuts (always need stitches, but I don't get them), scrapes, tears, and bang ups than you can imagine. Anytime something happens, I just say, "Lord, heal me fast, I don't have time for this". Never have been to the doctor for an injury, and my wife say's I heal faster than any normal person she has ever met.

You are calling on the best doctor for your healing. He is still taking new patients!!

 

[orezok]

A lot of people are convinced I have a degree in BS.

Yeah, well I graduated Magna *** Lousy :laughing: