Naked Science Forum
Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: cheryl j on 26/07/2014 13:01:24
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I thought this was interesting. I've always had my doubts about tylenol except for fevers.
http://time.com/3031862/tylenol-and-panadol-prove-no-better-than-placebo-at-helping-back-pain/
The article also makes me wonder about what they consider part of the placebo effect as well. Having worked in a medical setting, I know a lot of patients often feel obligated to say something worked "okay" that they feel "a little better" when they actually don't, because they don't want to seem whiny, negative, or disappoint the doctor who hasn't actually helped them.
And while placebos help as a control for improvement regardless of what was taken, that improvement is not necessarily part of "the placebo effect" ie people's expectations actually changing the outcome, but may occur for other physiological reasons.