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Placebo
Placebos are generally medications and sometimes physical or psychological substitutes which in themselves have no known effect but which cause the patient to feel as if they are getting some effect. They depend upon patient expectations and the fact that there is a strong psychological component to many physical/health problems.
Dr. Richard Bensinger reviewed this
54 year experience in Ophthalmology
How long it usually lasts:
Related questions
A 18-year old asked:
How does the placebo effect works?
2 doctor answers • 9 doctors weighed in
A 47-year old asked:
What is the point of placebos in drug trials?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
A 17-year old female asked:
Can i start taking my placebo pills a week early?
1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in
A 30-year old asked:
What's a good way to check if my pill is a placebo?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
A 45-year old asked:
How come we test new drugs against nothing (placebo)?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
A 24-year old female asked:
The placebo pills work the same as the "active" pills? You still protected?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
A 33-year old asked:
Is it possible that the placebo effect be used to create a new class of drugs?
1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in
A 23-year old female asked about a 35-year old female:
How is it proven that cool scultiping really work and not just the placebo effect?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
A 18-year old female asked:
I only spotted once while taking the 4 placebo pills and it was in the 2nd day. Is that normal?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
A 17-year old female asked:
Are you protected the week after placebo pills; like when you start taking active pills on time again?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
A 19-year old male asked about a 19-year old female:
Why are there placebo pills with bc? What are they for? And how does bc work? Combination pills specifically.
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
A 20-year old female asked:
I have taken three days of active pills instead of three days of the placebo pills. Which pills do I continue taking?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
A 18-year old female asked:
Would it work if i took 42 days of bc, then 7 placebo, then 42 days of bc again, then 7 placebo and then the regular 21 days of bc?
2 doctor answers • 2 doctors weighed in
A 18-year old male asked:
Does placebo effect applies in bodybuilding?
4 doctor answers • 7 doctors weighed in
A 23-year old asked:
Does antebuse work because of a placebo effect?
2 doctor answers • 2 doctors weighed in
A 59-year old male asked:
Does buspirone really work or is it like a placebo?
2 doctor answers • 2 doctors weighed in
A 39-year old female asked:
Does ziccam really work or is it the placebo affect?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
A 20-year old female asked:
Is it ok if I take my placebo week pills a little late?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
A 42-year old asked:
Can you tell me if i could tell if my dilaudid is a placebo?
1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in
A 25-year old female asked:
Im taking Alysena 28. is it necessary to take placebo pills?
1 doctor answer • 5 doctors weighed in
A 33-year old asked:
What are some medications for treating mental illness placebos?
1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in
A 40-year old asked:
Could gingko biloba pills really work, or is it a placebo issue.?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
A 31-year old asked:
How can a placebo medication cause side effects or even hurt you?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
A 53-year old asked:
In drug trials, is a placebo used to avoid harming some of the volunteers?
2 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in
A 17-year old female asked:
Can starting my placebo pill a day early make my cycle come early or will it be a day late?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
A 62-year old asked:
Why are ssri meds used so often when studies show them to be no more effective than placebos?
2 doctor answers • 5 doctors weighed in
A 17-year old female asked:
Skipped placebos last month, took them this month. Took first active pill today, but continued bleeding. When will it stop?
2 doctor answers • 2 doctors weighed in
A 24-year old female asked:
Starting my second pack of camrese soon, when will i be fully protected? During placebo pills? When i start new pack? Or after that?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
A 17-year old female asked:
I completed my first 28 day bc pack jan. 25 am i protected right away after my last placebo pill and when i started my new pack on the 26th?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
A 20-year old female asked:
Just started setraline 25mg yesterday and my mood has been great today. Is it possible for it to be working already or is it just placebo effect?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
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