Placebo: a study of persuasion and rapport

Abstract

The re ections in this paper come from 27 years of clinical experience in osteopathic private practice. Depending almost entirely on wordof-mouth referrals and fees paid by the patient, the author has sustained a reputation for good results in both brief treatments and in long-term complex cases. With a strong emphasis on methods that start from the somatic end of peoples problems, palpable change becomes clearer as our familiarity with the body grows. We become ®nely attuned to many sorts of di€erences in our patients. But why do these changes happen? Is there any way of knowing in our day-to-day practices? As we look for key factors that have helped the patient to turn the corner, we must inevitably consider whether some of them could be due to the operation of persuasion, suggestion, or some other form of `placebo response'.