Effect of Healing on Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Conditions
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Interventions
- Other: HealingOther: Sham healing
- Registration Number
- NCT00967395
- Lead Sponsor
- Henning Bliddal
- Brief Summary
The hypothesis is that healing may influence the patient's general status by altering psychological as well as other body functions of importance for the rheumatoid arthritis. This is tested in a three group design with a control group and two groups receiving healing with or without a healer present. The study is randomized and double blind.
- Detailed Description
The central claim of healers is that this process facilitates self-healing in the patient. Spiritual healing includes several categories, including 'therapeutic touch' and 'intercessory prayer', and the healing may be attributed to God, spirits, universal forces or energies, biological healing energies residing in the healer, or self-healing powers or energies thought to reside latent in the healed organism. The highly controversial hypothesized effects of distant or spiritual healing contradict our traditional sense of reality and are in conflict with what is generally viewed as being in correspondence with modern science.
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- COMPLETED
- Sex
- Female
- Target Recruitment
- 90
- Patients with rheumatoid arthritis in a stable medication the past 3 months written informed consent
- Not able to arrange own transport, language problems
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- PARALLEL
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description Healing Healing patients receive healing while blindfolded and with hearing protector. The healer is behind a screen and not allowed to speak with the subject. Sham healing Sham healing Same design of room as with the healing, while in this case a student is behind the screen
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method DAS28 8 weeks follow-up
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Colour Doppler fraction 8 weeks follow-up