Effect of spiritual healing on chronic idiopathic pain: a medical and psychological study.
OBJECTIVE
To study over a period of one and a half years the effect of spiritual healing on patients with idiopathic pain syndrome using several psychological and medical parameters.


METHODS
Randomized clinical trial.


METHODS
Outpatient pain clinic.


METHODS
Twenty-four patients with idiopathic chronic pain who had passed a pretreatment psychological interview were allocated randomly to receive spiritual healing or no active treatment.


METHODS
Medical interview (Visual Analog Scale and Pain Clinic Investigation Formula); International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) Data Base Outline; psychological interview (Hopkin's Symptom Checklist, Middlesex Hospital Questionnaire, Beck's Depression Inventory, Coping Strategy Questionnaire, Health Locus of Control scale). Patients were evaluated at baseline and at 2 weeks posttreatment. Final assessment at 1 year posttreatment was done with a modified form of IASP Data Base Outline.


RESULTS
There was a minor decrease in analgesic drug intake and an improvement in sleep patterns in patients treated by the healer. Generally, clinical variables remained unchanged. Attitudes toward spiritual healing improved. There was a decrease in the feeling of hopelessness (p < 0.05) and an increased acceptance of psychological factors as reasons for pain (p < 0.05). Other scores of the psychological tests were unaffected by the healing. However, half (n = 6) of the treated patients felt that spiritual healing gave them some relief.


CONCLUSIONS
Spiritual healing appears harmless and was subjectively helpful to some patients suffering from idiopathic chronic pain syndrome.
Sundblom
D M
DM
Pain Clinic, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland.
Haikonen
S
S
Niemi-Pynttäri
J
J
Tigerstedt
I
I
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008602:Mental Healing; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D059408:Pain Management; D010147:Pain Measurement