title: Tx-discs--no effect against subjective health complaints: a randomised controlled study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dowsers claim unhealthy effects of 'earth rays', and the producer of TX-discs claims that these discs may shield a person from the influence of 'earth rays', thereby relieving most illness in the person shielded.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the effects of the TX-disc versus a placebo disc in patients with longstanding muscular-skeletal complaints.
  
  
  METHODS
  Self-recruited community living persons in the Bergen area, Western Norway.
  
  
  METHODS
  67 women and 13 men with longstanding muscular-skeletal complaints, recruited by advertisements in local newspapers.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomised and double-blinded controlled trial with a 6 months follow-up period.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Subjective Health Complaints (SHC) questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found a substantial reduction on the mean SHC sub-scale scores of muscular-skeletal, pseudo-neurological, gastro-intestinal, and allergic complaints, mainly occurring from baseline to 6 weeks (28-45%, P < 0.05-0.001). There were however no statistically significant differences for these variables between the TX group and the placebo group at any time point.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TX-discs used in accordance with the instructions had no clinically or statistically significant effect on muscular-skeletal pain, pseudo-neurological complaints, gastro-intestinal, or allergic complaints during this study.
authors.affiliation: Section for General Practice, Department for Public Health and Primary Health Care, University of Bergen, Kalfarveien 31, 5018 Bergen, Norway. anders.baerheim@isf.uib.no
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baerheim
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Oren
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bjorvatn
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hunskaar
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000379:methods*; D003300:Copper; D003371:Cough / Q000628:therapy; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D010146:Pain / Q000523:psychology; D059408:Pain Management; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D003300:Copper