Rheumatoid Arthritis
Conditions
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.
Interventions
OTHERHealing
Healing in our study is given be a healer no-touch, who just has to be present in the room.
OTHERSham healing
Sham Healing in our study is given be a student no-touch, who just has to be present in the room.
Sponsors
The IMK Foundation
The Danish Rheumatism Association
Oak Foundation
Henning Bliddal
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
QUADRUPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Patients with rheumatoid arthritis in a stable medication the past 3 months written informed consent
Exclusion criteria
* Not able to arrange own transport, language problems
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| DAS28 | 8 weeks follow-up |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Colour Doppler fraction | 8 weeks follow-up |
Outcome results
None listed