You may have heard of the placebo and nocebo effects, but I suspect you may not appreciate how powerful they can be.

In this episode, your hosts, Bob Allen, an osteopath since 2011, and Clare Elsby, a therapy coach, explore these fascinating and often misunderstood concepts and how they might already be influencing your health.

You’ll find out how the placebo effect can produce genuine changes in pain, mood, and function, even when there’s no active medical ingredient involved. From sugar pills to sham surgery, Bob shares clinical examples and surprising research that reveal just how powerful belief and expectation can be in the healing process. You’ll also learn about “open-label” placebos — where people know they’re taking a placebo and still feel better!

We then explore the nocebo effect — the lesser-known but equally powerful negative side of this phenomenon. Clare and Bob highlight how medical language and fear-based messaging (“bone on bone,” “degenerative disc disease”) can actually make your pain worse, slow down recovery, and increase anxiety.

They share real-life experiences where people were told to expect the worst — and then lived down to it.

Clare brings in the mental health perspective, including a critical look at antidepressants and the “chemical imbalance” theory, as explored in the work of psychiatrist Professor Joanna Moncrieff.

This is a must-listen episode if you’ve ever wondered how your mind and expectations affect your body and what you can do to harness that for better health.

• The placebo effect can trigger real, measurable changes in the brain, even when you know you’re taking a placebo.
• 97% of UK GPs have used placebo-based strategies to support their patients.
• The nocebo effect happens when negative suggestions or beliefs cause real symptoms and can block recovery.
• Language matters: terms like “bone on bone” or “degenerative disc disease” can reinforce your pain and fear.
• Understanding the placebo and nocebo effects helps you become a better advocate for your own health so you can receive better care and improve your health outcomes.

Links & Further Reading

🎥 The knee surgery placebo video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqGSeFOUsLI&t=5s

🎥 How to get the most from your medical appointment https://youtu.be/vuHm7gYxHWo

📚 Find the book on SSRIs here https://www.waterstones.com/book/chemically-imbalanced/joanna-moncrieff/9781804291246

📊 The Statins study https://www.ndph.ox.ac.uk/news/new-study-muscle-pain

🌿 Find out more about Clare’s therapy work: clareelsby.com

📖 Read Bob’s story and why he became an osteopath: bit.ly/BobsOsteoStory

📨 Sign up for Bob’s popular Pain Free Living newsletter: bit.ly/PFL_newsletter_signup

📱 Follow Bob on social media and podcast updates: linktr.ee/Painfreeliving