Praying for the sick makes them feel even worse

[Euphoric]

PRAYING for hospital patients can make their illnesses worse and lead to significant post-operative complications, new research has found.

The biggest study into the relationship between prayer and healing found that, on the whole, prayers offered by strangers had no effect on patients' recovery.

But heart surgery patients who knew people were praying for them ended up with a higher rate of post-operative complications, such as abnormal heart rhythms. Researchers suggested this was perhaps due to the anxiety of knowing others were praying for their recovery.

In the past decade, scientists have carried out at least ten studies into the effects of prayer, and some have shown that "intercessory prayer" - prayer by strangers - can accelerate healing in patients.

The new study, involving more than 1,800 patients over ten years and costing about £1.5 million, was intended to overcome flaws in the earlier investigations and end years of speculation in both the medical and religious communities.

In the study, three Christian groups prayed for patients, starting the night before surgery and continuing for two weeks. Volunteers prayed for "a successful surgery with a quick, healthy recovery and no complications" for specific patients - they were given only the first name and first initial of the surname.

The patients were broken into three groups. Two were prayed for; the third was not. Half the patients who received the prayers were told they were being prayed for; half were told that they might or might not receive prayers. The results showed prayer had no effect on complication-free recovery. But 59 per cent of the patients who knew they were being prayed for developed a complication, compared with 52 per cent of those who were told it was only a possibility.

Researchers found the most common complication among those patients was atrial fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat that can be affected by anxiety. They speculated that knowing about the prayers made many patients nervous. "It may have made them uncertain, wondering, am I so sick they had to call in their prayer team?" Dr Charles Bethea, a cardiologist and the study's co-author, said.

source

Euphoric Reviewed by Euphoric on 04-04-2006. Praying for the sick makes them feel even worse PRAYING for hospital patients can make their illnesses worse and lead to significant post-operative complications, new research has found. The biggest study into the relationship between prayer and healing found that, on the whole, prayers offered by strangers had no effect on patients' recovery. But heart surgery patients who knew people were praying for them ended up with a higher rate of post-operative complications, such as abnormal heart rhythms. Researchers suggested this was Rating: 5

[mont974x4]

Interesting, my personal experience shows that prayer works.

[Oneironaut]

Not mine. I have had several relatives pass away from diseases even though my family (including my grandmother who is a minister) prayed for them every day. This includes a cousin who died of cancer before she could graduate high school. I guess they just weren't praying hard enough.

Of course prayer doesn't work. That's why we invented modern medicine.

[mont974x4]

How about instead of praying for healing, try praying for God's will to be done.

[JunkYard]

It's obviously Gods will for everyone to die, otherwise we'd all live forever...

It's mankinds that strives to keep us living longer,

[Oneironaut]

How about instead of praying for healing, try praying for God's will to be done.

Uhh, then how can you tell that the prayer did anything? If there is a god, then no matter what happens it's his will. That's like praying for gravity to continue working.

[MoonStarer420]

Ha now that is somthing I can see. Not because it's "against" faith but because it was a controlled experiment. I've heard of another study by praying for seeds to grow but they don't state any sources or data what-so-ever, so it could be bullshit. Oh and not to mention their sample size was tiny.

"They speculated that knowing about the prayers made many patients nervous. "It may have made them uncertain, wondering, am I so sick they had to call in their prayer team?" Dr Charles Bethea, a cardiologist and the study's co-author, said."
I would of thought that it would have had some sort of placebo effect. I guess ignorance is truly bliss.

[mont974x4]

There was similar study that said that people who pray and attend church live longer. They also do better when serious illness or surgery occurs. I would think the diference has to do with one study has unknown people praying for other unknown people while the other involves people more directly.

I don't remember who did the study but it was on FoxNews a couple of days ago.

[Oneironaut]

There was similar study that said that people who pray and attend church live longer. They also do better when serious illness or surgery occurs.

But is this due to the invisible hand of God, or just the fact that churchgoers have a group of people willing to support them and help them through tough times?

[cjh3387]

I do not understand people who can not realize their has to be a god or some great being out there. How else did we get here. Some people might say evolution and science and all that bullshit. But where did that come from?Space cannot just be there. It had to be created.