This is one of the reasons why today, according to the WHO (World Health Organization), classical medicine is ranked 4th according to its representation around the world. The first three places are held by other parallel medical systems.
The placebo effect is indispensable in aromatherapy. Namely, therapists will try to convince you in the healing properties of their therapy as well as the efficiency of various essential oils, perfumes, scented candles, flower arrangements, etc. that they use.
Your head might start to ache thanks to all of the smells, your nose might become irritated or your skin might redden thanks to the oils, but they will say its all a normal occurrence. And you will, of course, believe them.
Similar goes for sound therapy. Namely, therapists will try to convince you that you will feel better if you listen to nature sounds, e.g. the sound of the sea (waves), wind or some birds, even the sound of a harp, violin, guitar, etc. You will feel better if you listen to Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Ravel or a similar composer.
The real truth is that you would feel your best if the therapist would let you listen to your favourite music, such as blues, rock, country, etc.
Did you know that the color of a certain drug is not only used to diversify the type of pill, but that it also has a strong placebo effect?
Pharmaceutical companies have been using these kinds of findings in color psychology for a long time and so: tranquilizers (pills) are usually blue, stomach medicine is green, strong painkillers and cardiovascular remedies are red, antidepressants and stimulants can be red, yellow or of a pastel color, whereas birth control pills are light blue or pink.
Patients suffering from depression have a better reaction to yellow pills, while patients that have a high blood pressure give advantage to white pills. For most people, red and black pills seem more efficient than those that are white, whereas brown color is thought to have a laxative effect.
The shape of the pill as well as price also play an important role in placebo effect. More expensive drugs are more efficient than a cheap one and a pill that tastes bitter has a better effect than a sweet-tasting one. Also, a pill that has the manufacturer's logo engraved in it will have a stronger placebo effect.