[Exploiting placebo and nocebo effects in patients with chronic pain]

In recent years, the knowledge behind placebo analgesia has strongly increased. The underlying mechanisms are depictable in a comprehensive way. They can be used to enhance placebo responses in all active pain treatments. Expectations of the patient are pivotal and can be influenced specifically by learning processes and instructions, both in the positive direction (placebo response), as well as in the negative direction (nocebo response). In conversations, these principles can be considered to optimize the expectation with respect to treatment outcome and to reduce negative cognitions.