The Bach flowers are one of those alternative therapies that, sheltered under the umbrella of Placebo effect, enjoy a great fame extended to the blow of amimefunctionism. They are usually sold to treat pain or mood problems. Both are conditions that are greatly benefited by the placebo effect. Our minds have a lot of power and if we are really convinced that something will work for us, it is very likely that it will work in some way. Especially when what we want to treat has precisely a high mental load. But that doesn’t make a supposed therapy any more reliable. Nor does it give reasons to be promoted by public means, such as the EFE Agency.
That is what he has denounced these days on social networks Luis Santamaria, a researcher at the Ibero-American Network for the Study of Sects (RIES), through his Twitter account. Seeing that an article from EFE Health began to spread through social networks, wanted to alert the problem of giving voice to pseudotherapies like the Bach flowers.
But why can we talk about them as pseudotherapies? Has science studied its effectiveness? The truth is that he has. And the results, as expected, do not exactly leave them in a good place.
What are Bach flowers?
Before talking about its effectiveness, it is worth remembering what Bach flowers are. It is an alternative therapy developed between 1928 and 1936 by english doctor Edward Bach. Here it is important to make the point that the fact that it was developed by a doctor does not give it greater credibility. They were also doctors who in the past cured everything with bloodletting and now we wouldn’t dream of hooking a few leeches on our arms to treat the flu. Or, well, maybe someone does. But it’s not good. Really.
They are composed, at the base, of something known as mother tincture. This consists of a mixture of equal parts of water and brandy. But then it is diluted in another liquid. And it is in this final result that dilutions of different plant essences are made. In total there are 38 types, aimed at different pathologies. Although they all focus on emotional components; since, according to Bach, emotional imbalances are the basis of many ailments, both physical and mental. This sounds a lot like what is promulgated by another pseudotherapy, known as biodecoding, which directly blames sufferers for their conditions. After all, if they’ve gotten an infection or even cancer, it’s supposed to be because they mishandled some emotion.
Pseudotherapy based on Bach flowers is also considered a type of homeopathy, since flower essences are found very diluted. So much so that statistically, according to a review in 2009, can be found a single molecule of the supposed remedy per dose.
This does not seem to be a problem for proponents of this alternative therapy. However, under the pretext that the alcohol It can be dangerous for children and pregnant women, some of them assure that there is no problem because said amount it’s insignificant. In other words, the fact that there are practically no flowers, which are supposed to be the active ingredient, is not a problem. Just your energy. But that there is alcohol is not a problem, because there is little.
Of course, it should be noted that at this point there is a certain opinion division, well some pseudotherapists They advise pregnant women to use non-alcoholic preparations or to dilute them first.
What does science say about this alternative therapy?
Although it is classified as an alternative therapy, the most correct name, based on scientific evidence, is pseudotherapy, since it has not been proven that they can cure anything. In fact, in Spain they are part of the WithTest list, of the Ministry of Science, although in the part of therapies to review to be considered pseudotherapies.
Pending a decision on this list, we can rely on the studies that have been carried out.
For example, the 2009 review mentioned above found that the majority of studies conducted there is a high risk of bias. In addition, in the trials analyzed, although Bach flowers are shown to be safe for those who take them, they are not found to be effective in treating the disorders analyzed. At least no more than a placebo.
Too Edward Ernst, a German doctor who has dedicated his work for many years to the study of pseudotherapies, has a publication about. In it, seven clinical trials on the efficacy of Bach flowers are analyzed. Only one of them did not include a placebo control. This control is important, because it helps to check if the remedy being analyzed is effective by itself or if it is simply the effect of the patient’s suggestion. What Dr. Ernst found in this case is that precisely the one that did not include placebo it was the only study that seemed to find any efficacy in Bach flower remedies. In the others, there were no differences with those who took a substance apparently the same as Bach flowers, but without the same ingredients.
In fact, even in the article of EFE Health in which the benefits of Bach flowers are told and several pseudotherapists are given a voice, when asking a doctor, Dr. Cosme Nevada, he replies that these are “techniques that can produce calm and relaxation in the person, as long as he believes it.” And that is precisely a great definition of the placebo effect. If the patient believes that what he is taking is effective, he may feel that the effects are positive.
Other diseases
Although the majority of pseudotherapists who offer Bach flowers offer them for signs of an emotional origin, such as the anxiety, there are those who go further.
In some pages on the subject they also maintain that they can be useful for treating allergies or gastritis. It should be noted that the digestive problems or even some dermatological symptoms, which could be confused with an allergy, can be caused by stress or anxiety. Therefore, the placebo effect can also be really effective here.
However, there are some Bach flower advocates who offer them for much more serious conditions. In the scientific literature, it is curious case of a patient who was treated Herpes zoster in this way. It should be noted that this is a viral disease and that, although it can be treated with antivirals to prevent it from progressing too far and causing some complications, it can also go away on its own. It happens as with a flu, which is cured in seven days with homeopathy and in a week without it.
Therefore, showing Bach flowers as a supposedly effective therapy against a wide range of pathologies can be dangerous. Especially if it reaches patients who practice other pseudotherapies, such as biodecoding. Someone could end up wanting to treat cancer with Bach flowers and that is very dangerous, because really scientific treatments can be neglected. And, of course, if it is promulgated in public media on health, as EFE Health, is transformed with a serious tint of credibility. What should always be clear with this type of therapy is that we are all free to take them if we want. But keep in mind that, if we feel any effect, it will probably be a placebo thing. The same thing could happen to us with a little water. If we still want to spend the money on it, go ahead.