Today’s class involves research and reading. A few abstracts are presented below. Then you will find some names of authors and papers you may choose to research yourself if you like:)
FLOWER ESSENCE RESEARCH PAPERS
- PMID: 9830938
- DOI: 10.1016/s1353-6117(98)80048-6
Abstract
This article explores the use of the unique flora from Western Australia. These wildflower essences are collected from across the state and are made into flower essences. These essences are made in a form similar to homeopathy. The essences can be given internally or applied to the external body and acupressure points. Angela and Craig Balinski have used the Western Australian flower essences in their complementary therapy practice where patients are treated for stress and pain management. This program is currently being utilized at nine of Perth’s hospitals. The Western Australian flower essences and their specific application techniques are compatible within the hospital environment because they are safe, produce consistent results, and take little time to apply to the patient. One of the other outstanding features of these essences is that they can be used without any interference with medical procedures. The Western Australian flower essences and the techniques for their use are unique and have, over the last two years, been presented at all of the major nursing conferences in Australia. At present, across Australia there are over 16 hospitals that are currently offering these treatments to their patients.
Campinini – 1997
This study comprised 115 patients (of which 91 completed) who suffered either anxiety (including stress) or depression. Patients received individualized mixes of up to five remedies. They were followed up with fortnightly assessments over several months and outcomes were reported as either ‘nil’, ‘partial’ or ‘complete’ recovery. 89 patients made a partial to complete recovery. The majority of those that made a partial to full recovery did so within the first 18 weeks of the trial. Trust in the remedy system was also explored. It would be reasonable to assume that if the effects of BFR were purely placebo, then favourable responses would be expected to be higher amongst ‘believers’ compared to ‘skeptics’. This hypothesis did not appear to be supported – of the 11 patients who were assessed as ‘nil’ response, ten were ‘believers’. The flower essences seemed to be effective for stress and depression.
Cram – 2001
This was a non-randomized ‘within-subject’ trial involving 12 patients with moderate to major depression. 11 patients had been receiving psychotherapy and eight were being treated with antidepressants (for an average of 17 months) with most having had depression for more than five years. In the first month of the trial patients were assessed and continued to receive their ‘usual’ care. During the second month flower remedies were added to the patients’ usual care, with the choice of flower remedies being individualized to each subject. Treatment continued for a further two months. Patients were assessed using the Hamilton Depression Score (HAM D) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Mean BDI decreased from a baseline value of approximately 20 to 11, and HAM D from baseline average 21 to 10 at three months, indicating that the addition of flower remedies to the ‘usual’ care regime led to demonstrable improvements.
Halberstein, R., L. DeSantis, A. Sirkin, V. Padron-Fajardo, M. Ojeda-Vaz. 2007. Healing with Bach Flower Essences: Testing a Complementary Therapy. Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine 12(1): 3-14.
Healing With Bach® Flower Essences: Testing a Complementary Therapy
January 1, 2007 Research Article
Bach® Original Flower Essence (BFE) Rescue® Remedy, a modality used since 1930 but not yet thoroughly investigated scientifically, was evaluated for the reduction of acute situational stress. A double-blind clinical trial comparing a standard dosage of BFE Rescue Remedy against a placebo of identical appearance was conducted in a sample of 111 individuals aged 18 to 49, randomized into treatment (n = 53) and control (n = 58) groups. The Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was administered before and after the use of Rescue Remedy or placebo. Downward trends in anxiety level measurements were discovered in both the treatment (Rescue Remedy) and control (placebo) groups. Statistical analyses indicated that only the high-state anxiety treatment subgroup demonstrated a statistically significant difference between pretest and posttest scores. The results suggest that BFE Rescue Remedy may be effective in reducing high levels of situational anxiety.
Mehta – 2002
This pilot study examined the use of BFRs as adjunctive therapy in children suffering Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Ten partially hospitalized children aged between five and 12 years were randomized to receive either BFR or placebo (five children in each group). The children continued to receive their standard medication during the study and improvement was assessed using the Childhood Attention Profile (CAP) and Columbia Impairment Scale (CIS) measures. Assessments were recorded at 3 weeks and 3 months. At completion, three in the BFR group were no longer in need of partial hospitalization and were no longer taking any medication for their ADHD. They were all described as ‘functioning well’. Three in the placebo group had moved to inpatient hospitalization. The remaining children in each group remained on medication and were described as being of ‘intermediate levels of functioning’. Mean CAP and CIS scores had decreased in both groups by the second follow-up. However, only CAP scores were significant at the p=0.05 level. The difference between the groups’ CAP scores were 4.4 at baseline, which increased to 7.0 at three weeks (p=0.03) and 7.2 at three months (p=0.03). The study suggests a positive role for BFR in addition to standard treatment in children diagnosed with ADHD.
Effect of flower essences in anxious individuals
L. Salles, Maria Júlia Paes da Silva
Medicine, Psychology
2012
TLDR
It was observed that the group that used the flower essences had a larger and statistically significant reduction in anxiety levels in comparison to the placebo group.
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Medicine, PsychologyJournal of the Indian Society of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry
- 2020
Now look up some studies of your own, if you like. You might try copy and pasting the author and study name in your browser.
Armstrong NC & Ernst E. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of Bach Flower Remedy. Perfusion 11: 440-6. 1999.
Cram JR. Flower essence therapy in the treatment of major depression: preliminary findings. International Journal of Healing and Caring 1:1-18. 2001.
A Nelson and Co Ltd Bach Flower Remedies: An Appraisal of the Evidence Base. Retrieved from www.bachcentre.com/centre/research.pdf May 2006.
Howard, J. 2007. Do Bach flower remedies have a role to play in pain control? A critical analysis investigating therapeutic value beyond the placebo effect, and the potential of Bach flower remedies as a psychological method of pain relief. Complement Ther Clinical Pract 13(3): 174-183.
Hyland, M.E., A.W.A. Geraghty, O.T.E. Joy, S.I. Turner. 2006. Spirituality predicts outcome independently of expectancy following flower essence self-treatment. Journal of Psychosomatic Research 60: 53-58.
_________& B. Whalley. 2008. Motivational concordance: An important mechanism in self-help therapeutic rituals involving inert (placebo) substances. Journal of Psychosomatic Research 65: 405-413.
Lechien, J., A. Hadefi, S.D. Saidi, I. Chimanuka, M. Es-Safi, P.C. de Araujo, P. Linkowski. 2012. Treatment by Bach Flowers: magical potion or factual medicine? A review of the literature. Rev Med Brux (French) 33(2): 105-110.
Martinez, L.R. & G.R. Martinez. 2014. Herpes zoster treated with Bach flowers. Rev Enferm (Spanish) 37(3): 45-48.
Masi, M.P. 2003. Bach Flower Therapy in the treatment of chronic major depressive disorder. Alternative Therapies 9 (6).
Ruhle, G. 1995. Pilot study on the use of Bach flower essences in primiparae with post-date pregnancy. Erfahrungsheilkunde 44: 854-860.
Thaler, K., A. Kaminski, A. Chapman, T. Langley, G. Gartlehner. 2009. Bach Flower Remedies for psychological problems and pain: a systematic review. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine 9(16).
Uldry, E.F. 2012. Emotional imbalance. The contribution of the Flowers of Bach. Krankenpfl Soins Infirm 105(2): 57.
Walach, H., C. Rilling, U. Engelke. 2004. Efficacy of Bach-flower remedies in test anxiety: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial with partial crossover. Journal of Anxiety Disorders 15(4): 359-366.