A research team from the University of Maryland School of Medicine investigated how a brief prayer after a medical consultation affects patients suffering from pain or anxiety.
The study, published in The Annals of Family Medicine, included 180 patients receiving primary care.
After their appointments, participants took part in a short prayer session, after which researchers measured changes in their symptoms, according to HealthDay.
The aim was to determine whether a simple and low-cost method could help patients in addition to standard medical treatment.
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Results over time
Researchers followed the participants for several weeks after the intervention.
One group experienced less pain both immediately after the intervention and at a follow-up two weeks later.
The same group also reported lower levels of anxiety, and the effect was still measurable six weeks later, according to HealthDay.
Researchers found no negative side effects associated with the study.
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The key difference
Nearly all participants said they would be open to being offered the same intervention during future medical visits.
The group that experienced the greatest improvements received five minutes of personal Christian prayer delivered by a trained individual.
The other group instead listened to five minutes of calming music.
According to the researchers, the brief prayer may be a safe and inexpensive supplement to conventional treatment.
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However, they emphasize that further research is needed before any definitive conclusions can be drawn.
Sources: HealthDay and The Annals of Family Medicine.