Study Highlights Potential of Prayer in Alleviating Pain and Anxiety

Adult patients reported notable relief from pain and anxiety after only a five-minute session of in-person prayer. This finding emerged from a randomized controlled trial carried out by researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

Direct Prayer vs. Music

The study compared the outcomes of direct prayer to music listening, revealing greater and longer-lasting relief through prayer. Pastor Jesse Bradley from Grace Community Church noted, “Prayer is powerful and beneficial on many levels.” The research showed that prayer is the most commonly used form of complementary medicine in the U.S., with 43% of Americans utilizing it.

Methodology

Researchers focused on proximal intercessory prayer (PIP), which involves in-person prayer directed at another’s well-being. Participants’ pain and anxiety levels were tracked immediately after the session and at intervals of two and six weeks.

Involving 180 patients from a family medicine waiting room, the study enlisted individuals with moderate to severe pain or anxiety. Participants were divided into two groups: one receiving five minutes of prayer from a trained volunteer, and the other listening to music for the same duration.

Significantly, 97% of participants were “neutral or supportive” of incorporating prayer into their medical visits, according to Dr. Katherine Jacobson, assistant professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

Findings and Impact

Patients in both groups experienced improvements; however, those in the prayer group reported more substantial relief. Among those who had received prayer, there was an immediate and considerable drop in pain, which persisted through the two-week follow-up. Anxiety reductions were also more pronounced and sustained in this group at the two-week and six-week marks.

Dr. Jacobson highlighted that neither religious beliefs nor expectations predicted positive outcomes. Improvements were reported among a diverse range of participants, including non-Christian faiths and those skeptical of the intervention’s efficacy.

Considerations and Future Research

While the study suggested prayer as a viable complementary treatment, it acknowledged the difficulty in isolating its effects. Human contact during prayer—like eye contact and laying of hands—might also contribute to pain reduction.

The researchers plan future studies with a control group exposed to interpersonal interaction but without prayer. The goal is to further assess prayer’s potential as an effective complement to standard care for managing pain and anxiety.

Physicians are encouraged to explore spiritual care preferences with patients as part of holistic care. Integrating trained prayer practitioners into outpatient settings might benefit interested patients.