definitely not a placebo. I don't have pain, but kratom has a very specific feel, like alcohol or caffeine or kava. You know immediately if you've had alcohol or caffeine, there is no mistaking one for the other. Maybe you got a weaker strain, didn't take enough or have a high tolerance to opiates, which act on similar receptors. Whether is specifically helps peoples pain is a personal thing, as everyone's pain is different and their chemical makeup is different. It definitely does something, that is for sure.