| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| leonard |
Posted - 03/21/2006 : 12:38:20
I went into a Books a Million a couple of weeks ago to purchase one of Dr. Sarno's books for a friend suffering from back pain. I picked up a book from the shelf that appeared to be one of the good doc's books titled " Healing Back Pain ". The book I picked had very similar coloration , and was titled " Healing Back Pain....... Naturally " with " Naturally "in a darker background which made it not stand out. I flipped through it briefly and it seemed to be a the same old crap combo of exercises and whatever with a md as author named, if my memory is correct , Brownstein. The first thing I thought was the number of people who purchased this book thinking they were buying Dr. Sarno's book , and the bookcover plagiarism involved.
Having had great benefit from the TMS approach but still left with some symptoms, I'm always looking at books and have purchased many recommended by members on this forum. They have for the most part been very good , but none have ever " stuck " with me in that I never fully followed through with their system or recommendations, and like a good little TMS 'er I managed to completely blame myself. Anyway , while I was in Books a Million I purchased a book called " Stress Free For Good " by Dr. Fred Luskin and Dr. Kenneth R. Pelletier. It was just an impulse purchase , and I thought it would be just another " ra ra " go gettum type. To my surprise , it is a terrific book that has really helped me with my anxiety and for the first time has help me connect my symptoms with my unconscious driven mental state. It has also help me relax with very simple techniques that I find fairly easy to master. I don't know how many of you have tried to meditate, but I was never very successful and spent way too much time attempting to visualize that " golden globe " or other fleeting entity. The book has 10 scientifically proven life skills for health and happiness, and , so far , I believe they are really effective. There are many references to chronic pain and TMS type symptoms , especially back pain. I am a true blue Sarno supporter, and hate to think where I would be if I had not luckily found his books at the same Books a Million , but I think this book will take me the rest of the way.
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| 4 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Fox |
Posted - 03/22/2006 : 14:36:32
I did back exercises and stretches for 15 years to try to get rid of my sciatic pain. It didn't help. I started doing Sarno, dropped the back exercises and stretches (but kept aerobic exercise, plenty of crunches - just to keep my stomach flat and toned - not to strengthen my back in any way, and non-back related resistance exercises), and got 85% relief from pain....Back exercises and stretching performed for the purpose of relieving pain will only have you focusing on the physical and will interfere with your acceptance of the concept that most of our pain is psychogenic and not structurally based. |
| ssjs |
Posted - 03/22/2006 : 11:56:02
Many years ago, I used to do a series of exercises to make my abdomen strong and keep my back from "going out" I was at the mercy of those exercises. Meaning, that if I didn't get a chance to do them, i felt stiff and "in crisis" all day, KNOWING that at the slightest move my back might "go out". I always felt stiff if I didn't do them.
I went to a Dr. sarno lecture, after I was already thinking that he was probably right, and he said that if you exercise to keep your core strong so you will not have back pain...stop now! You are just telling youself that your back is structually weak, and so in pain. Stop now!
BUT If you exercise to feel good and look good, by all means keep it up! Exercise is good for you!
How could that be? Stop stretching? I was always stiff and in pain if I didn't
exercise!
Well as of the next morning, I took a leap of faith, and never did those stretching exercises again. None of those sit ups and crazy stretches that wasted so much time. Guess what? it's been close to 20 years, and I never had pain again.
Do I exercise now? Well now i am part of the "I gotta keep young" boomers, so I do quite a bit of weight lifting, and of course sit ups to LOOK GOOD...but for years and years I didn't exercise at all...and I still had no pain.
I do not even stretch before I weight lift or run. I never do. and its been about 8 years since I started exercising again. Never a problem.
So if you like to exercise for the many health benifits it has...great.
But not to save your back.
I am quite opinionated about the whole thing, but I've been so damn successsful!
Sandy |
| winstir |
Posted - 03/22/2006 : 07:39:13
Becca,
I sense your reluctance to speak freely but I'd really be interested to hear your views.
I've only recently discovered Sarno, and much makes sense about the role emotions play in our pain and physical well-being. But every 'bone in my body' (pardon the pun) is sensing a moderate (blended) position makes the most sense, at least for me. I have started journaling again and feel strongly expressing the rage and anger will be incredibly helpful.
At the same time, I'm reluctant to stop the core-strength work I've been developing to strengthen muscles (particularly transversus and multifidus muscles). As much as repressed rage makes perfect intuitive sense to me as a causal factor in my TMS, it also makes a lot of sense that 25 years of intense sedentary desk and computer work have not been good for my body and played a role.
Thoughts? Comments from all would be welcome.
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| Becca |
Posted - 03/21/2006 : 17:46:26
I actually bought and read the book by Brownstein. I absolutetly loved it. It was the most helpful book on back pain that I have found. Ho focuses alot on the mind body aspect, giving suggestions for stress management and meditation. For some reason this book seemed to hit home with me. It does focus on some structural aspects though. Defitinetly not the book for the sarno purist. And I don't want to get any grief from hard core sarno members on this site so that is all I will say about that-R |
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