| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Lizzie |
Posted - 03/14/2007 : 04:46:25
Dear All
I have suffered low back pain for over 4 years, neck pain for over 3 and various more intermittent pains (shoulders, psoas,) and objective tinnitis for a couple of years. I discovered Sarno's book 11 months ago but only started journalling in the Autumn. I have had a modicum of success in that I have taken no medicines/pain killers of any kind for anything nor seen a physio (physical therapist) etc for 3 months now. I have also panicked a lot less about sharp pains and talked myself through them/Sarnosising them. However on a scale of 1-10 my pain is at a regular 2 to 4 and I have not become pain free despite feeling I am now journalling over the same old ground and am aware of what's making me angry etc. Infact I do not find journalling useful anymore though the goodist in me carries on doing it!
I think part of my issue is that my lower back is still really stiff. I am nowhere near touching my toes and still struggle to tie shoelaces. Nothing in my flexibility has changed inspite of fell walking, using a cross trainer and other general exercise. It's like my lower back just does not know how to move or can not move. For example, when lying on the floor it's as if I have a concrete bum so can not pull my knees up anywhere near my chest. Has anyone else gone through this? How did you succeed in regaining flexibility?
I suspect at some level I have a belief question. I took my kids to school today and other Mums were talking about a fun run and I just felt fed up thinking I can't do that!
Sorry it's a long post with lots of strands but I hope some of you will understand my queries.
Thanks
Lizzie |
| 15 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| JohnD |
Posted - 03/22/2007 : 21:56:56
The cooley book helped me get most of my flexibility back that I lost from TMS. I met with some of his trainers for "assisted" sessions and made some very nice flexibility gains. |
| Singer_Artist |
Posted - 03/21/2007 : 11:12:47
Lizzie,
I am glad it helped to hear you are not alone in dealing with this neck flexibility issue and the surrounding fear...It helps me too..:) The brain self talk is sooo important..I am doing alot of that lately regarding the chest pains and skipped heart beats that come and go..It's amazing how our unconscious minds move this pain all around! Ridiculous and maddening actually! Conditioning is so powerful as well..We have to continue to Fight against it! I am curious about that book too! BTW, you are so lucky to be living in England! Love it there, love all of Europe for the most part, better then here actually..
Take care,
Karen |
| Singer_Artist |
Posted - 03/21/2007 : 10:55:22
Lizzie,
I am glad it helped to hear you are not alone in dealing with this neck flexibility issue and the surrounding fear...It helps me too..:) The brain self talk is sooo important..I am doing alot of that lately regarding the chest pains and skipped heart beats that come and go..It's amazing how our unconscious minds move this pain all around! Ridiculous and maddening actually! Conditioning is so powerful as well..We have to continue to Fight against it! I am curious about that book too! BTW, you are so lucky to be living in England! Love it there, love all of Europe for the most part, better then here actually..
Take care,
Karen |
| Lizzie |
Posted - 03/21/2007 : 04:29:14
Karen
Thanks for your reply. Your comment about finishing a glass rang true. I can not look up to finish a canned drink and feel I try to control my movements through caution (I suppose I mean fear there). It somehow helped to think someone else understood what I was describing! I suppose reading back over my own words I can see that I am still afraid to do a lot of physical movements which is probably the main thing holding back my flexibility and release from pain. It's tough though.
Another funny thing happened last night; I went to my elder son's parents evening. Last time I was at an event in the school hall my neck hurt and guess what whilst there last night it started to stiffen up and hurt even more. I tried pain talk on the way home and it did improve somewhat so I suppose I've conditioning still to fight. I felt recognising this conditioning at least was progress!
John D
Thank's for your post. What is the Cooley book like? It gets bad reviews on Amazon. How was it useful?
Lizzie |
| JohnD |
Posted - 03/20/2007 : 20:58:05
check out "the genius of flexibility" by bob cooley |
| Singer_Artist |
Posted - 03/20/2007 : 20:49:42
Lizzie,
Wow,,you sound sooo much like me..I just now read your posts..I truly feel for you and I understand your frustration, especially with the flexibility issues and pain moving around..I could have written nearly the same things you wrote..The advice you got from everyone was perfect! I am going to be re-reading it myself..My main problem with flexibility is in my neck, particularly looking up...I cannot look up even to finish drinking a full glass of water...I cannot stand in one spot too long while working on a painting either...It is very frustrating and scary sometimes...And, for me, the pain is mostly neck related..ie..arms, fingers occasionally...But when the neck calms down, either the knee, back or even chest starts up and that is a real scary one...I just started walking again seriously after slacking off for months..I am hoping this will help..I am starting to journal again too...I have ALOT of stress in multiple areas in the present, let alone things that happened long ago..Keep up the good work..You will continue to make progress!!
God bless,
Karen |
| Newmom |
Posted - 03/19/2007 : 13:05:29
Lizzie,
I still have issues with flexibility. However, I have lost some weight and I am starting to get better, which is maybe what I needed to get past the flexibility issues I have. I also do yoga exercises -I got a video that was for people with back/neck injuries so the exercises were not as advanced. However, to a person who feared movement, even the beginner stuff was hard a few months ago when I started.
What broke my cycle of fear regarding flexibility was that these exercises were for people who had "physical problems." So even though I know there is nothing wrong with me physically, these exercises would help me even if there was something physically wrong!!
Yes - I am a classic case and I still need to find an explanation for everything!! Good Luck. |
| Lizzie |
Posted - 03/19/2007 : 03:39:03
Thanks for the encouragement! Tried a short run whilst out walking... you know run some, walk some, run some and all the old fears about running on a hard surface jerking my back came to the fore. Carried on, telling myself I was Ok, I was building up sensibly after 4 years gap and that I had TMS not a bad back but still felt a little anxious that evening. The next day my back felt just the same , no worse so I took that as positive. Since then my neck and shoulder which have often caused pain in the past have started to hurt again. This TMS is a pig! I should see this as positive but as I am human I feel annoyed. I feel I always have some pain. It just shifts, with none of the other areas getting fully symptom free inbetween. I suppose I still do not trust my body! I'll have to work on that one! Was going to try the walk, run, walk again today to challenge the TMS as I couldn't over the weekend (gales, snow, sleet etc) but in spite of the sun shining I am in minding my son and his ear infection.
Lizzie |
| shawnsmith |
Posted - 03/16/2007 : 12:04:42
I hate running, amd I just simply refuse to do it. Not because it brings on pain, but I find it a horrid waste of time. I like to do the things I enjoy and running, especially when someone tells me I should, is definetely one of those things I enjoy doing.
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Sarno-ize it!
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| h2oskier25 |
Posted - 03/16/2007 : 08:25:08
quote:
Originally posted by Lizzie
I took my kids to school today and other Mums were talking about a fun run and I just felt fed up thinking I can't do that!
So, that means you're going on the fun run, right?
I hope you are. That would be so good for you on so many levels. It would make you happy, it would empower you, and it could only help your body. Running forces oxygen all over at such a tremendous pace. I love it, and I HATE to run.
Regards,
Beth |
| sensei adam rostocki |
Posted - 03/16/2007 : 07:51:09
Hi Lizzie, the previous replies are all good. I suspect that there are some other issues that are creating a symptom imperative that have remained unexplored by you in your journaling. These issues might be very well hidden, but experience tells me that they are holding on and continuing to create the need for a physical pain distraction. I would continue to journal and do NOT do it casually. Dig deep in to your mind and try to uncover these remaining issues. Then, you will have a much better chance of overcoming your pain completely. Best to you, Sensei |
| Wavy Soul |
Posted - 03/16/2007 : 06:35:38
Well, I've been very inflexible all my life, so I used to do a lot of yoga and go on retreats. Then the pain made any yoga class out of the question for me.
Then i got sarnoized.
Now I go to yoga at least 3 times a week and am gradually rebuilding flexibility that is not innate.
And GUESS WHAT! It's 5 in the morning and I am up early, getting ready to go off for a week's yoga retreat in Mexico!! Haven't been able to do this in 20 years! At 55 I feel like I am regenerating - and it's a gradual job and some of it requires work - just as one would practice to become a good runner. For some of us, flexibility is as mysterious as singing in tune.
tra lala
xx
Love is the answer, whatever the question |
| Lizzie |
Posted - 03/16/2007 : 05:45:50
I think when my back was really bad 4 years ago there was a lot of stressors going on. From then on with daily pain (that shifts, waxes and wains) I felt angry I was stuck in a rut feeling that my body was fragile and seemed to be letting me down (belief/trust in body took a big blow there), frustrating my life and making me obsess about pain. Since reading about TMS I see myself in so much of it and believe I have TMS 100% but I can't help feeling frustrated as to why I have not made more progress as if my mind is not capable of doing battle with TMS. I kind of want a magic wand (unreasonable but truthful) and the perfectionist in me thinks I've done so much right: pain talk and journalling etc so why is my progress thwarted. I know Dave is right that it's a life long change and not a quick fix but it is still frustrating to me and I confess the pain does grab my attention (perhaps I lack the courage I admire in so many on this site)despite my best efforts at times and I still worry about the future, with thoughts such as what if I can't beat this TMS?
Rant over. Thanks for listening. Thanks for the replies above.
Lizzie
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| shawnsmith |
Posted - 03/14/2007 : 08:50:39
You talked a lot about your pain, but what about what is going on in your life. Share with us. Possibly other members can offer some insights that you have not seen up until now.
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Sarno-ize it!
************* |
| Dave |
Posted - 03/14/2007 : 07:58:28
Don't worry about being "pain free". Just continue to do the work. It is a life-long change in the way you think about and react to pain, not a quick fix.
The stiffness in your lower back is due to conditioning. You feel pain when you expect to (e.g. tying your shoes). Again don't worry so much about being flexible. It will come.
Why can't you run? |
