| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| chester |
Posted - 11/27/2007 : 16:32:37
From my MRI report:
"L5-S1; left paracentral disc herniation superimposed on a diffuse disc bulge withouyt canal stenosis. The herniation abuts the left S1 nerve root predominantly. There is Grade I retrolisthesis of L5 on S1. There is marked left and mild-to-moderate right-sided entry zone neural foraminal narrowing."
I'm making slow but steady progress in my TMS work, but that last sentence has thrown me off a bit. Particularly the work "marked." Is such a finding common/uncommon with TMS?
Thanks. |
| 10 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| koukla |
Posted - 11/28/2007 : 10:45:04
Sitting in one position all day does contribute to tight muscles, as the body is designed to move. I have read that people can lose their "kinestetic sense" and be unable to tell when they are tensing their muscles. A lot of people tense up as a response to emotional stress and don't even realize that they are doing it. Holding a muscle in contraction can really cause pain. When I think back on my old job when I developed my RSI symptoms, I realize that I was constantly stressed. I remember having a feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach every day when I went to work because I did not want to be there. I would sit at my desk and hold myself so rigidly--every day felt like I was going to the doctor or taking a big exam.
Now that I am aware that I have a tendency to tense up when I am stressed, I have been making a conscious effort to loosen up. What has helped me a lot has been doing daily meditation. It really feels amazing and I am learning how to be more at ease in my daily life--especially when in emotioally tense situations. I do think that it works both ways--while emotional stress can cause muscles to tighten, making an effort to loosen the muscles can have an impact on emotional stress. I've never done yoga or anything like that, but a lot of people say that it has an impact on their mental outlook.
Carolyn |
| chester |
Posted - 11/28/2007 : 09:47:10
One last physical question, then…
My left buttock/thigh area is brutally tight. That’s actually my worst pain symptom right now. When I was in PT, I could nearly touch my toes after doing my stretches. Now, I can barely touch my left knee, and that’s with serious wincing.
Walking helps a bit – I walked close to two miles this morning on the commute into work. Then I sit at a desk all day long, constantly shifting positions to try to get comfortable, and I tighten up. I understand the concept of stopping physical treatments, but a few simple stretches might help me feel a bit better now, the way walking does. Would the stretches really slow my progress against TMS?
Incidentally, I stopped all pain relievers (OTC pills and muscle creams) this past weekend, so I’m trying to tough it out on all levels. I can manage without the stretches as well, if need be. I guess it's just instinctive to me to stretch tight muscles. |
| 2scoops |
Posted - 11/28/2007 : 09:03:48
I agree with Carolyn.
The more you focus on the report, the more you will SEE a physical cause for the pain. I did that and it is so counter productive, the more you carry the films and reports with you, the longer you will be in pain, gaureenteed.
Who even talks like that!  |
| koukla |
Posted - 11/28/2007 : 07:16:36
Chester,
I wouldn't worry too much about your mri report. At my old job (work comp adjuster) I used to read those reports all the time and they always sound scary even when it is really insignificant. Keep in mind that the radiologist is looking for something--anything-- that might be wrong so they tend to over analyze the films. And I do think that nerve root impingement would cause more in the way of nerve symptoms like numbness/tingling/crawling bugs etc. not sharp pains. If you had a lot of swelling visible on the mri, then pain might be more reasonable, you don't have any of that on the report.
Carolyn |
| chester |
Posted - 11/28/2007 : 04:08:49
quote:
Originally posted by Stryder
Hi chester,
What kind of symptoms are you having?
If you are having back/buttock/leg/foot PAIN then your MRI findings have nothing to do with your pain. Your pain is TMS. The other proof is that your TMS work is progressing in a positive direction.
Nerve inpingment causes numbness.
If you are in no danger (red flag symptoms), then shelve the MRI and don't give it anoher thought.
Take care, -Stryder
Those are exactly my symptoms. Back/buttock/leg/foot PAIN. No numbness or any other dysfunction.
I think I'm just overthinking this. I've become frustrated with my lack of progress, which has led me to revisit the entire chain of events that got me to this point. Not a good move - I'm dwelling far too much on the physical aspect, and not the emotional.
I have a followup with a TMS doctor next week. He thinks my condition is TMS. Between my reading/listening/watching of Sarno's books/audio/video, I expected to see more progress by now. I consider myself to be a fairly intelligent person, and I'm annoyed that I haven't recovered the way so many people have by just reading one of Sarno's books. Again, overthinking.
Thanks everyone for your feedback. |
| Stryder |
Posted - 11/27/2007 : 22:55:58
Hi chester,
What kind of symptoms are you having?
If you are having back/buttock/leg/foot PAIN then your MRI findings have nothing to do with your pain. Your pain is TMS. The other proof is that your TMS work is progressing in a positive direction.
Nerve inpingment causes numbness.
If you are in no danger (red flag symptoms), then shelve the MRI and don't give it anoher thought.
Take care, -Stryder |
| mamaboulet |
Posted - 11/27/2007 : 20:32:19
Between hearing about people's MRI's on here, and watching episodes of House MD, no way I'm ever getting an MRI. Either it will say that my spine is going to explode at any second if I breathe, or I will go into cardiac arrest while in the machine and then throw up blood.
Sorry. I just think all this new technology does more to scare the bejeezuz out of everybody than it seems to help.
Not really true but it sure seems that way sometimes. Maybe they should just stick to finding tumors with new technology and forget the back stuff. |
| painintheneck |
Posted - 11/27/2007 : 17:36:28
Hi Chester,
MRI reports sound scary a lot of the time. Mine had me so terrified I was afraid to move for fear I would cause permanant damage and lose function. I babied my neck so long the muscles around it are having a hard time relaxing.
Thing is..... I can go periods of time without pain. Honestly if the structure being impaired was causing pain it wouldn't just stop. I also notice I can wake up and be pain free till I get angry or stressed and the pain just spreads across my upper back, neck and shoulders. I can actually feel it come on and it's not injury pain it's anger pain. |
| skizzik |
Posted - 11/27/2007 : 17:18:18
I think marked just means it's on the report, so if you need a future MRI, a future radiologist can see it was marked b4, and compare.
Words like "marked", or "noted" are just there because they have to write down everything they see that doe'snt correspond w/ a picture perfect 15yr old spine.
Theres probably an "impression" area where they list where they list what they think is the source of your pain.
The "marked" and "noted" parts are probably not in the "impression." |
| armchairlinguist |
Posted - 11/27/2007 : 17:11:38
I hestitate to speculate, but in a technical sense 'marked' usually just means noticeable and more than average.
--
It's not 100% belief that's required, but 100% commitment. |
