| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| brantross |
Posted - 08/03/2009 : 11:48:47
I am 28 and have a history of TMS pain -- back pain, knee pain, RSI (etc.) But this last problem has almost totally defeated me. I can barely walk anywhere and my life has become worrying about walking. I have been feeling extremely distressed/depressed.
Six months ago, I fell on my left foot and it immediately swelled up and felt painful. Since then, I've had a limp, the foot has remained stiff, red, and slightly swollen. The toes in my foot won't bend without severe pain and even then they shake a lot and I can't bend them all the way. Walking is intensely painful. As a result of limping from this injury both my knees/legs hurt everywhere and my other foot has started to hurt. I'm afraid my back will be next.
I have been to four doctors and received X-rays and MRIs. The X-rays are negative. 3 of the doctors found nothing remarkable on the MRIs, but one of them disagreed and said that he was sure that I tore a ligament in the front of my left foot that would take approximately six months to heal. They don't think that I have RSD, but there has been some discussion about possibly having a nerve that was damaged in the fall that has been preventing me from healing (there is no evidence of this on the MRI).
I would love to convince myself that this is TMS, but I am having problems because it started with an injury (the doctors are in disagreement about whether I tore a ligament) my foot is visibly swollen and my toes are stiff and shake a lot. I am a healthy man as indicated by blood tests I received a few years ago when I had my RSI which showed no rheumatological diseases or other concerns. Is this TMS?
Also, incredibly troubling to me is that I can't wear any shoes! I have tried on hundreds! All shoes have slight alterations in the sole that are designed to accommodate the arch. Any slope or curve in the sole of the foot has become extremely painful for both of my feet (even my healthy one)! I feel like I can't focus on TMS until I can find a shoe that doesn't worsen the pain. I would just stick my feet in any shoes and grin and bear it, but the pain on the bottom of my feet becomes terrible in shoes and stays with me for days or longer. Could this be because the soft tissue in my feet have become so tight that they can't tolerate anything pushing into the bottom from the sole of shoes, or is this TMS also? Has anyone ever had this problem with shoes before?
Any advice would be extremely appreciated!!!
Brantross |
| 3 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| HilaryN |
Posted - 08/04/2009 : 01:27:58
Hi brantross,
I don't know if this will help, as I nipped it in the bud straight away and didn't allow it to become chronic, but here's my foot story:
http://www.tmshelp.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=5216
Hilary N |
| SarnoFan |
Posted - 08/03/2009 : 21:50:10
Physical swelling can be a manifestation of TMS. MRIs are not often accurate. Nerves, if damaged can take longer than 6 months to heal (and they do heal), but nerve damage is very unlikely from how you describe the injury and the doctors' results. MRIs and doctors' opinions can be wrong when they say they suggest a torn ligament.
Redness is also a symptom of anxiety (like blushing and nervousness). When I had pelvic/perineal pain and FEAR, my groin and thighs were red and blotchy and very sensitive to touch. I could not wear fitted pants. I often wore loose skirts and could hardly walk.
Therefore, don't think that just because you have physical signs and one doctor says there's a tear, that you have a real injury that hasn't healed.
Your worry has kept this from 'healing'. You have to stop fearing it. Fear/stress can inflame tissues (this has been proven in many studies). Once you accept this, the symptoms will fade over time.
Also, don't fear future pain (you say you are now worried that your back is next).
The fact that your pain is spreading, limiting your activities and increasing your fear, (and most doctors say you are OK), points to classic TMS/anxiety. Even if a ligament was torn, it would have healed by now.
Doctors sometimes point to nerve damage when all other explanations fail. My doctor thought I had a pelvic/perineal nerve damaged also, but could not prove it.
I am 95% well now that I have accepted TMS. The 5% increases after a period of stress or disappointment. I also believe 100% that TMS affects the nerves (therefore they are NOT damaged).
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| Nor |
Posted - 08/03/2009 : 18:45:08
Bantross,
TMS is often preceeded by an illness or injury. If you've been examined and all serious things are cleared - it smells like TMS to me. Just treat it as such and see what happens. |
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