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n/a
374 Posts |
 Posted - 07/19/2005 : 11:56:38
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Surely not? Around five weeks ago my left index finger swelled up and became very painful. It looked like a fat little sausage! I ignored it for around three weeks, but it got no better so I visited mt GP, suspecting infection - I had been gardening the evening before it swelled and thought that maybe something had got in.
She thought not - arthritis was what she said was most likely. She sent off blood and ordered an x-ray.
The finger stayed exactly the same until I visited the GP last week for the results of the blood test - no arthritis markers in my blood. I'm scheduled for the x-ray next week.
The weirdest thing - the swelling and pain started to go away that evening and my finger is now very nearly back to normal.
Surely that couldn't have been TMS - the finger was really swollen and a bit discoloured? Has anyone had something that seems overtly physical and it turned out to probably be TMS?
I now have to decide whether to cancel the x-ray or not.
If my TMS gremlin did cause it, it's cleverer than I gave it credit for. |
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Baseball65
USA
734 Posts |
Posted - 07/19/2005 : 14:40:31
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Hi Anne.
Yes,as a matter of fact I have had a couple of finger related things that seemed to be obviously physical that time bore out to be TMS.
One was my Thumb.I was sanding plaster by hand for days and days.My Right thumb swelled up and was numb and tingly...felt gross,like it wasn't my thumb.I had to keep shaking and hitting it,but nothing would restore feeling to it.I could have stuck a pin in it...it felt like anesthesia had been injected into it.
I went to the Medic at work who quickly explained that it was a form of carpal tunnel.Hearing that I thanked him and went back to sanding(knowing about CT and RSI from Sarno's books).I realized that I was angry at my Boss for letting a bunch of other guys at work get away with goofing off and NOT doing their share of the work.
Than,I had that Television set collapse on me(or I dove under,to be more correct).It weighed about 800-1000 pounds of plaster wood and steel.It hit my left shoulder and tore my left ring finger backwards,the way it doesn't go.I had to leave work about a week after it happened as I could no longer use my left hand at all....the pain was excruciating.
I went to the best hand specialist in Beverly hills who said I had torn the "netting underneath the skin that surrounds the muscle" and had stretched the ligament...he said it would be better in 6 weeks.
Around 8 weeks later,it was no better.He was angry with me(the doctor) and told me it shouldn't be hurting anymore(sound familiar?)
...anyways,after he said that,I went home and thought and thought and realized that at the time of the incident,I was furious with my boss/friend for laying me off rather than giving me an easier job while I was hurt,and was resentful at the guy who had been trapped under the wall that I had dove under to save!! I was out of harms way when it started to fall,but had dove under to stop it from crushing him(he ended up having knee surgery)...He never even said "Thanks"...the ungrateful %^&&%&*&%*!!!!!!
anyways,after the 'real' injury wore off,my anger kept the pain in place as a good distraction to keep me away from all these painful thoughts.
Both times these looked very 'real' and might have been injuries or over use(like the 'out of shape' kind...sore)
Both times my brain used the real even to make a new distraction.
peace
Baseball65 |
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Dave
USA
1864 Posts |
Posted - 07/19/2005 : 14:53:27
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This is one area where Sarno might say it was not TMS, because he does not believe TMS can cause inflammation. I disagree.
Inflammation is an overreaction by the immune system. The immune system is a target of TMS. Seems to me that swelling can be TMS.
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Marg
New Zealand
24 Posts |
Posted - 07/19/2005 : 18:47:38
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Hi,
I have a friend with TMS and she can literally sit there and watch her hand swell or arm. She also has been tested for arthritis which proved negative. Some of my earlier symptoms were swelling related. The left shoulder was really quite odd, it was clearly swollen and appeared approx. 1/2 higher than the other. I use to hold the left arm as if it were a broken wing. Always favouring it, I had no idea why I did this and once I was assured there was nothing actually wrong with the shoulder the swelling and pain disappeared quickly. Also, at the time my right foot for no reason what-so-ever swelled badly and remained that way for five days or so.
Also with RSI there is some swelling involved, there certainly was when I suffered from it approx 20 years ago. |
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Jim D.
USA
63 Posts |
Posted - 07/20/2005 : 10:30:03
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| I am not near "the books" right now and so can't check the reference, but there is one place where Sarno doubted his TMS diagnosis because there was swelling--it was a knee, if I recall. Later he concluded that it was in fact TMS. This episode seemed to be something of a turning point for him in assessing what TMS is capable of. |
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murdo_2002
United Kingdom
3 Posts |
Posted - 07/20/2005 : 15:08:05
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Wow, this is interesting. I have had problems with TMS, in my shoulders, necks and wrists (kind of RSI like). I recently had swelling in a couple of my finger joints. I thought uh oh maybe I'm getting Arthritus, my Mum has it. Coz I had read something about swelling, types of Arthritus not being TMS.
Now reading this, I think, lets apply TMS thinking to this. I started to notice swelling coming up before an exam for work,  Stressful time = TMS reaction. Most interesting |
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n/a
374 Posts |
Posted - 07/21/2005 : 02:12:42
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Thanks for the helpful replies everyone - it's very interesting to hear that I'm not the only one to have this or something very similar. There seems to be no limit to what TMS can throw our way.
It has got to the point with me that I would be reluctant to have any treatment for something that I strongly suspect is TMS, I've already turned down the offer of precription anti-inflammatories for the swollen finger - rightly as it turns out because the swelling has gone away on its own.
What made me take my mind off the ball was that I have been so well - physically and psychologically (and still am), but when I got to thinking a little deeper - my mother has been particularly trying over the last few weeks and my job which I love (it's so great to be working again after three years, especially after I thought I would never be able to work again), means that I can no longer just up and go off with my husband any time that suits us. He hasn't commented or made me feel bad in any way, but it does mean that he won't go to the classic car shows that he loves in various locations in the UK. They take place at the weekends and I work Saturdays. He doesn't like to go alone. I guess that deep down I feel guilty about that because he has been so patient and supportive over the past few years - far more so than I suspect I would have been had the roles been reversed.
Thanks again everyone.
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Edited by - n/a on 07/21/2005 02:16:05 |
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n/a
374 Posts |
Posted - 07/21/2005 : 02:16:23
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Thanks for the helpful replies everyone - it's very interesting to hear that I'm not the only one to have this or something very similar. There seems to be no limit to what TMS can throw our way.
It has got to the point with me that I would be reluctant to have any treatment for something that I strongly suspect is TMS, I've already turned down the offer of precription anti-inflammatories for the swollen finger - rightly as it turns out because the swelling has gone away on its own.
What made me take my mind off the ball was that I have been so well - physically and psychologically (and still am), but when I got to thinking a little deeper - my mother has been particularly trying over the last few weeks and my job which I love (it's so great to be working again after three years, especially after I thought I would never be able to work again), means that I can no longer just up and go off with my husband any time that suits us. He hasn't commented or made me feel bad in any way, but it does mean that he won't go to the classic car shows that he loves in various locations in the UK. They take place at the weekends and I work Saturdays. He doesn't like to go alone. I guess that deep down I feel guilty about that because he has been so patient and supportive over the past few years - far more so than I suspect I would have been had the roles been reversed.
Thanks again everyone.
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Is even this TMS?
