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anka
Canada
8 Posts |
 Posted - 01/05/2006 : 10:01:59
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| Haven't posted for a while as I have been busy obsessing about the holidays, my sick kids, and elderly mother. Seems I get through the holidays without my usual lower back pain, and am now hit with pain in my mid-back due to what I thought was carrying four bags of very heavy groceries. The pain is specific to one spot on my vertebrae, but also get tension all the way up my mid and upper back. I need to remind myself that it is probably TMS, however, Sarno states that midback pain is less typically associated with TMS. Any advise would be helpful. Thanks ! |
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h2oskier25
USA
395 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2006 : 13:31:08
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Here's what I do.
I figure there are only a few serious issues that I shouldn't ignore.
Cancer (which comes on slowly, and isn't likely to develop as a pain over a weekend or something), Heart Attack (which I can't do anything about except eat healthy and exercise, which I do plently of, so why worry) and maybe Detached Retina (Runs in my family since we're near sighted).
I can usually rule out these three things, and pass it off as TMS. It's worked great against my clever mind which keeps occasionally moving my pain around. I usually think about the phsychological things I'm going through, and it goes away.
Beth |
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Stryder
686 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2006 : 14:56:59
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Hi Anka,
Its times like this when the following line pops into my head...
quote:
Originally posted by Maryalma8
My neck and shoulder and back spasms/pain is all TMS. It comes on like a hurricane when I'm sick with worry or having anxiety.
You have to trust in this and do the work. My pain stays away until I start catastrophizing.
http://www.tmshelp.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1477
...and I really like that line since it just says so much in 8 words.
When you are very busy the busy is the distraction, and you don't have time to start catastrophizing.
Take care, -Stryder |
Edited by - Stryder on 01/05/2006 14:59:47 |
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Dave
USA
1864 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2006 : 15:26:23
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quote:
Originally posted by anka
...now hit with pain in my mid-back due to what I thought was carrying four bags of very heavy groceries...
This is where your thinking went awry. Your first instinct is still to associate pain with some physical activity. Your brain siezes this opportunity to give you pain. It is a conditioned response. Your brain even knows that you believe "midback pain is less typically associated with TMS" so it chooses that location.
This weekend while walking the dog I slipped on the ice and WHAM! I hit the floor hard, landing flat on my back. Before I learned about TMS I would have immediately run into the house, put ice on it, ask the wife for a massage, take some advil, go to the chiropractor, and worry about the possibility of debilitating pain. But now, I just laugh it off, get up, and keep walking. I felt no pain at all from this fall. Even if I did, I would chalk it up to expected soreness one might get when taking such a fall, and go about my business.
It takes time but you have to get yourself into the mindset where you are not thinking about physical causes of pain, and where you do not fear pain being brought on by some physical activity. |
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jilly_girl
USA
108 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2006 : 18:15:18
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in my case not thinking its possibly a real structural abnormality is a bit hard to do because, there IS one. I had a hysterectomy due to a badly prolapsed uterus. I will spare you the details but lets just say sitting on your uterus is highly unplesant. Before the surgery I had bladder pain (for years before the prolapse) and AFTER surgery i still have pain. I also have a pelvic floor weakness that prevents me from heavy lifting, because it could cause prolapses of the bladder and rectum. I already have mild prolapses in those areas. So i do have a weakness in the area although i believe the pain to be TMS due to the fact i had years of pain before my surgery.
Jill |
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Jim1999
USA
210 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2006 : 22:54:34
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quote:
Originally posted by anka
Seems I ... am now hit with pain in my mid-back due to what I thought was carrying four bags of very heavy groceries. The pain is specific to one spot on my vertebrae, but also get tension all the way up my mid and upper back. I need to remind myself that it is probably TMS, however, Sarno states that midback pain is less typically associated with TMS. Any advise would be helpful. Thanks !
My pain almost always centered on my midback. I started out with pain over one specific place on my spine. After a month and a half of this, I tried some back-specific exercises. Immediately, the pain spread all over, resulting in a diagnosis of fibromyalgia. Even with fibro, the midback was consistently the worst place in terms of pain and stiffness.
Have you ever looked for midback in a traditional (structural) book on back pain? It's hard to find! When I'd tell people I had back pain, they would sometimes ask if it's upper or lower. Occasionally, I'd get funny looks when I said middle, like people didn't believe that was possible.
The midback isn't just considered an unusual place for TMS, it's considered unusual for structural back pain in traditional medicine. Personally, I see no reason to believe that midback pain should be more likely to be structural than upper or lower back pain.
Jim |
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redskater
USA
81 Posts |
Posted - 01/06/2006 : 06:58:55
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my pain started in the mid back between the shoulder blades. It is still the spot that wants to linger. I thought the same thing at first, but now I know better. TMS CAN hit anywhere. Don't worry, just treat it like the rest.
Gaye |
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anka
Canada
8 Posts |
Posted - 01/06/2006 : 09:49:10
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| Thanks everyone for your encouraging comments. Is it possible that this new source of pain and tightness could be linked to a mild depression? I have been a little down lately. What I did notice was after laughing so hard that I was crying while watching the movie The Man Who Knew Too LIttle with Bill Murray, my stiffness vanished, only to reappear this morning, Is it true that laughter is the best medicine ? |
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esher
11 Posts |
Posted - 01/06/2006 : 10:46:51
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Anka,
It's possible. For me, any strong surge of emotion (happy or sad) seems to suppress my symptoms, at least temporarily. I guess it confirms the mind-body link. |
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Dave
USA
1864 Posts |
Posted - 01/06/2006 : 12:11:29
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quote:
Originally posted by anka
Thanks everyone for your encouraging comments. Is it possible that this new source of pain and tightness could be linked to a mild depression? I have been a little down lately. What I did notice was after laughing so hard that I was crying while watching the movie The Man Who Knew Too LIttle with Bill Murray, my stiffness vanished, only to reappear this morning, Is it true that laughter is the best medicine ?
Depression is a TMS equivalent. It is possible that you are repressing something now. Examine recent things going on in your life that you may not be facing up to. |
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Mid-back Flare Up
