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Carol1247
USA
10 Posts |
 Posted - 09/04/2004 : 09:37:29
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I read Dr. Sarno's book at the prompting of my massage therapist about 12 years ago. Back then, I really didn't "get" that my back pain was probably TMS. Last week I decided to get Dr. Sarno's book out of the library for my neighbor who has chronic pain due to an injury 8 months ago. Well, long story short, I became facinated with the info and after listening to the tapes for a couple of days, the pain in my shoulder (from what I concluded was a yoga injury) completely disappeared for one day only to return the next day. THAT got my attention. I decided to go work out at the YMCA and see if how my shoulder would respond. It went OK, but some pain is still there. I've been worried that there is something torn or messed up in my shoulder. I haven't seen an MD because I don't have an MD. I stay away from them for the most part. If the pain went away completely for one day, then I'm guessing that it is TMS. Also, the injury was from last spring so it should have healed up by now. Now that I'm writing about this, I just remembered that before the shoulder pain, I had chronic neck pain and I had been getting chiropractic adjustments for 35 years. I guess the neck pain scooted over to my shoulder. I'm just wondering what prompted my brain to make the switch after so many years.
CAROL |
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Dave
USA
1864 Posts |
Posted - 09/04/2004 : 09:45:31
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Seems like you have it figured out. I'd bet you have TMS.
There is really no rhyme or reason, TMS is different for everyone. Any symptom that succeeds at its mission to distract you, to make you believe you have a physical problem, is a candidate.
If there was something "torn or messed up" then you'd have more consistent pain. It is highly unlikely you have a structural problem.
Since you have the book, you know the next steps. Stop the chiropractic! |
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Carol1247
USA
10 Posts |
Posted - 09/04/2004 : 11:51:00
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Since you have the book, you know the next steps. Stop the chiropractic!
[/quote]
Thanks for your reply, Dave. Yes, I have stopped getting adjustments. Sarno's explanation of the placebo was most illuminating for me. I have spent literally tens of thousands of dollars on all sorts of "alternative" healing treatments, mostly chiropractic. And I have every gizmo invented to stop or alleviate pain.
When Sarno explained that "it is not possible to dislocate spinal elements except with violent trauma like a car accident" and that "any relief from such treatments must be based on the placebo phenomenon", I wondered how I could have been duped for over 3 decades. Was it that convincing cracking sound that did it? Or the relief that followed? I guess if you have a doctor who is convinced that manipulation works and a patient who also believes that it works, you have a healing. When the relief doesn't last, the explanation is "the spine must continue to be adjusted".
Something happened to me last year that proved to me that emotions do indeed get "stuck" in the body. I was furious at my sister-in-law, but was felt that it would not be "nice" to stand up to her rude behavior (and certainly not appropriate for a good Catholic girl). I developed a large, very itchy rash on my throat that persisted for about one full year. It resisted all treatments both topical and energetic. Finally, after one full year of suffering, I had a screaming fit in the parking lot of my local shopping mall. I screamed for about 20 straight minutes much to the puzzlement of my husband. He drove the car to the back corner of the lot and let me scream. Within a day or two, the rash disappeared completely. Now, when my sister-in-law does something rude, I stand up to her.
I'm following the program suggested by Jim Campobello. It's on page 152 of Mindbody Prescription. I think he has some really practical ideas worth trying.
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Laura
USA
655 Posts |
Posted - 09/04/2004 : 14:44:33
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Carol,
It sounds like you are doing everything Dr. Sarno would say to do. You might try also reading Healing Back Pain and getting the audiotapes from Dr. David Schechter (MindbodyMedicine.com). He is the TMS doctor I see. When I first came down with my latest TMS manifestation (dizziness) I was so desperate for help I went to a chiropractor. My friend claimed that this particular chiropractor was "intuitive" and that I should listen to him and whatever he told me. The chiropractor said that he felt my dizziness was created by the fact that my hips were out of place and that one of my legs was longer than the other to prove it. I drove to the chiropractor's office twice a week, 25 minutes each way, and nothing ever changed. Hundreds of dollars later, I stopped and just decided to live with my problem. Luckily, I re-read Sarno's book and now know I have TMS. Like you, I have days where I really don't have any dizziness and other days where I notice it much more, depending on what's happening. That was great that you screamed like that. I tried hitting the bed and yelling one time but my dizziness still didn't go away. I've had so many TMS equivalents in my lifetime, it's hard to believe I didn't figure this one out sooner. The past two days I've been experiencing strange episodes of what appear to be hypoglycemia. Dr. Sarno also talks about hypoglycemia in his books if I remember correctly. TMS is really tricky! |
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Wilf
Canada
53 Posts |
Posted - 09/05/2004 : 12:19:26
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Carol
I,too, had 30 years of chiropractic and virtually every other type of "hands on" treatment, all to no avail. I did not spend as much as you (We have universal Health Care in Canada and many of the treatments were covered). I had many placebo temporary episodes of relief. I stopped all treatments over 2 years ago and haven't looked back. The pains have not returned. |
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tdk
15 Posts |
Posted - 09/06/2004 : 09:15:01
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You guys,
I am digging these posts from folks who have had pain for a long period of time (20+ years) and still are able to overcome. As the years move on the newest fear in my head is that the longer I have this problem, the harder it will be to heal. I am about to turn the big 5-0, so the age thing kicks in, too. Of course, all this is very self-destructive (I learned a lot of that behavior early in life).
Words of encouragement welcomed from the seasoned veterans!! tdk |
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Revisiting Dr. Sarno's book
