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Newmom
USA
57 Posts |
 Posted - 01/02/2007 : 11:15:49
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For the past several months I have read and reread Sarno's books, various posts here, and have tried to get better, with much luck. I am happy to report I am almost there. Thanks to everyone who posts questions and responses.
To give you a brief history of my physical problems, the thing that has a hold of me is the fear of injury to my lower back (previous herniation and bulging discs)and not the actual pain itself. I really don't have any pain in my lower back and I quickly realized that I should of been healed in 6 weeks from my injury and that has helped me.
However, when I hear my joints crack it scares me still, but I have overcome that for the most part and try to keep going with what I am doing. I have been able to figure out that it takes something like a pull, crack, etc. to send my TMS symptoms into effect. From that point on, all I do is focus on "did something happen, did I injury myself."
I can have a normal day of being pain free with no problems until all the sudden, I feel a great pull, burning sensation, crack, etc. and then all of the sudden my low back goes into what I refer to as a panic attack causing such a reaction.
I am stuck at this point and seem to not be able to get over this.
I feel that I cannot overcome this final step. Has anybody been there? Why does this keep happening? Also, I have to ask, I basically did nothing for months trying to "heal my back" and I think that I made myself very inflexible. Dr. Sarno says to stop all physical therapy, but I feel that I could benefit from the therapy at this point since I have trouble with moving, turning, lifting, etc.
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ReferFire
USA
15 Posts |
Posted - 01/02/2007 : 13:00:00
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Newmom, it seems you have a classic case of TMS. The reason Dr. Sarno says to stop physical therapy is b/c you must let go of the belief that there is actually something wrong with your back. it seems you still have that belief. based on what you describe, i don't believe there's anything wrong with your back. when i had TMS i felt really stiff, but it went away after a few weeks and hasn't returned. others have gotten better sooner. i think you need to recognize that your back is strong and that your mind is playing around with you. you need to overcome the sensation of pain that your mind is creating. i say - push through the pain until it goes away. focus on doing things you enjoy, and not on trying to avoid an injury to a back that is fine.
I overcame TMS and, while I'm seriously smart and special, I'm not that smart & special. You too can overcome it. |
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Stryder
686 Posts |
Posted - 01/02/2007 : 15:06:19
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Hi Newmom,
Joint cracking / snaping is most likely nitrogen pockets in your joints. Just ignore it, its benign, and everybody in the world has this normal condition. I get this often when I stretch, I used to obsess about it until I learned that its harmless. You get the same noise when you crack your fingers.
As far as getting back in shape, just return slowly to normal activity and your strength will return over time. Start out by going for a 1/4 mile walk every day, then after 10 days go to 1/2 mile, you get the idea.
Don't set a time table for recovery, just take it a day at a time.
Take care, -Stryder |
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tennis tom
USA
4749 Posts |
Posted - 01/02/2007 : 23:51:48
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Like Stryder said the cracking sounds are just benign joint noises like when you sanp your knuckles. You might also try some yoga classes. I did a three day back-bending workshop when I had my TMS/back lumbar problem and said this will either make me or break me. I did every yoga back-bend there is that weekend and got the confidence that there was nothing wrong with my back again--my hip is another story, a couple of bad yoga moves and a lady named Barbara, and now everyone on the planet except for me wants me to have it replaced.
The reason your situation is still happening is because the psychological need is still there.
Dr. Sarno says don't do physical therapy, but DO return to NORMAL ACTIVITY. When you don't use a body part because of TMS fear or from a legitimate injury it atrophies. USE IT OR LOSE IT!, as the saying goes.
When you exercise, have the mantra in your head that you are exercising to RETURN TO NORMAL ACTIVITY not to do physical therapy to repair anything, because with TMS, nothing is structuraly broken. It's just the mind playing tricks on the body, a few polyneuropeptides and propreoceptors performing in a slightly deranged manner. |
Edited by - tennis tom on 01/03/2007 05:54:45 |
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Newmom
USA
57 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2007 : 11:49:47
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Thanks for the advice. Getting back to my normal activities is the biggest challenge for me. My goal is to be able to ride a wooden rollercoaster with all the bumps and throws without wondering if I "injured myself."
I ordered a pilates video for stretching. I am not going to go to physical therapy or anything organized. However, I was pregnant for 9 months and then inactive with the back injury thing for about 6 months so I have about 15 months of not using my stomach/back muscle the way I used to. I guess I want to start slow and then get back into things even though I know there is nothing wrong with me. I also gained about 70 pounds with my pregnancy and inactiveness so I am going to try to get this weight off - which I also think is preventing me from being myself!!
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tennis tom
USA
4749 Posts |
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Lizzie
United Kingdom
56 Posts |
Posted - 02/07/2007 : 07:51:29
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Hi Newmom
I asked Dr Marc Sopher who has written about TMS about clicks/cracks and he said that clicks and other sounds are common in everyone and are not indicative of a disorder. These sounds are due to release of gas from the joint or movement of tendons/ligaments. Many people (himself included), actually feel better after getting an area to click, pop, etc. so I hope this helps.It certainly helped me not to be anxious over the regular clicks I get especially in the morning, however I get scared over sharp or shooting pains and this is my time when all the doubts and old ways of thinking come to the fore. Anyone got any advice on what to do when you feel your mind begin to panic/worry that they have reinjured something?
Lizzie
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Littlebird
USA
391 Posts |
Posted - 02/07/2007 : 17:14:32
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My back makes a popping noise and I have a sensation of something "giving way" when I twist to the side, like when I slide the patio door or a closet door closed. I used to panic, stiffen up and have intense pain that I thought could only go away if I had a chiropractor adjust my back.
The chiropractor would twist my back in the same way I had done, creating the same pop and sensation on movement, but this time the pain would go away. It never really occurred to me that this makes no sense--why does the same movement, creating the same noise and sensation, cause pain and relieve pain?
Finally I decided to stop going to the chiropractor, so then I had to learn to just ignore the pop and the physical sensation and I discovered that I no longer felt pain when it happened. I still have the pop and the sensation with that twisting movement, which I'm sure is just the release of nitrogen, but I don't have the pain when it happens. |
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Bliss
Canada
33 Posts |
Posted - 02/07/2007 : 18:22:14
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Hi Newmom
I have begun Pilates once a week at our local community centre and I consider it "me time"....stretching and strenthening is done of course...but it's a time to enjoy your body, appreciate what it can do (takes the focus off of what we think it can't do) and breathing calmly to peaceful music is soothing to our anxieties. I try to think of doing exercise (I also like swimming and walking with my daughter) as a reward to myself for all of the hard work I put into training TMS to get out of my life !! I love massages too - but I always tell the RMT to just do what she wants in terms of relaxation for me / no focusing on any body-part...it's a full hour of (bliss!) ...it shuts the brain off for awhile - again, my reward....and we totally deserve it, don't we? Yup, we do. |
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tennis tom
USA
4749 Posts |
Posted - 02/08/2007 : 07:10:32
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"Anyone got any advice on what to do when you feel your mind begin to panic/worry that they have reinjured something?
Lizzie"
Read page 352 of TDM |
Edited by - tennis tom on 02/08/2007 07:13:01 |
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Lizzie
United Kingdom
56 Posts |
Posted - 02/09/2007 : 07:25:07
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Hi TT
What is on Page 352? I have not got The Divided Mind ,but have got Brady's book, Sopher's book and Healing Back Pain. Let me know what 352 says please.
Lizzie |
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DitaH
United Kingdom
31 Posts |
Posted - 02/10/2007 : 02:26:37
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heya - when I hear my lower back crack it feels good to me :-) I just get pain when my 'inner child has a tantrum' .. 
good luck with it |
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kilton
38 Posts |
Posted - 02/10/2007 : 10:39:08
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Page 352 gives advice about what to do when experiencing pain or fear during recovery.
Regarding pain, it says that "It simply means that more mental work must be done." It recommends talking to your brain and telling it that you are wise to its trickery (that it wants to distract you and keep your focus on the pain). So don't focus on the pain.
And for fear, it says to "simply acknowledge this fear as part of the old conditioning" and "recognize that it is simply an aspect of the brain's strategy to have you believe there is a physical problem."
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JohnD
USA
371 Posts |
Posted - 02/10/2007 : 22:30:57
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| after i licked my tms pain, i decided to go into physical therapy to regain flexibility and strength. This did help me very much, I get less muscle soreness the day after strenuous activity due to being more flexible |
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Need final advice
