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moose1
162 Posts |
 Posted - 06/07/2004 : 10:17:35
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I've been battling morning low back pain/stiffness for a long time now. I have it most mornings and it is very painful. Then some days I don't have it at all. I can't seem to find a pattern to it at all. I've tried applying my TMS methods to dealing with it but have not had any luck yet. Any adivce on how to beat this? Waking up every morning with back pain is a really awful way to go through life.
Thanks in advance,
Moose |
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Louise
USA
68 Posts |
Posted - 06/07/2004 : 15:16:48
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I had the same thing happening to me. I woke up every morning, and checked to see if the pain was there. Sure enough, it was. I thought that maybe since my un/subconscious mind was unrestrained by my conscious mind while I was alseep and TMS had free rein further entrench itself into my brain while I was sleeping. I finally came to see that by having the thought of pain flicker across my brain, it was the same thing as calling the pain to me. I found that I had conditioned myself to expect pain at different times, and upon performing certain actions. Once I started getting out of bed with the idea that there would be no pain, and if there was, it didn't matter, morning pain (and the other conditioned pain that I'd been experiencing) became a non-issue.
Also, try thinking about it from this perspective - TMS occurs in people who are perfectionists. We strive to do everything correctly, including our recovery from TMS. You may be checking on your pain in the morning from a desire to see if you've been doing your anti-TMS work "right". Don't buy into that way of thinking. There is no "right" way to do this. You can receive some really good advice here, but in the end, you'll have to muddle your way through it, doing what works for you. Some people adopt a Monte-type "zen" type approach. Some take the John Lee - get their anger out by beating pillows approach. Some can do the Fred Amir "visualization" work. Whatever. Just keep an open mind, and try not to get wrapped up in the "physical." I know that it's really hard when you're in pain, but remember that TMS pain hates to be ignored. I came to look at it as a war between me and TMS (which of course, is really a war between me and me!) and whatever I could do to piss off the TMS gremlin was good for me.  |
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tennis tom
USA
4749 Posts |
Posted - 06/07/2004 : 15:58:39
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Good and useful post Louise! |
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moose1
162 Posts |
Posted - 06/08/2004 : 09:02:49
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Thanks for all the thougtful replies. Last night I did tell myself that I would not wake up in pain this morning and sure enough I did wake up with, I'd say, 30% less stiffness than usual. I couldn't believe it! I hope this was not just a happy coincidence. If it's not, I will certainly continue to hone my pre-sleep self-talk.
Thanks again!
Moose |
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kenny V
USA
268 Posts |
Posted - 06/08/2004 : 14:20:45
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quote:
*I've been battling morning low back pain/stiffness for a long time now. I have it most mornings and it is very painful. Then some days I don't have it at all. I can't seem to find a pattern to it at all.
(Post Off the old TMS board)
quote:
*Just wondered if anyone else woke up in the middle of the night with back pain
*if TMS is a product, at least in large part, of the subconscious, then no surprise logically that it should be at its tricks whilst we sleep!
quote:
*came to look at it as a war between me and TMS (which of course, is really a war between me and me!) and whatever I could do to piss off the TMS gremlin was good for me.
(My past response)
quote:
I had this for 5 years, but I woke with the pain and as the day would go on, the pain would lessen by the afternoon.
Then as the day continued the pain would increase again and the cycle would go on.
I just want to say there is HOPE and This cycle CAN be broken.
After getting down to the bottom of my TMS problem, I have let go of the past and am living in the present.
Hang in there, gain progress each day and don’t lose HOPE
Today I would have to say as time goes on and we understand more about the cycle of TMS. We can learn from its patterns and get more gain on the recovery as we change our attitudes and behaviors along with our mindset.
Quote
*“ and whatever I could do to piss off the TMS gremlin was good for me.” I know it might be an expression from frustration of the pain and from some victories when our symptoms change, and like we all say this TMS is sneaky with tricks of its own. But from my own experience doing something in a negative mindset with TMS is counter productive to recovery.
Our conditioning can change and so can our conditions.
In the beginning of my intro to TMS, I went from waking in pain, into Journaling and finding sources of rage, along with doing an anger work book, to a 90% reduction in pain. I continued to progress as I found and isolated more of the reasons for my pain, including unresolved circumstances as well as the things that I was conditioned to expect during my daily day. I eliminated all remedies such as; drugs, stretching, exercises and bad work habits, learning to relax my body and not to fight my TMS.
IMO I believe there is a pattern to TMS symptoms, for the past 20 years my condition got worse as my lifestyle became rigid and more complex. My negativity as well as my conditioned responses to pain got worse also. In the recovery process we will need to implement changes to our lifestyle, isolating as many triggers as we can, along with Journaling, discovering what might be consuming us. Be patient and positive about the progress as we discover ourselves and change our symptoms into conditions for our pain.
Always Hope For Recovery
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Edited by - kenny V on 06/08/2004 14:32:53 |
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Morning back pain
