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kimenem
USA
18 Posts |
 Posted - 05/19/2008 : 17:51:54
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Hi. I wanted to tell my story and ask a few questions. About 2 1/2 weeks ago, I did my normal morning workout which, that day, consisterd of lower body weight work. I did squats, deadlifts, etc. Everything was fine. A few hours later, while at work, the low back pain set in. It was similar to pain I had last year, that was supposedly "cured" by my chiropractor (the pain did go away after a month or so of treatments). Except this time, it got worse as the day went on. By the next morning, I could barely walk and was in the worst pain I can ever remember being in. I went to the chiro who said probably a slipped disc. My reg dr said a back strain and prescribed a muscle relaxer and pain meds. Last year, chiro said facet imbrication. She said my joints had been locked in the wrong position for so long that arthritis was beginning. X-rays also showed mild degenerative changes, which I now know is normal aging process, per Dr. Sarno. Anyway, I found Dr. Sarno's book through a fitness forum that I visit. I read it and am halfway through the lecture dvd. My back pain has gotten better over the past 2 weeks, after muscle relaxers and pain medication seemed to do nothing. I started exercising again the other day, though not with the former intensity I'd had. I had previously been doing step aerobics and kickboxing. I was leaning noticeably to the right side, which the chiro said was indicative of a disc problem. I want to believe this is TMS as I seem to fit the profile. I have MVP, panic attacks, am an anxious person overall I think, and want to be perfect in my job. Oddly enough, before the back pain, the chiro was treating me for tennis elbow, which seems to have now mostly dissappeared. However, I'm concerned because I can't really locate these tender spots on the buttocks or small of the back that Dr. Sarno talks about. Does that mean I don't have TMS and am one of the few % that may actually have a structural problem? People at work have undergone surgery for spinal stenosis, herniated discs, etc.,and are still in some pain. However,there is NO WAY they would believe in TMS. What do you all think? Thanks!!!
Kim |
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kimenem
USA
18 Posts |
Posted - 05/19/2008 : 17:58:37
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| Sorry...one more thing that may be of interest. In 2001, I was diagnosed with Lyme disease, but only had mild symptoms...no joint pain or pain at all for that matter. I took 9 months of antibiotics which seemed to get rid of the weird little things that were happening....buzzing feelings in hands, muscle twitches, hot sensations on legs, etc. I was convinced I had MS and had an MRI which showed a lisghtly bulging lumbar disc. |
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armchairlinguist
USA
1397 Posts |
Posted - 05/19/2008 : 18:03:44
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The tender points are hard to find by yourself, and having or not having them is not definitive. I think Sarno says 80% of patients have them. Well, that's 1 in 5 that doesn't and could be you. I wouldn't let that stop you if you are having success!
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It's not 100% belief that's required, but 100% commitment. |
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mk6283
USA
272 Posts |
Posted - 05/19/2008 : 18:42:57
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For what it's worth, I'd bet a lot of money on you having TMS. The lack of tender spots (which you cannot diagnose by yourself by the way) does not rule it out by any means. I actually think that Dr. Sarno's tender spot examination actually serves a purpose and is not really a sensitive nor specific sign of TMS. Most patients tend to require that a doctor find something on physical examination and then attribute a diagnosis to it in order for them to BELIEVE the diagnosis. I think the tender spots help patients ACCEPT the diagnosis of TMS more easily, and acceptance is the first step in the process towards recovery. It is by no means required (in my opinion) to diagnose TMS. Clearly they can be absent in many patients with TMS equivalents such as IBS and migraines. That being said, there is no denying that they are frequently present in patients with fibromyalgia/TMS. As a matter of fact they actually constitute the main diagnostic criteria for "fibromyalgia."
This actually fits with the evolution of Dr. Sarno's theory. He originally called it Tension Myositis Syndrome because he believed that MUSCLE was the structure most often involved, and the tender spots simply represented the zones of maximal oxygen deprivation. He has more recently preferred the name Tension Myoneural Syndrome because he now recognizes that SPINAL NERVES are probably the more significant structures involved. If that is indeed so, then the presence/absence of tender spots in association with the pain is less significant. Dare I say that they have become obsolete? I just think that psychogenic pain syndromes encompass a wider spectrum of symptom presentations and are not limited to those with the characteristic widespread muscle pain found in patients with fibromyalgia and the like. If all other things seem to fit (as they do in your case), then the absence of some tender spots is simply noncontributory. Again, this is all in my opinion. Regardless, I strongly believe that you have TMS. Good luck!
Best,
MK |
Edited by - mk6283 on 05/19/2008 19:14:36 |
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kimenem
USA
18 Posts |
Posted - 05/19/2008 : 20:16:13
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Thanks so much for your help. I just finished the lecture dvd's and found it very interesting. I can see that I'm going to have trouble letting go of the physical and actually have an MRI scheduled this week. I know keeping the appt is wrong, but I do want to rule out anything serious. I'm already totally aware that if a disc problem is found, that will be to blame and I'm preparing myself NOT to accpet that.
Kim |
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armchairlinguist
USA
1397 Posts |
Posted - 05/19/2008 : 21:41:52
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I think keeping the appointment is correct. You must rule out serious physical disease first. If the MRI presents "normal abnormalities" (bulging discs etc) then you'll know what to do next.
Also, I was going to comment that your pattern of pain not occurring immediately after an 'injury' but developing later is a TMS-type pattern. An acute injury will generally begin hurting right away.
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It's not 100% belief that's required, but 100% commitment. |
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la_kevin
USA
351 Posts |
Posted - 05/19/2008 : 22:27:48
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I love how the Doctor says" leaning to the right is indicative of a disc problem". If that isn't the biggest load of sh** ever. They don't seem to think that the nuscles holding up that'frame', could have anything to do with the frame tilting. Someone gets a spasm in their calf, they limp. Someone injures a back muscles they tilted, usually toward the pain, it's a protection mechanism.
I think more and more that Chiros and back specialists don't have a CLUE what they're doing. It's insulting to me to read about Doctors wholeheartedly backing this pseudoscience. Sorry, I'm just angry/offended for you at your 'Doctor'.
Ugh
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"Over thinking...over analyzing...separates the body from the mind." Maynard from the band TOOL |
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kimenem
USA
18 Posts |
Posted - 05/20/2008 : 06:37:38
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| Please...don't be sorry at all!!!! My dad even said the same thing you did about the tilting...which is gone for the most part by the way. That's why I posted here. I wanted everyone's opinions. Keep them coming! I just want to completely rid myself of this pain and learn how to combat it should it return. |
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