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bigpainintheneck
2 Posts |
 Posted - 02/26/2009 : 17:00:47
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Hello. I've just finished two of Sarno's books and a ton of other, similar reading.
I've had years of neck pain (along with other things that have come and gone before my neck problem). It's on the right side only. While I can see a lot of myself in what I read, here's my question...
When I was seeing a chiropractor a few months ago he could FEEL the spot where the pain is coming from. He said it was a rotated vertebra and he would adjust me and it would be fine but only for a few hours, then it would be back again.
My regular dr. can feel the spot as well. However, on an x-ray and MRI only "mild arthritis" and "slight degenerative disc" shows up.
So, since my pain area can be FELT, doesn't that make it REAL and not TMS??
Also, it's not every day. Yesterday I had NO pain at all. Today was bad! Pain relievers and muscle relaxers don't do a darn thing. Thanks for any/all advice! |
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Peg
USA
284 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2009 : 17:57:49
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The pain of TMS is very real. We have all felt it and it doesn't really matter if someone else can "feel where it is coming from". The muscles are very tight and sometimes feel like a knot or a chord. This is just the muscle spasm of TMS. Dr. Sarno's theory about this is that the blood vessels constrict due to the action of the autonomic nervous system, causing a reduction of oxygen in the muscles leading to spasm.
What the chiropractor told you doesn't make a lot of sense, although I know that's what they tell people. It's their living and it's what they have been taught. Our spines are strong and yet flexible. they are supported by muscles, tendons and ligaments. If the vertebra is "rotated", my guess would be that it is a slight amount probably due to the spasm in the muscles pulling on it. Besides what good is it if he adjusts it and it goes right back?
The mild arthritis and degenerative disc are normal aging changes in the spine and not the cause of your pain, as evidenced by the fact that you have days with NO pain. If you have doubts, the pain will try to continue to distract you. The day the pain came back, it would have been a good idea to ask yourself what was going on in your life to cause the symptoms.
I had neck and upper back pain for 10 years before recovering using Dr. Sarno's work. That was 9 years ago. Check out my success story on this forum. There is a separate page labeled success stories. It's titled 10 years of upper back and neck pain GONE.
I'm afraid your statement about the pain being FELT making it REAL and not TMS, indicates a misunderstanding of the information. You may want to re-read Healing Back Pain, slowly and mindfully. If you've read a lot of books, it may have been hard to absorb the most important one, in my opinion. Good for you though for being open minded and putting in the effort. Just remember the Rage Soothe Ratio, and don't work too hard. Enjoy your pain free days.
You will get some great advice from the people on this board. We've all been there.
Good luck
Best,
Peg
In questions of science, the authority of a thousand is not worth the humble reasoning of a single individual. Galileo Galilei |
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bigpainintheneck
2 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2009 : 18:22:51
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| Thanks Peg! I'm overwhelmed with all of the info. I've taken in in just the past week! I know WE FEEL the pain but I was just wondering about the fact that a dr. can literally put their finger on the spot it's coming from and feel something "off". What you said makes a lot of sense about the muscles, etc. |
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Bobbypols
Canada
46 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2009 : 22:42:59
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| When muscles become tight and spasm you can feel them contract as you would when you see them contract during movement but it is tonic. They are easily palpable. That muscle is causing the pain, therefore by feeling its tightness they know where the pain is. Also, muscles spasm to protect areas of damage which are synonymous of pain. But dr.'s are confusing the spasm for protection of pain, when infact its the oxygen deprivation of the muscles that causing the pain. Its not voodoo, its tms. |
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new here, neck pain
