Ran across this forum the other day, and decided to join so I could share with each of you how I defeated TMS 5 years ago.
Between 2002 and 2010, life became unbearably stressful me. I watched my father's health deteriorate to the point where he was near death on three separate occasions from congestive heart failure. I also endured a forced corporate relocation to a town my family didn't want to live in, a 7-year legal battle against a crooked home builder and a 10-day jury trial against said builder. After a second corporate relocation, I endured two hurricane evacuations and 3 different bosses.
In summary - a LOT of stress.
In late 2006, I begin to notice pain in my elbows what would increase during the day at work when I was typing endless technical reports, and would subside somewhat during the evenings. This pain eventually got the the point where I would no longer use a keyboard, close my hands, or pick up anything without excruciating pain. I had to use Dragon Naturally Speaking voice-activated software at work for 3 months because I could not type! I was initially diagnosed with epicondylitis (tennis elbow) from too much typing, put on Advil, and told to lay off the keyboard for a while. I did this, yet to my surprise the pain did not subside and continued to increase and to spread into my forearms and wrists. I was really scared now, and went to a hand specialist who diagnosed me with cubital tunnel syndrome and put on deep tissue massage therapy for 4 weeks. Guess what? 4 weeks later my hands still hurt like heck, and the pain had spread to my shoulders and neck. A trip to a neurosurgeon confirmed spinal stenosis and possible thoracic outlet syndrome (huh?). 4 weeks to a chiropractor to have my spine decompressed (neck stretching machine), after which the pain was all the way up both arms, into my neck, and shooting down my shoulders to my waist. I also had muscular twitching, numbness, and INSOMINA.
OK guys, I am an ex-powerlifer. Something here just didn't make any sense to me, as every symptom I read about on-line I mysteriously had the next morning. After reading about Sarno's TMS theory on a repetitive stress injury website, I decided to purchase his books and give them a read as all the medical community could offer was complex and costly surgery or pain killers that didn't work.
After reading The Mindbody Prescription, my jaw just about hit the floor. I immediately recognized my personality type, and had the trademark TMS pain Sarno describes in my hips, back, and trapezius. Took a big leak of faith, but I decided that I'd rather go down fighting than live in chronic pain. I started using very lightweight Therabands to to do reverse wrist curls in the evenings after work. I can still remember the beads of sweat dripping off my forehead and hitting the garage floor as I prayed that I wasn't about to permanently damage my hands by doing as Sarno instructed, The next morning when I got up, the pain in may arms was EXACTLY as it had been the day before. No better, no worse. Hmmmmmmm. Reverse wrist curls should have significantly increased the pain in my wrists, but IT DID NOT. Stayed on this same routine with the Therabands for about 2 weeks with no increase/decrease in pain, so I decided to up the ante a bit. 3 sets of reverse wrist curls with 5# dumbells 3x per week. After a week, PAIN HAD DECREASED, and was now in a slightly different location than it had been. Up the ante again. 3 sets of 15 reverse curls with 15#. NO PAIN INCREASE, and now my ribs hurt for no good reason. HA! Started doing light bench work and some preacher curls the week following. 6 weeks later I am doing 3 sets of 15 reverse curls with 20# dumbells, benching 245#, and completely pain free!!!! I next start typing (gingerly) at work using only my index fingers to see how that goes. NOTHING. After a few days I decide that if my hands and body are strong enough for powerlifting, then no way a keyboard can EVER hurt me.
Pain free 6 months after reading Dr. Sarno's books and understanding what he had to say about TMS. I have seen 4 other co-workers similarly cured of repetitive stress injury pain after I introduced them to Sarno's books. All I can say is the day you realize the pain is not physically-derived is simply incredible. The entire pain thing falls apart like a house of cards very shortly afterwards, and never comes back.
Keep the faith guys! If I can do this, anyone can!
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New Guy - TMS Success Story
Posted - 09/18/2013 : 11:49:45
