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art
1903 Posts |
 Posted - 05/09/2005 : 18:13:49
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Hello all,
I read two of Dr. Sarno's books several years ago. I can't tell you how much money I'd blown on chiropractors in an attempt to fix my "bad" back. After reading those books, my back problems more or less evaporated as if by magic. I still have an occasional flare up, but I simply remind myself that the problem is emotional not physical and in a day or two I'm fine..
My trouble is that I've never been able to take these same concepts and apply them to other parts of my body. I'm just too full of fear I think. For some reason, the back was much easier to accept for me..
I've currently got hamstring problems that started 6 months ago when on a nautilus machine...I'm a runner and it just won't heal. I'm not injured to the point where I can't run at all, but I'm always fighting some degree of discomfort..
I just found this forum...I'd very much like to hear from others on this. Maybe if I could get a bit of emotional support I'll be able to be a little more fearless when it comes to this particular injury/.
Many thanks..
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marytabby
USA
545 Posts |
Posted - 05/10/2005 : 05:34:03
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| I jog and have never had hamstring issues in the 6 years I've been jogging. Now all of a sudden the left hamstring starting bothering me last week out of nowhere. I have been working this TMS stuff for about two months so I knew it was just yet another TMS symptom trying to weasel its way into my routine. I recognized it for what it was and talked myself through it when I felt it starting. I also stretched the hamstring before the jogging just to give myself full benefit of knowing it's NOT a physical problem, especially since if I stretched and it came back, I would then know for sure it was TMS. Because stretching would thwart any problem right? So it went away on its own by my realizing what it was and laughing it off, telling myself it's TMS trying to distract me. Of course, more reading and jounaling went along with it which I do everyday. |
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art
1903 Posts |
Posted - 05/10/2005 : 20:43:03
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Thanks for the response Mary....I'm not quite as convinced on the stretching point as it's very possible to stretch and not cure a hamstring injury if I'm understanding you correctly.Would that it were that simple...
Still, I don't want to be negative. That's my whole problem. I need to find a way to buy into this stuff with all my heart and soul. You'd think it would be easier for me given the success I've had with my back problems, but somehow sports related stuff..injuries that you can trace to a specific event and that involve swelling or some other physical manifestation are just much harder for me...
I admire your attitude and optimism. I could use more of that as well..I'm wondering what other TMS symptoms you're currently dealing with, or have dealt with..Did you see a TMS physician?
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marytabby
USA
545 Posts |
Posted - 05/11/2005 : 03:26:48
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Art,
I don't mean to imply that stretching the hamstring cured the problem. I was trying to illustrate that just to satisfy my need to "cover all the bases" physically, I stretched the hamstring, which I had never done before it started acting up. So in other words, "ok, I'll even go so far as to stretch this muscle so I am not overlooking that maybe, just maybe, it needs some stretching, but my hunch is that it's TMS just the same." That's all. Yes, I have other symptoms and they include wrist tendinitis, so bad that the hand surgeon wants to operate in July but I did see a TMS doc and he said no, it's TMS. I also have some weird stuff that comes and goes like my right eye will twitch for three weeks straight, gas/upset stomach that comes and goes, and the biggest one of all, excruciating neck and back spasms that are debilitating. I've gotten those under control but the other small stuff is the lingering stuff that has replaced the back pain since I've gained control of it. The TMS doc three weeks ago said yes, it's all TMS and that reading, journaling, etc. is what I need to do which is what I began on my own six weeks before seeing him. That and checking in here to get educated/inspired. It's working. So as far as hamstring stuff, that's gone now. That came and went in about 10 days, I think I did a good job of fending it off by talking myself through it. Sounds like you can do this, since you got your back straightened out once before. I would venture to say you need to start over again and you'll get this licked. |
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Dave
USA
1864 Posts |
Posted - 05/11/2005 : 07:35:48
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There is no evidence that stretching prevents injury. TMS inflicted muscles often respond poorly to stretching. It could actually increase the pain and thus raise further doubt that it is TMS.
If you had a true injury 6 months ago, it has healed. The residual pain is TMS. The solution is to keep running and ignore the discomfort, and search for the psychological origins of the pain. |
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art
1903 Posts |
Posted - 05/11/2005 : 14:35:06
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Thanks Dave and Mary,
That was my thinking...six months would be enough to heal a broken back, never mind a simple hamstring strain..on the other hand (why oh why is there always another hand....perhaps it's because I've continued to run and elliptical train etc. and never gave it a proper rest...
Still, my intuition is telling me that it is TMS..When I first read Dr Sarno's book "Healing Back Pain" it just made so much sense to me...I had no problem taking that leap of faith
One of the things I found really encouraging in that book, if I'm remembering it accurately, is that one hundred percent belief is not a prerequisite...Sometimes, simply entertaining the possiblity and working hard to think in emotional terms rather than physical/structural can be enough..I think that was in the book, thought it's been years since I read it...
And Mary, that must make things much much easier to have a TMS doc reassure you...I'm very excited as I've found a TMS doc myself not far at all fro where I live..I have an appointment with him next month...I can't wait!!
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marytabby
USA
545 Posts |
Posted - 05/11/2005 : 17:32:17
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Art,
That's good you have an appt. with a TMS doc. THat should solidify things once and for all for you. MEanwhile, what I did while waiting patiently for the weeks to pass until I could see my TMS doc, I did half running/half walking so I was at least TRYING to get myself to a place where I would not scare myself out of running and also so I wouldn't scare myself into thinking physically. It gave me a happy medium until I could see the TMS doc. Do what you can for now, as SArno says, ease into the old routine, don't just fly back into it because your brain needs de-programming time. That is, if it is TMS which it may be. The weeks of waiting to see the TMS doc are torture, you feel in limob, nowhere to turn, but you always have this board! |
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art
1903 Posts |
Posted - 05/11/2005 : 19:05:00
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Thanks Mary, the support is greatly appreciated to say the least..I can imagine it's just a huge load taken off your shoulders when you're told by an MD that it's nothing but TMS..
You know, funny thing, I was pretty active today..I ran 3.4 plus took my new kickbike out for a spin...hamstring has barely twinged at all!! What a good sign I think...But as you point out, it's a many headed beast...no sooner does the hamstring feel better than an old ankle problem suddenly flares..Is there no limit to the treachery of our own minds? |
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marytabby
USA
545 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2005 : 18:36:25
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| It's a load off my mind but I still have to do ALL THE WORK! |
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celestica
Canada
38 Posts |
Posted - 05/13/2005 : 05:20:08
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HI Art.
I'm new to this forum. One thing I've found helpful is to affirm, when feeling a twinge of pain, that "My body is beautiful and healthy. It gives me all that I need to feel alive and joyful."
I've come to discover that feelings of inadequacy and doubt can be repressed and expressed as anger towards the body. Take a look at your self-talk when experiencing new kinds of pain - does it go along the lines of "how could you do this to me? I was doing so well and enjoying life after my back improved! Why do I always feel so crappy?"
The body responds to the self directed anger by exacting revenge in the form of pain.
This is how it works for me, in any case.
Good luck in your journey.
Amelia |
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robbokop
United Kingdom
75 Posts |
Posted - 05/13/2005 : 06:57:38
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| Spot on Amelia - that is a great first post. |
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Dave
USA
1864 Posts |
Posted - 05/13/2005 : 08:46:33
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quote:
Originally posted by celestica
I've come to discover that feelings of inadequacy and doubt can be repressed and expressed as anger towards the body. Take a look at your self-talk when experiencing new kinds of pain - does it go along the lines of "how could you do this to me? I was doing so well and enjoying life after my back improved! Why do I always feel so crappy?"
The body responds to the self directed anger by exacting revenge in the form of pain.
This is very insighful!
Welcome to the forum. |
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wrldtrv
666 Posts |
Posted - 05/18/2005 : 20:25:44
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Hi Art,
I don't know if you happened to catch my post on the same subject (hamstrings) several weeks ago. You didn't say where on the hamstrings the problem is--belly of muscle or tendon insertion at the knee. I have been plagued by hamstring tendonitis for years on/off. I too am a runner and that seems to aggravate it if I do a lot, but I also seem to be very prone to injury while stretching it. I don't know what you might have done on a nautilus machine to injure your leg, but I had a partial rupture of my hamstring over 20 yrs ago that I didn't even know about until a few weeks ago. I think the two problems are related, but I don't discount the possibility that there is some TMS too. Why? Simply because before I got the "rupture" diagnosis my leg never bothered me enough to worry too much about it. Only after the dx did it really start bothering me. I don't know what's happening in your case, but I'm sure you know that some of these tissue injuries take a long time to heal (depending on the location and blood supply to that area), so patience. |
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art
1903 Posts |
Posted - 05/18/2005 : 22:36:06
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Hey world traveler...
Mine's right at the top of the leg, the spot they say takes the longest to heal...I had a physical therapist who injured herself in the same exact way in the same spot...
What prompted my first post here was that I was just getting so fed up with the thing not healing...I took the plunge, tried to think TMS and since that time I've had very little trouble.A couple of days ago I started to think about it and I got a twinge in the other leg..Now I just knew that was bs...
I also purchased a kickbike which is a very "hamstringy" kind of exercise, but again, it's been much improved...I don't want to take too much credit here because I would have had much more trouble trusting it was TMS when I first got hurt, but the fact that it had been so long helped, along with the fact that it sort of came and went..
The turning point for me was when I took a run and had significant twinging but when I got home I just said "screw it" and hopped on my new kick bike which I'd been afraid to try...Not only did the pain not get worse, by the time I was finished it was actually gone...
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emotional support/hamstrings
