Chronic Pain?

[bikebum]

I want to encourage anyone with chronic pain to look into tension myositis syndrome (TMS), or Mind-Body Syndrome (MBS) as a possible cause. I had chronic back pain for over 2 years, and I was able to treat myself when I learned that my fear and anxiety about the pain were causing muscle tension which was causing the pain; a nasty feedback loop! The idea is not well accepted in the medical community. On the surface it may sound new-agey but it's not; I'm a skeptical dude who doesn't believe in new-age stuff.

The TMS Wiki is a great source: http://www.tmswiki.org/ppd/The_Tension_Myositis_Syndrome_Wiki
Dr. John Sarno, the guy who coined the term TMS, has written many books about it.
http://painrelievers.org/ is another good source about chronic pain

I was so happy to get my life back, I want to put the info out for other people who may benefit from it.

Here's a link to my success story that I recently posted on the TMS Forum if you're interested: http://tmswiki.org/forum/threads/success-story-without-repressed-emotions.4046/ Another member posted a video that I recommended there that explains what pain really is; it is awesome.

[limeandpepper]

Thanks for sharing this, bikebum. I read this the other day and meant to respond but forgot to. I don't know if it is the same thing, but I once mentioned to my GP some random pains I had. I don't recall her mentioning TMS, but she said it sounded like it was due to stress and gave me an explanation, some of which I forgot, but I do remember something mentioned about tension and electrical signals. Either way, I've definitely observed firsthand that stress/anxiety can cause physical symptoms, and sometimes just understanding it can help a lot. Congratulations on overcoming it!

[bikebum]

Thanks limeandpepper!

What you describe sounds like it to me. There seem to be a lot of different names for the phenomenon. Was it pretty painful or more like minor aches and pains? It's probably not called TMS unless it is of a certain severity, but from my experience it can range from almost nothing to terrible. I don't mean to worry you though, it's not one of those things that you get and then you're doomed. Almost everyone I know has had some minor pains that never become anything more. Also, I think most medical professionals either don't buy it or are not aware of it. Your GP sounds open to the idea though.

Spot on when you say understanding can help a lot. That is what helped me the most, and it is what Dr. Sarno says is the most important part. The treatment is actually pretty mustachian; it's low cost and DIY.

When I learned what causes the pain, it was like the scene from the movie Hook where Captain Hook's wig falls off and the girl says, "He's just an old man, he can't hurt us anymore."