Dr. Schechter's Blog Blog 8: The First Report of a "Book Cure" On

Originally posted: December 24, 2014

The best way to diagnose and treat chronic pain, even with a mindbody approach, is in the office. Despite this, I have always been fascinated by people reading John Sarno's books and finding relief just from that process. He called these "book cures".

I just got a wonderful email from someone who read the book (halfway through at last report) and found pain relief just from that process.

Here's an anonymized excerpt:

Subject : Thank you!!

Message : Have hip arthritis, nearly crippled with pain, life gone, then I found your book, only half way through, pain nearly gone, I would give you a million dollars if I had it! Thank you so very much, and God bless you.

Sent on: 23 December, 2014​

It's so gratifying to hear from people who found value in the book (and I'm getting lots of great feedback on Think Away Your Pain). But this is the first who found dramatic pain relief just from reading... halfway through!

The power of learning, the power of the mind/brain. Think Away Your Pain.

 

absolutely amazing!
I think of myself as a true skeptic but desperation led me to try TMS.

a huge obstacle for patient recovery seems to be lack of mainstream acceptance and its hard to see if that will ever happen. I know trials have been done but more needs done until it reaches the ''gold standard''.

 

Agree with trials, more scientific documentation. Challenge is funding and infrastructure.

The Power of relieving fear and worry is amazing, however.

 

Hi Dr. Schechter, I traveled from SF to LA to see you a number of years ago, maybe a decade back. You looked at my imagings I brought down with me, and told me I had arthritis of the hip, to get a hip-replacement sooner then later. Judging by the "book cure" above, have you changed your views on significant hip-arthritis needing a THR or do you feel it's TMS? BTW, I haven't had the THR, yet, but that's always out there and available. I still play tennis, doubles only, not tournament singles like I used to and would love to again, I'm in too much pain. Bottom line, have you changed your views on hippies like me, arthritis, THR's and TMS? Good luck with your book, if you think it will fix my hip, I'll add it to my TMS library.

Cheers,
tt

 

My treatment of patients is individualized. Some people have arthritis of the hip that I believe is significant enough where hip replacement leads to a successful outcome. In other instances, pain in the hip can be a TMS manifestation. I think it's great you've been able to function for years on your hip without surgery. On the other hand, you do report significant pain above. So it gets back to an individualized recommendation for each patient I see and examine. Sometimes it's TMS, sometimes it's a physically based treatment.

 

Thank you doctor, I was wondering about that and accept that answer. I can always do a THR, I'll keep hobbling around a while longer, medical science keeps coming up with new stuff all the time. I'm holding out for something less invasive, I like my femur and acetabulum, it's just that little bit of cartilage that's such a pain in my ass--there's always golf and croquette.