New at this

Day 1

I read Dr. Sarno's book about a week ago and have had a slight reduction in pain. I usually have moderate back pain at night when I go to sleep. I am not getting much rest and am tired and grumpy. I have advanced degenerative disc disease in L5 and possibly some arthritis. Any advice? Anyone experience pain only at night? I have had pain intermittently since a car accident at age 18. The chiropractor helped during my last bout but I went to a neurosurgeon last week. He recommends a steroid injection via epidural (at least I think so...he was not exactly exact in his explanation). I am not going to do it unless I absolutely have no luck at this. Does anyone have a time frame? I read some post that said it may take a year and that was disappointing. I would like to get some sleep before then.

 

"I went to a neurosurgeon last week. He recommends a steroid injection via epidural (at least I think so...he was not exactly exact in his explanation)."

At least 3 a studies have shown no difference between cortisone injections and salt water injections. If he means he wants to just numb your back, it's a temporary solution.

Your disc degeneration is absolutely normal as well as the arthritis. Millions of people without back pain have them as well.

Please see the introduction to Rapid Recovery from Back and Neck pain for more such information that can help protect you from false diagnosis and useless treatments.

It also gives you a clear step-by-step approach to speed up recovery from TMS.

http://www.amazon.com/Rapid-Recover.../ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

 

I'd like to echo what Fred said. Plus, I'd like to add that most people have varying levels of TMS (headaches etc) throughout their life, but it only becomes evident when the symptoms become severe. Since TMS is a direct result of the traits we develop in childhood it takes alot of work to transform our beliefs. That said, putting a time frame on TMS healing is setting oneself up for failure. The best approach is to reflect, accept and change how we perceive and respond to external stimuli and change our relationship to fear. When both mind and body are in equilibrium, healing will begin.

 

Yes, exactly. Well said, Mike.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions about how to handle a lack of sleep due to pain at night? I use Melatonin which puts me to sleep but the pain tends to overpower it around 4 am. A psychiatrist friend of mine recommends Benadryl but I don't want to be sluggish the next day.

 

I find Magnesium to be very helpful. Then there are other things you can do before going to bed. Meditation and journaling for example. That's what I'm trying to do now. I have similar problems.

 

I find that not watching TV news or anything stressful before bedtime helps me to get to sleep. I like a cup of hot milk just before going to bed.
In bed, I put my mind in the present moment and do some deep breathing. If something worries me, I tell myself I will think about it in the morning.

Decaffe teas can also be relaxing before bedtime. If I don't drink hot milk I have a hot cup of Yogi Kava Stress Relief tea. It has a Kava Kava calming effect that makes me calm and sleepy. I buy the tea at amazon.com.

You could also soak your feet in Epsom salts before bedtime. It's a very good way to get more magnesium in the body and is very relaxing.

 

I use Dr Emmet Millers - Goodbye Insomnia meditation, it works wonders.

 

That's right! I forgot to buy that one. I'm definitely going to, guided meditations are great.

 

I don't have insomnia. I can go to sleep just fine. The pain wakes me up from my back. Sometimes it is severe. I keep telling it to shut up and to go away and all that. I don't sit and think about it or anything (which I was doing a lot of ). I try to think about something besides being in pain but I am wide awake in the middle of the night. A lot. Lots of time I don't go back to sleep depending on the time I wake up. I end up asleep a lot on the weekends with little naps (I don't have back pain unless I lay down for the whole night). I wondered if anyone had any experience with this in particular. I don't in general have pain in my back much at any other time, although I have in the past.

 

It is very common for readers who follow my Nine-Step Rapud Recovery Plan to overcome TMS during sleep and sleep all night.

I give examples of such cases in Chapter 6 of Rapud Recovery from Back and Neck Pain. In one cases it was a mother with back pain and in another a facility manager with carpal tunnel syndrome. Steps are simple yet very effective.

In fact, I just helped a client who could not bend his knee due to sharp pains apply strp 2 and within 5 minutes he bent it. Pain level was 3 instead of 8 and as he did bent it over and over again kept getting better.

 

One more thing that can help is progressive muscle relaxation before sleep. Here's a video on how it works.



Take care,