question about post workout pain

Hi. My question is:
Since my mind is causing actual physiological pain, could the areas affected by tms (low back and right leg sciatica) be more painful after working out? I'm pretty sore all over, but my problem areas are worse. To give some background, I found out about tms a year ago. I still have my pain but it bothers me about a 5th as much. Just over a year ago, I'd get up in the morning, take a few steps, then cry from leg pain, as well as the stress of the pain and fear of more pain. Now, I often don't notice it unless I think about it. Sometimes it is worse, but it does not cause near the anguish that it used to! Anyway, this workout pain doesn't stress me out much or anything, just wondering if areas already painful from tms will hurt more after a tough workout, or if it is just extra mental tension popping out to say hello again. Any input is appreciated!

 

My understanding is that because TMS involves learned neural pathways, it would make sense that nerves sensitized from TMS might flare up from exercise.
Like you, I am mostly recovered from TMS. For me, working out can stir up some symptoms, but they are tame compared to the pain I felt at the height of my TMS experience, when even walking and sitting were excruciating.

 

Steve Ozanich writes in THE GREAT PAIN DECEPTION that playing golf despite the pain it gave him helped, over time, to heal him, together with believing 100 percent that his pain was caused by repressed anger.

Here is some good TMS advice on physical activity and exercise...

Many people have been asking when to resume physical activity. It can be different for different people, and they may fear that activity can cause more pain. The following not only may be of interest to and apply to you, but it is good for everyone to read who wonders about when to resume physical activity and exercise:

Dr. Sarno says in his TMS book, THE MINDBODY PRESCRIPTION, "If the pain disappears but you are still fearful of physical activity, recurrent pain, injury and progressive degeneration of spinal elements, the battle has not yet been won. The pain will return unless you overcome those fears. So patients are advised to resume normal, unrestricted physical activity once the pain is gone, or nearly so, and when they feel confidence in the (TMS) diagnosis.

Don't worry if you exercise too soon and experience some pain. You cannot hurt yourself. Continuing pain with activity means the brain is still in the process of changing its programming (from thinking structural to thinking emotional causing the pain. Stay secure in the knowledge that you will prevail. This has proven to be the case for thousands of patients."

Dr. Scott Brady agrees, in his TMS book, PAIN FREE FOR LIFE, saying "Confidence is huge in the process of (TMS) recovery, and your subconscious knows it. So when you begin to engage in those activities and exercises you once did, you can expect the subconscious to turn up your symptoms in a last-ditch effort to keep you away from the dangerous emotions you've started to explore... emotions that the subconscious is trying so hard to protect. Be ready to fight with your subconscious mind!"

 

Good word from Walt, as always.

Don't let any post-exercise flare ups shake your belief in recovery.

Believe your TMS symptoms will fade, and they will!

 

I'm definitely no longer afraid of hurting myself. I do what I want, no matter what it feels like. Walking, running, squats, deadlifts, lifting with my back, twisting... I don't even think about it. My mind is in a completely different place. The fear of hurting myself just isn't there. The thing is, I haven't exercised regularly in a few months. So even though I KNOW I can't hurt myself exercising, is this extra pain my mind again, just trying to break through to get me to pay attention to the pain like before? Because it won't work, I don't care!

 

I do notice that the pain flare ups I experience after heavy exercise continue to go down year by year, month by month, day by day as I continue to engage in more and more strenuous activities. I don't take it as seriously anymore, but it still makes me worry about TMS "coming back". I guess when those flare ups go away, my TMS will be cured completely. The flare ups do remind me that the psychological mechanism of fear that originally caused a massive TMS attack over 10 year ago is still in place in my psyche but not nearly as powerful as it was way back when.