TMS and CTS

Hi,

My story can be found in the Structured Program Section. I have a specific question regarding TMS and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. I am so far dealing well with leg pain, shoulder and back pain, but the one thing I'm truly scared of is CTS. I have CTS like symptoms in both hands, symptoms Id love to ignore, however something doesn't add up for me. CTS is known to gradually cause atrophy of the thumb muscle, known to be irreversible. TMS causes oxygen deprivation but as Dr Sarno says, the condition is harmless. The fear of thumb atrophy happening to me prevents me from keeping this pain out of my mind. Any input?

Daniel.

 

I had CTS long before I was ever aware of TMS. I had no insurance, so saw no doctors. I had constant wrist pain w/electric shocks to my hands that lasted for about a year. I read that sleeping with your hands/wrists straight was beneficial. I taught myself to sleep with my hands/wrists straight and relaxed and it went away and has never returned. Over that same year, my neighbor had both her wrists operated on (one at a time). As far as I know, she still has CTS issues. I am only on day 3 of the TMS Structured Program Section, but I think finding a better sleeping position (I've also learned to quit sleeping all twisted up in other ways) can only benefit your overall health.

 

Hi Daniel,
CTS is tms, it is harmful if it can produce fear and keep your attention. But it will be harmless and your hands will be back to normal if you can somehow stop worrying, stop fearing it. Your job is trying to convince your mind that your ill is the product of your negative thoughts/emotions and it will be gone when you can stop fearing it.
Negative thoughts, negative emotion, chronic stress... trigger mind body symptoms in our body.
Fear and worry that those symptoms will lead to some thing serious or bad keep those symptoms alive long after those stressful and negative emotions are gone. Fear and worry made the body release all kind of stress hormone and keep your body in constant "fight or flight" mode. Then over time your body will also being "condition" to produce pain, condition like: typing, tying your shoes, moving your hand a certain way... it is all due to fear.

So if you can somehow stop worrying about your health for one week you will see a different. Just make up your mind and tell your pain to go to hell and you're not going to worry for another second. Just refuse to fear it. You can find story to convince your mind that it is illogical that typing or playing guitar for a few hours a day can cause structural pain. Those tricycle riders in India pedal their tricycle with heavy customers all day long for years and why their foot and legs don't hurt. those farmers in South East Asia farm their land the manual way with picks and shovels all their live from sun up to sun down, why their hand don't get CTS? Many of them farmed well until they past their 80's. In the 50 and 60's in the US, hundred of thousand of people work as typist on manual typewriter and we never heard of any of them complain about CTS. I don't think our body is anymore special than those people all over the world doing manual job all their lives.

One week of refusing to FEAR is a very small price to pay to get rid of your pain. Truly forget yourself and live for others for one week. Any fear thought come into your mind just acknowledge it then dismiss it then move your focus to something else. Count your blessing, do some thing good for someone you love, volunteer,... completely forget about yourself for one week and see how it go.
Good luck.

 

Hi Daniel,
I was told I had a nerve entrapment, Tarsal Tunnel in my foot that was causing excruciating pain, and "killing your nerve." "Needs surgery." "You're headed for neuropathy and loss of use of foot." -----All BS.

When the surgeon's assistant explained that the nerve entrapment was causing blood flow restriction, the Sarno diagnosis got a big lift in my mind, and that helped me go all-in with a TMS diagnosis. I also contacted Dr. Marc Sopher, who will do long distance consulting with medical history. That was a big help too.

Dr. Sarno's approach worked for me. Hiking, skiing----from wheel chair and walker! Avoided surgery.

That is my two cents worth. Good Luck!!

Andy