tms =ischemia.

Sarno stipulated that tms is due to localized ischemia. i believe that i have puzzled some evidence supporting this idea.
here is where emoxypine / mexidol comes in.
One non-blinded non-randomized study determined the effectiveness of emoxypine in 205 patients with clinical manifestations of lumbosacral radiculopathy (LSR). Patients were divided into two groups, and further were divided into subgroups depending on the presence of motor disturbances. All patients received a course of conventional medical treatment and physiotherapy; main group additionally received emoxypine. Thereafter, clinical-neurological control of long-term results of treatment in subgroups of patients was performed. The results showed that the use of emoxypine in the combined therapy of patients with LSR led to significant and persistent reduction of severity of pain syndrome and rapid recovery of function of spinal roots and peripheral nerves compared with conventional therapy.[5]

according to research mexidol is anti ischemic.
https://drugs.ncats.io/substance/V99Y17D9FK (NCATS Inxight Drugs — EMOXYPINE MALATE)

see reference. why would emoxypine cause improvement in sciatic patients otherwise? now this does not fix the root cause, but strongly hints at the idea that the anti ischemic action here is at play

 

Does this study take into account any “other” patient symptoms, and does it state how long the patients where “cured” or if/when they had any other symptoms: these are all fairly common TMS experiences.
The idea of “ischemia” doesn’t hold true for many many TMS symptoms, and even Sarno dropped the theory. His books were written long before his career ended and he had refined many concepts (the basic premis never changed so neither did his books). How does one explain the medication? Perhaps in these specific incidences of back pain, there was some swelling and some symptom relief. Perhaps patients who were given care and attention to their pain instead of demands and self-pressure from physical therapy helped their anxiety, perhaps the placebo effect. I don’t think the study noted a long term effect.
The Boulder back pain study (and some others, there has been one for long Covid too) show that a Sarno-esque method or mind/body approach is incredibly effective for treating symptoms with a high maintenance of 3 years.

 

Sarno methods still apply. i dont recommennd this approach but it could be effective symptom relief during the process. i dont recall he ever dropped the ischemia theory? i did read all his books. and yes thisnwould apply to certain pains only where ischemia is the mechanism at play. its a russian study and there is not much data i can find. but the connections is valid. the mexidol group had clearly an big advantage to the non mexidol group. both received care