Almost a decade of hand pain.. is it TMS?

Hey everyone,

After years of trying to solve the mystery of my chronic pain, I came across a comment on Reddit about TMS. I immediately read Sarno's book and resonated with it deeply. Despite this, I still don't know if this is TMS. I was hoping to tell a bit about my story, and if anyone has experienced something similar or might have any insights I would greatly appreciate it.

It started in my late teenage years. There was no injury, but I was drawing more frequently as I wanted to improve my skills. At the time I was stressed about college and in a depressive spiral over my eye floaters. (I went through a period where I was extremely obsessed/depressed about them but now I rarely pay notice to it)

I rested, hoping it might alleviate the problem- but unfortunately the pain persisted.

About The Pain:
- it moves around - fingers, wrists, hands
- can be in one or both hands
- it can be sore, painful, tingling, and/or a prickling sensation
- there is also constant pain in my neck

What I have Done:
- 2 rheumatoid tests
- 2 nerve conduction studies
- talked to hand specialists
- physical therapy
- massage
- supplements, cbd
- topical balms
- chiropractor
- stop drawing :,(

All my tests came back clean and the only thing they could say was that I have RSI.

I am so incredibly distraught. I just can't spend another decade in pain. It hurts even typing this message. I am frustrated at myself for all the time I have missed out on drawing, to evolve creatively.


I am trying to follow Sarno's advice, but it's not working. So maybe it's not TMS?


Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

 

Hi there @cypressleaves,

I am a newcomer like you but I have already experienced a noticeable reduction in my sciatica pain symptoms in the 3 weeks since I embarked on the TMS journey.

I am not familiar with the gamut of symptoms that can be categorized as TMS but, coincidentally, what brought me to this forum initially is this YouTube video from a Texas musician who endured endless pain in his fingers, then arms for years. So much so he could not play music anymore. He has fully recovered. It is a very engaging video!


The way I see it, you have nothing to lose by assuming your chronic pain is TMS-related. It's minimal work and the rewards could be huge. Read a Dr. Sarno book, visit the forum as often as you can, tell your brain your pain signals are out of date and that you are working on all the little and big emotions and events that did not sit well with you now or in the past. There's lots of ways of doing this and you can glean from this forum and its members a multitude of personal ideas. Just go with what feels doable to you; start with that. I am having fun with all the different techniques.

I didn't have a diagnostic for my back/leg pain. It's been going on for 6-7 months. It would drive me crazy when people would comment "back pain is psychological pain." I feel better already just by shifting my attitude. I'd say my pain is down 50% in just 3 weeks of talking to myself internally.

Take care,
Lucie

 

In my view it's TMS.
I have had incredibly similar symptoms and tests.
will reply more fully tomorrow.

 

as promised here is my reply.

Firstly, I have overcome numerous very long-term symptoms which range from chronic pain write the way through to strange symptoms such as dizziness. For example, I have managed to get rid of tension related headaches that became so bad that I was suicidal and they lasted for 20 years at least. I am here because I have another manifestation of TMS and I am going through the exact same doubt as most people with chronic pain go through so you are not alone.

I am an artist and a musician and would you believe it that I experienced tremendous pain in my arms in my hands and more over in my throat because I was singing. My arm and hand issues came out of the blue and initially I thought I was dealing with repetitive strain injury. Just like you I had extensive testing culminating in a brain scan to try and determine what was going on. Interestingly, when I had nerve conduction studies I was absolutely certain they were going to find something and yet I was told that my nerves conduct better than the average person so that came as a complete shock given the type of pain I was experiencing. I also ended up wearing arm splints And sleeping with my arm straight in an effort to try and stop the pain. I spent an absolute fortune on various types of therapy until eventually I stumbled on a physiotherapist who point blank refused to treat me because he said objectively he could not find anything wrong. However, he showed me a very famous study on back pain and suggested that I thought long and hard about where my pain was coming from to the extent that he said get back in the gym and start strengthening your body. Even more worrying was the fact that my hands used to swell up like balloons and I was so scared of going back doing anything.

one day it was pointed out to me that I was clenching my fist out of pure habit and of course stress. I also noticed and continue to notice that I have an abundance of tension in my shoulders and other parts of my body. Through accepting and relaxing I did manage to ultimately calm down all my arm symptoms and I returned to playing guitar. However, if I am being brutally honest there is still an element of me that feels as though I have repetitive strain and therefore I can't say that my hand and arm symptoms have fully recovered. They have recovered to the extent where I can still do what I want to do but along with my new symptoms I am taking a brand-new look at the whole situation. Essentially, I am now more than ever convinced that stress and emotions ultimately result in this chronic pain I experience and I am on a mission to eliminate it once and for all.

I would strongly suggest that in the absence of any significant medical finding that you will have to fully address any stress no matter where it comes from. For me personally this means that I have to deal with the stress and anger which arise from actually having chronic pain because I often feel as though this is overlooked . In my life I have had unbelievably traumatic and stressful experiences and I feel as though I have finally acknowledged the toll it has taken on me but the stress of living with symptoms must not be overlooked as a source of continuing symptoms .

when I think back to some of the other symptoms I have managed to shed each and every time I got to complete and utter belief that they were being caused by anxiety or stress and the mind. I personally describe it as having an epiphany moment where you get a kind of shift in perspective.

 

@cypressleaves , for how long have you been following Sarno's recommendations? Do you know that some people didn't experience immediate relief and needed substantial psychological assistance? Why are you angry at yourself? Could it be that your tendency to blame yourself unfairly, like in this case, is the reason for your pain?

 

RSI was the 'Back Pain" of the 2000's. You could read any of Sarno's text and insert "Hand pain" where "Back Pain" is written for they are synonymous.

From your description you absolutely are having TMS .

For how long?
What 'advice'...Have you fully re-educated yourself on TMS?
Then Returned slowly to FULL (and that would include drawing unrestricted) activity?
I don't know which text you read, but it usually takes a few weeks of doing all of the above before you will begin to notice a change . I imagine after 10 years of conditioning, you have a few more things to UNcondition then most...but you wouldn't be anything like an extreme case...most of us who have recovered tried everything and were in Pain for a long time before we were willing to try the Sarno method

..and yes, you should be pissed about missing out on all of that ART...that might be a good 'recurrent source of irritation' to turn your mind to...Sarno recommends that as a crucial part of reconditioning yourself...and that's an awesome one. I'd be pissed too

 

Following on from Baseball65's comment - they diagnosed me with RSI too, and I couldn't use my hands for almost 2 years. I had to stop drawing.

I then found Sarno's book, did what was advised on the forum here, and 6 months later my hand pain was gone. I have been drawing as much as I like since the pain left, and it has never come back. Feel free to check my post history, I've talked to others about hand specific pain. I had all the same exact symptoms as you. It's taken 10 years from you, don't let it take any more.

 

You're very kind!