Day 1

Just started working this daily program. I am a 42 yr old High School teacher and began doing Chinese martial arts in my early twenties. Never had a problem until about 10 years ago. While my wife was pregnant with our 1st (only) child, I injured my neck. Spasms, horrible demobilizing pain. This lasted about 7-8 months. I was told by a dr eventually that I had a bulged disc in my neck. No mri or x-ray. He sent me to pt where they did traction. After 1 session, I was better. I resumed martial arts and had no serious problems or injuries until this past August. I began having shoulder, elbow and neck issues. Later, I developed lower back, hip, and groin pain. I saw drs, got x-rayed, and mri’d. Did pt for 6 months. The pain in my shoulder, neck and elbow went away as I stopped doing any martial arts or much activity at all. But the lower back/hip/groin pain only got worse. I became afraid of physical activity and sitting. I got this book called back mechanic or something, and then I became obsessive and anxious about every single movement I made. The result was more pain, fear, anxiety, depression, and hopelessness. I watched YouTube videos of exercises o thought would help -they never did. One video suggested Sarno’s first book. I bought the book last Tuesday, and have improved a ton. I am doing martial arts vigorously with no pain. I experience pain while sitting still, but if I really try to talk myself out of the traps the pain used to put me in mentally, I can relieve it. I am eager to keep practicing and getting better at this because the diagnosis of TMS is the only thing that makes sense, and it’s the only thing that seems to help. Looking back on when my issues really started, I am seeing evidence of fear, anxiety and anger around the experiences I had as a child, in particular with my father. This has to be connected, and I hope to get deeper into the issue there.

 

Thank you, and I will refuse to give in to what my brain tells me about giving up!