Physical Activity Sparks TMS

I’ve been struggling with both “true” TMS pain issues as well as symptoms from chronic systemic inflammation infecting all of my joints since childhood. I was laid off from my ‘real’ job before the summer and managed to get an easy summer job to take my 1st break from the corporate world in 25+ years. I haven’t been this relaxed in years, though the job is more physical than expected - a lot of walking, plenty of bending & lifting (within reason)...activity level increased quite a lot, which is a good thing.

The primary “trouble spot” for me has been my lower-left back. All of the usual diagnoses – stenosis, pinched nerve, DDD, etc. 4 neurosurgeons’ “certain” spinal fusion was the only & best option. Of course, I don’t believe any of that garbage, and am very cognizant of the difference between weak/tight muscles from tension vs autoimmune inflammatory arthritis.

After a few weeks of very low pain levels, without steroids, pain meds, etc., I decided to play some pickle ball. After the expected activity-related soreness died down, the LBP has continued with increasing ferocity, with that previously dormant nerve-type sciatic edge to it.

Of course, I can never say that I am completely free of negative thoughts or repressed stress, but this feels like I’ve physically exacerbated my TMS. Even if I believed the aforementioned pathology was even partially responsible for my pain, this sort of activation of it is confusing to me. I "just did it" and am paying an unusually high price for it. I have lots of weak muscles, but why is this very specific issue/area the one that’s lingering? I don't expect a definitive answer & am really just thinking out loud here, but if anyone is bored enough to analyze this with me....

 

This happened to me often when I had fibromyalgia (which is actually TMS). I think it was due to still harboring some belief in the back of mind that there was something physically wrong with me. And if something is physically wrong, then of course increased activity will exacerbate it. This stopped happening when I completely believed my symptoms were TMS.

 

Thank you for your reply. My case is somewhat unique in that I have symptoms of TMS, as well as symptoms of enteropathic arthritis. Tension/stress definitely exacerbates the autoimmune disease, and identifying & separating the two has made treating the MBS much more complicated, especially since the two are so intertwined. The challenge is that when I follow the "just do it" philosophy, I pay for it so dearly that I am reluctant to do it again the next time. While in the case of TMS, there is usually no risk of any long term injury from this, I can compensate for the pain & then get into trouble .. like the stress fracture in my foot that came from shifting my weight too much to avoid the back pain, and my bones are weakened from the steroids. The main "question" here is how do I know when I've done too much, so I can avoid the 3 days of torture after physical activity? I get loosened up & I just can't find that sweet spot. I dunno if there is any answer here, I may just be complaining out loud lol..