Success with back pain patient!

Hi all!

As some of you know, I've been on the forums for several months now and recovered from my own TMS back pain successfully. Of course this has been an eye-opening experience to say the least, as it has been for many of you as well. As a PT myself, i've been very moved by my discovery of TMS and have been trying (mostly unsuccessfully) to incorporate it into my current practice. My work is at an outpatient clinic at a hospital, its a traditional setting that isn't too conducive to anything outside of the "validated" and traditional mindset for patient care.

That being said, although I can't yet fully practice as a TMS practitioner (life goals!), I have been trying to incorporate the ideas into my patient education and plan of care if the person seems open. Mostly people are completely stuck on the structural model of their pain, but i've had a few who are open. Even just telling people they are ok, there is nothing "wrong" with their hurting body part, and that they are safe to start doing exercise tends to help a lot of folks.

Today I had a third follow up visit with a woman who I saw initially a few weeks ago with terrible low back pain and sciatica...I immediately identified it as TMS, as all of her imaging was unremarkable and any other pathology was ruled out. She seemed open minded and was begging me to take her pain away. At the end of our first appointment I shared a short version of my story from back pain healing and she was amazed and felt immediate relief at the idea that she might not have to live with her back pain forever. She actually hugged me at the end of the session! On our second session, while doing exercises, we spoke at length about the connection between emotions, stress and pain. I encouraged her to keep moving through her pain and distracted her with conversation...and she forgot all about it.

On her recent visit to me today, she was nearly pain free and feeling great! The coolest thing about it was- without even a formal TMS program, she had learned to "think psychologically"- she shared with me that her back and leg had begun hurting again a few nights ago, but she realized the cause of it was that a friend of hers had passed away. It was a good moment for me to have passed this knowledge on and for this patient to have had such a dramatic decrease in pain.

I'm hoping to use this approach with more people as time goes on.

 

The "stress" component is slowly seeping into "modern" medicine, as allopathic treatment has failed to stem the "epidemic of chronic pain", as Dr. Sarno termed it. On my recent doctor check-up, going over my short list of rx'es, my physician noted regarding my rx for Flomax, for urinary urgency, that UU can have a "stress component". On my first visit to him, I brought along a copy of Sarno, he looked at it incredulously showing no interest. I like mt doc because he doesn't try to lay a lot of nocebos on me looking to run up a bill and leaving me worried. I'm going to give him SteveO's short "10 book" next time. Maybe someday, doc's offices will have a wing of TMS therapists to refer to.

 

What a great story. Thanks for sharing.

It really depends on the person. Some just need a hint of TMS and start recovering very quickly, like this lady. Others, depending on their personality, childhood experiences, mindset, external sources of tension, and daily stress level, to name a few, may take longer.

It is really wonderful when just a hint of TMS give such great results.

 

Wonderful story! This is how we change the world--one person at a time. We need more people in the medical field like you who are willing to take the leap. Congratulations!

 

Totally agree with Ellen's comments. It sounds like you may have a gift for spreading the message.

 

MindBodyPT: Wonderful Story! Keep on spreading the word. Your position as a PT is a prime position to be in as 'us skeptics' will believe you. Your intuition will tell you when it's right to do so. I have some friends in pain that I know could heal fully from TMS approach, but I also know I have to trend very lightly to introduce the idea to some of them.

Your help you gave me with my MRI result has helped me get over a big hurdle, so belated thanks to you for that advice.

After reading my first Dr Sarno book almost 2 years ago, I stopped going to PT. I told my PT why I was stopping and she was very supportive. She said she has a friend she was treating for low back pain who wasn't improving until her friend read Dr Sarno's book. My physio then said, "I need to tell my friend to start journaling again because her back is hurting again and I can tell she hasn't fully gotten over her divorce."

 

Thanks for the words of encouragement!! Having a patient like her and being on these forums really helps me get through tough days where it seems like everyone is stuck on the structural cause of their pain no matter what I say...(I'm dreaming of the day I can open my own TMS practice). For now I'll keep working on one person at a time who is open

 

Bravo!

 

I admire your spirit. It's not easy to go against the grain and keep faith shiny and new but it is so important and I find it vital to routinely saturate myself in mind~body wisdom. While being a carer is nowhere near being a professional and Parkinson's is not TMS, I endeavour to encourage people to look beyond the smoking gun of a damning medical diagnosis and explore what healing means for them. Sage souls like you make the world of difference in endless small and personal battles. God Bless You for that.

Plum x

 

Hi MBPT,

I love hearing this story. I know since the beginning of your involvement here at the TMS Forum that you've looked for ways to incorporate your knowledge of Dr. Sarno's work into you PT practice with clients. I am happy for you and your client.

Andy B