Q&A: Can Allergies Be TMS?

Question Can Allergies Be TMS?

Answer by John Stracks, MD

Practitioner Johns Stracks Dr. Stracks' Profile Page / Survey Response / Bio Page / Psychophysiologic Disorders Association (PPDA) Board Member

I definitely think that allergies (like hay fever) can be TMS although the mechanism by which that happens is not as clear as it is for back pain and other chronic pain syndromes. I know that, personally, my seasonal allergies have gotten much better since finding out about TMS 10 or 12 years ago. Dr. Schubiner had a colleague (I'll call him Mr. X) who told him the following story: Mr. X heard Dr. Schubiner give a talk on TMS and shortly thereafter his allergies got much better. A few weeks later, he was speaking with a friend who was telling him a very sad story, and all of a sudden Mr. X started sneezing and couldn't stop. He excused himself to go to the bathroom and when he got there, he realized that the sneezing had gotten him out of a very difficult conversation that he didn't really want to be in. His mind had created a physical symptom (the sneezing) in response to a strong emotion (discomfort)! On some level, allergies are the result of an up-regulated immune system that attacks foreign invaders (like pollen) as if it's an extremely dangerous virus or bacteria when it's really a harmless substance. We know from studies that the immune system can be up- or down-regulated by conditioning, that is based on triggers that are not inherently related to the immune system. If, at some point in your life, you had hay fever or other allergies during times of stress, the allergies can come back when the stress comes back. Curing this would be done just as any other TMS cure is done. You can speak to your body and tell it that you know what it's doing, that the allergies are only there as a distraction from uncomfortable emotions. Let your body know firmly, but gently, that you won't stand for it any more. If you can convince yourself of the mind-body link in this case, there's a good chance that the allergies will lessen. Obviously, if you have life-threatening allergies such as anaphylaxis to peanuts, you wouldn't want to try this, but more benign allergies like hay fever may be very responsive to this type of treatment -- It is important to recognize that no information on this wiki can be considered a specific medical diagnosis, medical treatment, or medical advice. Reading information here does not create a doctor/patient or other professional relationship between you and the answering professional. As always, you should consult with your physicians and counselors regarding new symptoms and any changes that you might make in medications or activities.

Answer by Georgie Oldfield, MCSP

Georgie Oldfield, MCSP Georgie Oldfield's Profile Page / Survey Response

Yes. Instead of the onset of physical symptoms via the autonomic nervous system as a distraction from deeply held emotions, the immune system can also be affected. Research has clearly shown that stress has an effect on the immune system, but typically this is recognised as being a suppression of the immune system which makes you more likely to succumb to infections etc. Dr Sarno's work, however, has shown that as well as suppression of the immune system as a response to repressed emotions, we can also have a wind up' of the immune system. This appears to result in an over responsive system which over reacts to allergens that it would otherwise be able to deal with. This therefore explains why in this stressful life we lead there has been such an increase in allergies to all sorts of allergens, such as peanuts, gluten, chemicals etc. I have patients who have been diagnosed with allergies to wheat, pollen etc by blood tests and who then become tolerant to all these things after following the TMS programme. The most obvious sign to me however that allergies are a TMS equivalent was when a lady came to me with severe low back pain (on morphine) and she informed me that she had been suffering from anaphylactic shock for the previous 9 months. This is a severe allergic reaction which can result in death unless adrenaline is injected immediately. This lady had been having frequent episodes and had had to give up driving because she didn't know when they would happen. She also had to carry an Epipen with adrenaline in to inject herself, yet no-one had been able to find out why she was having them and what she was allergic to. Following her initial assessment at my clinic she never had another anaphylactic shock! She informed me that she had a few minor episodes, but these too resolved within weeks and she went on to become not only pain free but free from any allergies too. “ -- It is important to recognize that no information on this wiki can be considered a specific medical diagnosis, medical treatment, or medical advice. Reading information here does not create a doctor/patient or other professional relationship between you and the answering professional. As always, you should consult with your physicians and counselors regarding new symptoms and any changes that you might make in medications or activities.

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