Somatoform Disorders

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Please keep in mind that before treating any condition, including Somatoform Disorders, as TMS or PPD, it is vitally important to consult with your physician in order to rule out any serious medical conditions. To learn more about TMS and PPD, and to help you figure out if you have it, visit our An Introduction to TMS page and watch the video there. Some more guidance in figuring out if this approach is right for you can be found in the video at the top of our So You Think You Might Have TMS page.

To contribute your own story of healing from TMS, please click here to see how to post it on the forum.

Somatoform Disorders and TMS Success Stories

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Somatoform Disorders referenced in TMS Books

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Somatoform Disorders Discussion

From many anecdotal accounts it appears that many people who suffer from TMS-like symptoms report that they have other symptoms in other parts of their body as well. For example,

S Coleman writing a review for Dr Schubiner's Unlearn Your Pain is not atypical. She says, "I struggled with numerous health issues and chronic pain for most of my life, and finally my sister in law, who used this program to cure her fibromyalgia and interstitial cystitis, told me about it. Some of my problems were: hip pain, back pain, neck pain, throat pain, TMJ symptoms, numbness/tingling, chronic aches and pains that moved around, headaches, dizziness, IBS and stomach problems, nausea, arm pain, throat and esophageal problems, etc. I was diagnosed with chronic myofascial pain, but this diagnosis had no benefit. When I started the Unlearn Your Pain program, I did not experience immediate relief. But the more time I commit to it, the more results I see, and I had a breakthrough where I had zero pain a few days ago!

Jennifer Weiner writing a review for Dr Sarno's Healing backpain says, "I am a trained health and wellness counselor. I had been struggling with neck pain from brain surgery, among a list of other pain ailments all over my body, for more than ten years. I was prone to injuries that would linger for much longer than the doctors would tell me was "expected healing time". I had chronic foot pain, shoulder pain, IBS, and more--- until I read this book. The day, literally the first day, that I read this book my neck pain was gone. Honestly gone. I was simply blown away by the realization that I was creating my own pain. So, I tried it on other parts of my body. It worked there too."

Dr Sarno goes into some detail about this - warning that symptoms have a tendency to "shift" from one part of the body to another if the underlying (psychological) cause is not addressed.

emedicine gives the following definition for somatoform disorder:

"Somatization disorder: Somatization disorder is characterized by many somatic symptoms that cannot be explained adequately based on physical and laboratory examinations. Specific characteristics of somatization disorder include the following:

  • Onset of unexplained medical symptoms in persons younger than 30 years
  • Multiple and chronic complaints of unexplained physical symptoms
  • Multiple pain symptoms involving multiple sites, such as the head, neck, back, stomach, and limbs
  • At least 2 or more unexplained gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea and indigestion
  • At least 1 sexual complaint and/or menstrual complaint
  • At least 1 pseudoneurological symptom, such as blindness or inability to walk, speak, or move"

"By definition, somatoform disorders are not accompanied by physical findings or a medical illness that explains the symptoms. Physical examination may demonstrate multiple operations in unsuccessful attempts to diagnose or relieve symptoms."

One could certainly see Somatoform disorder as a severe manifestation of TMS.


See Also

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