Terminology for TMS/PPD

What is TMS an Acronym for?

In his first books, Dr. Sarno gave the name "Tension Myositis Syndrome" (abbreviated TMS) to the condition that we refer to as TMS. The Latin root "myo-" refers to muscle and the latin root "-itis" refers to inflammation, so the phrase "tension myositis syndrome" roughly means "a collection of symptoms arising from tension and associated with inflammation in the muscles."

A problem with the term "tension myositis syndrome" is that it suggests that muscle is the tissue that is primarily targeted in TMS. However, most TMS practitioners, including Dr. Sarno, now believe that many other types of tissue can be involved in TMS. Correspondingly, Dr. Sarno's preferred term for the condition has changed over the years.

Because the initials "TMS" have become a standard way to refer to the condition, three of the terms he has considered share those initials. The term that Dr. Sarno has most recently used with the initials TMS is "tension myoneural syndrome," so one could argue that it is the most correct expansion of the acronym "TMS." However, the term "tension myositis syndrome" is much more prevalent than the term "tension myoneural syndrome," so one could also consider it as an expansion of the acronym TMS. To complicate matters further, there is evidence that Dr. Sarno has abandoned the acronym "TMS" completely and now prefers the term "psychophysiological disorder."

The following chronological list of citations may help to clarify things:

Date	Citation
2003	On pages 4 and 5 of To Be or Not to Be...Pain-Free: The Mindbody Syndrome (copyright 2003), Dr. Marc Sopher wrote, "Much of the chronic and recurrent pain and discomfort that we all experience is psychologically induced. This is the premise of Dr. John Sarno, who coined the term "tension myositis syndrome," or TMS, to better describe and treat this pain. He gave it this name because, in the early days of his work, it was his impression that muscle (myo) was the only tissue involved. Having realized in recent years that nerves, tendons and other body systems could be targeted by the brain in the disorder that he has described, we have decided that another term would be a more accurate designation for the entire process. After much thought and discussion, he and I have agreed that the term, The Mindbody Syndrome, would be a better choice and would be used henceforth in place of tension myositis syndrome. This has the virtue of retaining the acronym TMS, which has become familiar to many that have read Dr. Sarno's work. ...Using today's popular lingo, TMS is a mindbody disorder--the symptoms arise from the mind and are experienced by the body. Thus, The Mindbody Syndrome is an appropriate title." Text very similar to the above can be found on Dr. Sopher's website, at http://www.tms-mindbodymedicine.com/tmsinfo.htm.
2007	According to a post on the TMSHelp forums, Dr. Sarno stated that "Even in the The Divided Mind...I called it 'myositis'...Very recently I decided we should call it the myoneural, Tension Myoneural Syndrome..." in an interview on April 10, 2007.
2008	In an interview posted on the WBAL TV website as part of their 5/1/08 report on TMS, Dr. Sarno says, at time 4:50, "By the way, was I specific? I now call it 'Tension Myoneural Syndrome,' and anything that I'm writing now and of course for what we are doing now I want it to be known that it is 'myoneural.'"
2009	In an online discussion, Dr. Barta wrote (4/8/09): ' Psychophysiological Disorder [as above]( with specifications for Muscluloskeletal psychophysiological disorder, Gastrointestinal psychophysiological disorder, Genitourinary psychophysiological disorder) ' + Will be consistent with new terms Dr. Sarno will be writing about in his new book (he mentioned this today on 4/8/09 - Barta). + Dr. Sarno mentioned that TMS (tension myositis syndrome) is obsolete now and this is a better description

Alternative Names for TMS

Automatic Overload Syndrome (AOS): Dr. Scott Brady developed the term AOS to describe chronic conditions, which he discusses in his book Pain Free for Life. Brady defines AOS as a group of chronic pains and other symptoms caused by harmful levels of stress, pressure, and repressed strong negative emotions that have built up in the subconscious mind. The symptoms of AOS include back pain, headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, insomnia, and other chronic conditions. Brady focuses on stress and pressure that builds up in the autonomic nervous system, which causes these conditions. [Brady, Scott. Pain Free for Life. New York: Hachette Book Group. 2006. pg. 8]

Mind Body Syndrome (MBS): Dr. Howard Schubiner calls the condition of having chronic symptoms caused by psychological factors as MBS. Schubiner says "MBS is caused by a complex set of neurological connections between the brain and the body, rather than a disease localized in one area of the body." MBS symptoms include chronic pan syndromes, such as tension headaches, back pain, fibromyalgia, and Myofascial Pain syndrome, as well as autonomic nervous system related disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome and Reflex sympathetic dstrophy. Other symptoms are also included in MBS like insomnia, Tinnitus, Anxiety, and Chronic fatigue syndrome. [Schubiner, Howard. Unlearn Your Pain. Pleasant Ridge: Mind Body Publishing. 2010. pg. 8-19]

Stress Illness: Dr. Dave Clarke has coined the phrase Stress Illness to diagnose conditions that are chronic and caused by psychological factors of stress and the repression of emotions. Clarke argues that there are five different kinds of stress that create physical symptoms such as childhood, current, traumatic, depression and anxiety disorders. Clarke argues that other names such as psychosomatic and somatoform disorder suggest that the patient's symptoms are either not real or are part of a psychological disorder instead of being cause by stress. Clarke writes "Sufferers are often unaware of the nature or degree of the stress that makes them ill. Symptoms can occur anywhere in the body and can be just as severe as symptoms caused by any other disease, but x-rays and blood tests cannot detect the cause." [Clarke, Dave. They Can%27t Find Anything Wrong. Boulder: First Sentient Publications. 2007.]

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