Day 1 Back and knee pain

My back pain started when I was around 15 years old, and it has lasted until now that I´m 36 years, that’s more 20 years. It usually hurts when I´m sitting, sometimes in other positions, like bending. I heard of TMS maybe like 8 years ago and I have read 2 Dr. Sarno books, and I think I fit the personality traits. My biggest problem is my repressed emotions and the way I handle stress, I can seem to express them or know how to.

I been working in my back pain and I have been kind of successful, It hasn´t disappear but I don’t feel the pain as much, the problem is that when my back pain began to decrease, I began feeling pain in both of my knees, I already have had this knee pain, like about 4 years ago, it lasted like a month and then it when by its own, but like 1 year and a half ago the knee pain came back and its hasn´t gone away, its hurts every day, both knees, and the pain seems to go up to the legs and down to the calfs. The pain in the legs and calfs feels like tension it dosen´t hurt a lot, what really hurts are the knees.

I went to de Doctor, and the X-ray doesn´t show anything abnormal, the diagnosis was Patellofemoral pain syndrome do to tight quadriceps and hamstrings, probably since I sit all day at the office; I went to physical therapy for three months but it didn’t seem to work, so I went to another doctor and he says I have hoffitis, which is an inflammation of the infrapatella fat pad, and he gave me some anti-inflammatory medications but they didn´t work, and then he put me an injection on the knee, but it also didn’t work and the inflammation and the pain are still there. The next step is an MRI.

I don’t know what to do any more, I have tried exercises, medications, stretches, massages and nothing seems to work. Im still doing light stretches and foam rolling, and its seems to help temporarily, I also use a jumpers knee strap band, and it also seems to work, but once I get them off the pain comes again. What worries me most, is not only the pain, but the inflammation that hasn´t gone away. Can inflammation be a symptom of TMS?? Any advice??

 

Hi, Arthurohs. Inflammation is definitely one of the symptoms of TMS emotional pain. Medical tests prove there is nothing structurally wrong with yoju, and I doubt an MRI would show anything. Even if it did, disc or other abnormalities often do not cause pain.

You know you have a problem with repressed emotions and how you handle stress. The SEProgram helps to discover repressed emotions, and you need to find ways to handle your stress. My favorite ways are deep breathing and meditation.

Meditation is a time-honored way of relaxing the mind and relieving anxiety, mental stress, headaches, and even physical pain. There are many ways to practice meditation, but many consider the most successful to be a technique called the Relaxation Response (RR).

It is a wonderful way to practice TMS Mindbody Healing because it changes harmful thinking in the subconscious mind which Dr. John Sarno says causes pain that is not caused by anything structural.

The RR, practiced once twice a day for 10, 15, or 20 minutes has a profound positive effect on the subconscious mind, relieving or curing everything from anxiety, hypertension, headaches, fatigue, nervousness, dizziness, high blood pressure, insomnia, stomach problems, all forms of pain including backaches, abdominal pain, muscle pain, neck, arm, and leg pain, and relieves side affects from cancer and AIDS.

RR is like Transcendental Meditation which is taught by TM specialists who charge hundreds or thousands of dollars. But the RR is free and you can do it yourself.

It is practiced, before a meal, and works best if not practiced within two hours after a meal. I do it in bed before arising in the morning and again in bed before falling sleep. Often, I only do it 5 or 10 minutes and it works to calm me and put me to sleep.

Just sit in a chair (or lie in bed in the morning or at bedtime), close your eyes, don’t listen to any music, and try to avoid outside noises. Let your mind think of a word such as "One " which has no real meaning or association. Or say a calming word such as “Calm” or “Peace,” or add the faith or spiritual element by saying a favorite religious word or prayer. Breathe naturally or incorporate Deep Breathing by breathing in through the mouth to inflate the stomach, suck in the stomach while holding the breath for a few seconds, then say the word when you exhale through the mouth.

Say the word silently over and over. At the end of the 10 to 20 minutes, picture and feel yourself as you were when you felt your best, and in a place where you felt that way.

When distracting thoughts arise during the RR, as they will, just tell yourself, “Oh, well,” and go back to repeating your chosen word.

My "word" is a prayer: "God loves me and is protecting me." I say it a few times and go right to sleep. If my mind wanders onto other things, I tell myself"Oh, well," and repeat my mantra silently while deep breathing.

There are several free videos on Youtube about the Relaxation Response. I especially recommend these two by Dr. Benson:

 

Thank you very much for your reply, I will try meditation as you suggest. I am also doing some stretches like yoga posses and also with some balls, where I lie down over them and rest my body, do you think I should continue this or con it interfere with the program?