Car accident / neck pain, shoulder pain

Hi, I was rear-ended in a car accident almost two years ago and was diagnosed with a concussion and a neck sprain. I have tried PT, chiropractors, massage, etc to get rid of this pain in my neck and shoulders. A few times in this time, it felt like it was all going away, but it would come back two or three weeks later.

My most vexing symptom is what I think of as a woozy, sort of "unreal" sensation, coupled with anxiety. I then get neck pain which feels more like tightness than outright pain, and my neck will crack and pop a lot at this time, or I think I try to move it so it will pop and crack, thus perpetuating that there is something majorly wrong with my spine. I reacted very emotionally to this accident, was hit by a drunk driver, and have had major anger toward this person.

In the past, I remember having some other major pains in what I thought was a prostate problem, and had weird pains and aches down there which were never found. I think I obsess over my physical health and put all my attention on these things.

I live in Alaska, so finding good doctors seems to be difficult, or at least specialists in things of this matter. I have read Dr. Sarno's books, and my personality seems to fit everything he was describing. I have issues of OCD as well. Ugh!

 

Hi teachthis1, and welcome! It sounds like you're in the right place to address your issues as TMS.

Yeah, this is also my most vexing symptom. I started complaining years ago about a vague dizziness, which you describe perfectly as "woozy and unreal" and even after I was able to banish many of my symptoms back in 2011/2012, thanks to this forum, this is the one symptom that I just can't seem to visualize away. I find it much easier to breathe deeply and talk myself out of digestive discomfort and most pain - but this one seems too hard to grasp, or my response is too conditioned. I can easily visualize not feeling queasy, for example, but I don't know how to visualize not feeling woozy! Yet I know it's 100% TMS, because it totally goes away when I otherwise distracted.

Anyway - welcome to the forum, and be sure to check out our two free self-directed program. We have the daily Structured Educational Program, and the more-emotionally-based Pain Recovery Program generously donated by Alan Gordon.

~Jan

 

Yeah, I sometimes think I think myself into feeling this way, and then my neck starts to bother me. And then I get weird head sensations and pains. I had a good week this last week, and now I feel it bad today.

 

Classic symptoms caused by emotions. It sounds like your body healed long ago, but the symptoms sometimes continue due to an emotional process.

You'll be OK.

 

Just reading this made me feel better, and a lot of the tension/head/neck sensations went away. Is this what TMS feels like/does?

 

Yes. It is healing by knowledge and understanding the mechanism of action consciously. It is also much more, but this is a very good example.

 

It sure is! You’ve got our support.