Completely healed now injured again

Hello,

I posted around this time last year and was completely healed: http://www.tmswiki.org/forum/threads/beat-tms-before-but-has-come-back-or-maybe-injury.17636/#post-93401 (Beat TMS before but has come back or maybe injury?)

If you do not want to read it in short: diagnosed with DD then healed with book. After being completely pain free I got it back whilst squatting heavy I felt this really tight/ inflammatory pain in my lower backwhilst at the bottom of the movement which caused my back to go into spasm. Literally couldn’t move do anything for 2 weeks, my question was asking wether it was TMS or an injury. Either way I practised what the book taught me and completely healed. So much that I am even stronger in my power lifting competitions, I play competitive football and can do anything I want it is truly unbelievable.

I feel embarrassed to say I’ve literally repeated the previous injury by squatting and feeling that sharp tightness in my lower back at the bottom of the movement. I’m now in agony again but am in no question what so ever anymore that it will stay. It may be a strain I can’t properly walk at the moment and sleeping is a struggle but this is the same as last year.

MY QUESTION: I was hoping to understand how to proceed because I feel that one of the main causes of my complete recovery was not to see my back as fragile. This really helped with me and I’ve been lifting heavy for months and been completely pain free. This like last time for whatever reason was an off day and caused a strain and now my back is in spasm. But I’m trying to figure out what to do once I heal because I don’t want this to keep happening, the first time was around 6 months after healing then this time was 11 months after healing again. Does anyone have advice that I can still use my healing method of not viewing my back as fragile but be able to still do what I love doing.


Also if anyone has any questions on how I’ve managed to be completely pain free twice I’m more than happy to help.


Thanks

Jason

 

Anyone?

 

Hi Jason,

Two approaches might pertain to your situation, re "avoiding relapse."

The first is to suggest that you do some kind of regular TMS work, even if for a few minutes a day. Dr. Sarno suggested the 12 Daily Reminders, or reading his work as a daily "vitamin." The go-to place is also to "think psychologically" by observing your personality, even when you don't have symptoms, as a way of understanding that you're prone to TMS, and that the psychology is the source.

This leads to my second thought: relapse which is not tied to life-change, stress increase, etc., is often a call to do deeper psychological work.

This is a very basic, important understanding which can take us far. Relapse though sometimes reminds us TMS teaches us about our lives, helps us understand and clarify our inner tensions which we have not yet seen or felt clearly.

Here is an interview which discusses "relapse" and in this case the help came with deeper work. This call to deeper work is actually typical of relapse, especially more than one, like yours.

https://www.curablehealth.com/podcast/chronic-pain-relapse-john-stracks-md (Recovery Is Not a Straight Line)

Andy B

 

The problem I’m struggling with is the pain is so SHARP it really really hurts like I keep having to limp and this sudden sharp horrendous pain comes in my bottom left part of my back. I still believe it’s TMS but I can’t stop fearing or ignoring it because it’s just so agonising.

Can anyone help with this?

 

Fear of the pain is natural...but remember what Andy said above. Relapses can happen, and thinking psychologically is key. TMS can be extremely tricky and can be a shape-shifter, and even cause really severe pain like you describe.

The other thing i'll say is to beware of black and white thinking. Yes, your back is strong and healthy! But of course minor strains can occur. If you did strain a muscle lifting, that's ok, it will heal within a couple of weeks. Injuries happen, we're not infallible! You will heal, remember that even people who have major surgeries heal for the most part within a couple of months. Whether it's a TMS relapse or a muscle strain, you will be ok.

 

Thanks for your reply MindBodyPT. Is it possible for TMS to cause me to be lent to one side (I’m assuming that one side is in such extreme spasm) or this something I should be concerned about?

 

Yes it is. This also happened to me when I had TMS back pain spasms! They are awful...they will also pass.

 

Thanks again MindBodyPT. I have two more questions:

-Is it ok to take painkillers, even though I still believe it is TMS I cannot distract from myself from the pain as it’s a higher degree of pain than what I used to have.

- I’m still currently training at the gym but with lighter weights and not doing anything lower back related. Is this ok to do whilst recovering?

Thanks

Jay

 

Yes it’s ok to take painkillers! Lots of folks here have done so during their healing process. Think of as a temporary relief, not a cure.

Weights are fine in the gym, listen to your body and do whatever is comfortable. You’ll know when you feel ready to try dead lifts again.