Hey everyone, I just picked up The Mindbody Prescription and have started reading it. I feel like anxiety and repressed emotions have definitely led to some of the pain I've been experiencing but have yet to accept it's not something structural.
Background: It started out with me getting super stressed out about a bump I found on my forehead. I was positive it was melanoma or a bone tumor. At the time I was applying for life insurance and had a baby due coming in a few months. I let weeks go by without going to the dr and had many panic attacks and depression over it. I finally went to my PCP and dermatologist a month later who both said I was fine.
A week later I developed the worst headache of my life right above the bump in my left temple. It was a constant head pressure that burned at times and no pain meds could take it away. I had a brain CT and MRI which were both normal so they labeled it a tension/stress migraine. I agreed that it was related to stress but I couldn't get it to go away and it was affecting work and my quality of life.
After 6 weeks of this headache I decided to try a chiropractor. I went in for a whole spine adjustment and the next day my head pressure was gone but I began to feel pins and needles all over that started in the neck/shoulders. I talked to chiro said nothing to worry about that body trying to adjust to new alignment. The symptoms though continued to progress and would not go away so I went to several doctors.
Here are my continuous symptoms (2 months after adjustment)
· Prickly/ Electric zaps all over every time I move, quick stabbing needle like pain that occurs sporadically in legs, arms, chest, back, feet
· Very uncomfortable but not one excruciating pain spot
· Feels like every nerve in body is irritated
· Gradual numbness in feet like they are falling asleep, hands/fingers. When walking sometimes feels like stepping on nails.
· No painful specific spot besides an inflamed muscle in neck that since subsided. Have full motion and strength
Tests I've had done:
Brain MRI & MRA - normal
Neck CT, MRI, MRA - normal with some degeneration and reversal of cervical lordosis
Lumbar MRI with contrast - mild buldge and small annulear tear at L1
EMG Nerve conduction - normal
Blood Panel – B12, Copper, Protein, SED, Thyroid, A1C1 Diabetes - normal
Chiro – Xrays normal
I've seen by the ER, my PCP, EMG dr, and two neurologists
Since nothing major has show on any of the tests they are telling me its stress/anxiety. It's hard for me to comprehend that anxiety/repressed emotions could cause this constant pain I feel no matter what I do including sleep/relaxing and not thinking about it. Lately, I've felt more frequent pain (every few seconds and more numbness in my feet).
My symptoms mimic peripheral neuropathy but the neurologist did blood tests that ruled out common causes besides spinal compression which nothing was found impinging nerves in my neck and lower back. I fear my nerves though are being damaged from the constant pain I'm in. It's like my nervous system is in overdrive and won't calm down. I'm thinking the chiropractor aggravated the nerves in my spine that were already tense that fired off everywhere in my body. The foot numbness is the most concerning to me though.
Has anyone been in extreme and constant pain and attributed it to TMS? I'm wanting some sign of relief or improvement but the symptoms are so constant that it's difficult to take my mind off them and what's causing it.
Background: It started out with me getting super stressed out about a bump I found on my forehead. I was positive it was melanoma or a bone tumor. At the time I was applying for life insurance and had a baby due coming in a few months. I let weeks go by without going to the dr and had many panic attacks and depression over it. I finally went to my PCP and dermatologist a month later who both said I was fine.
A week later I developed the worst headache of my life right above the bump in my left temple. It was a constant head pressure that burned at times and no pain meds could take it away. I had a brain CT and MRI which were both normal so they labeled it a tension/stress migraine. I agreed that it was related to stress but I couldn't get it to go away and it was affecting work and my quality of life.
After 6 weeks of this headache I decided to try a chiropractor. I went in for a whole spine adjustment and the next day my head pressure was gone but I began to feel pins and needles all over that started in the neck/shoulders. I talked to chiro said nothing to worry about that body trying to adjust to new alignment. The symptoms though continued to progress and would not go away so I went to several doctors.
Here are my continuous symptoms (2 months after adjustment)
· Prickly/ Electric zaps all over every time I move, quick stabbing needle like pain that occurs sporadically in legs, arms, chest, back, feet
· Very uncomfortable but not one excruciating pain spot
· Feels like every nerve in body is irritated
· Gradual numbness in feet like they are falling asleep, hands/fingers. When walking sometimes feels like stepping on nails.
· No painful specific spot besides an inflamed muscle in neck that since subsided. Have full motion and strength
Tests I've had done:
Brain MRI & MRA - normal
Neck CT, MRI, MRA - normal with some degeneration and reversal of cervical lordosis
Lumbar MRI with contrast - mild buldge and small annulear tear at L1
EMG Nerve conduction - normal
Blood Panel – B12, Copper, Protein, SED, Thyroid, A1C1 Diabetes - normal
Chiro – Xrays normal
I've seen by the ER, my PCP, EMG dr, and two neurologists
Since nothing major has show on any of the tests they are telling me its stress/anxiety. It's hard for me to comprehend that anxiety/repressed emotions could cause this constant pain I feel no matter what I do including sleep/relaxing and not thinking about it. Lately, I've felt more frequent pain (every few seconds and more numbness in my feet).
My symptoms mimic peripheral neuropathy but the neurologist did blood tests that ruled out common causes besides spinal compression which nothing was found impinging nerves in my neck and lower back. I fear my nerves though are being damaged from the constant pain I'm in. It's like my nervous system is in overdrive and won't calm down. I'm thinking the chiropractor aggravated the nerves in my spine that were already tense that fired off everywhere in my body. The foot numbness is the most concerning to me though.
Has anyone been in extreme and constant pain and attributed it to TMS? I'm wanting some sign of relief or improvement but the symptoms are so constant that it's difficult to take my mind off them and what's causing it.
