Hey all,
I’m fairly new to the TMS approach and am still trying to wrap my head around all of it so bare with me. I actually heard about it thru a podcast called hypochondriactor and the physician asked the host “have you heard of the work of John Sarno?” So I googled him. I listened to the mind body prescription in 2 days and then healing back pain twice over the next few days.
I’m a massive skeptic of all things, but I totally saw myself in everything he spoke of. PERFECTIONIST, GOODIST, anxious, angry. The one thing I’m really having a hard time with is that I don’t know how to get over my anxiety of this never ending pandemic and the fear of reinjury. On to that portion…
So I work for a university and last April, we were required to all stay home for 6 weeks while the pandemic was getting out of hand. I’m an electrician and am used to a physical job. Now I was doing trainings and prep work for projects and on a computer all day. When we finally went back to work within a few days I started getting agonizing mid back pain.
Ive been injured more times than I can count and figured this was just the usual, be gone in a little bit injury. It wasn’t. After 2 months I went to the doctor and was diagnosed with a mild tear in my erector on one side. So off to physical therapy I went. This is where it unraveled.
I was told in my first appt “you have low shoulder which means your pelvis is off which means you have a short leg! Here’s a shoe lift.”
I’m an avid golfer and my first time golfing with it I strained my left hip area. Within a month I could barely walk. The pain was terrible. The mid back injury was still there too.
On to another physical therapist. We started working on strengthening the hips and core. I started getting better after a couple months. Went back to golfing again too! Life was getting better. Then we decided to list our house for sale. We found the house we wanted but I needed to do a few projects around ours to sell it. After a few days of sanding and painting my hand started going numb. Then I got terrible shoulder pain. I was diagnosed with rotator cuff tendinitis and a pinched nerve. Then a week of doing everything with my other hand and that arm did the same thing! Then I stopped rehab and tried to rest and heal. Everything got mildly better.
So after a couple months of of moderate pain, I started getting back to my normal work. I noticed my fingers would tremor during very task that required finger dexterous things. Then I started getting forearm pain. Then hand pain that was debilitating. I went to a physiatrist and was given a nerve conduction test. Mild ulnar neuropathy in both elbows, aka cubital tunnel syndrome.
The mid back, hip, and shoulders were doing better so I started walking for my meditation and working out again while trying to keep my elbows straight as much as possible to let the nerves heal. Then I started getting low back spasms and my hip started getting bad again.
This is where I’m at today. No golf, still on light duty at work, scared to do things because I’m afraid of another injury or permanent nerve damage. I know in my heart it’s Tms, I have the 6 tender points, I fit the mold, I have had chronic pain for over a year. I just need that confidence to do things again! I have a job I love, a 3yo son who is my world, and a wife I adore and I’m so afraid to let them down if I reaggravate an injury trying to get back too soon. Any words of advice from you all? My big setback is the nerve conduction test and the fact everytime I start getting better I have a worse relapse than before.
Thanks for taking the time to hear my story and I look forward to the journey!!
I’m fairly new to the TMS approach and am still trying to wrap my head around all of it so bare with me. I actually heard about it thru a podcast called hypochondriactor and the physician asked the host “have you heard of the work of John Sarno?” So I googled him. I listened to the mind body prescription in 2 days and then healing back pain twice over the next few days.
I’m a massive skeptic of all things, but I totally saw myself in everything he spoke of. PERFECTIONIST, GOODIST, anxious, angry. The one thing I’m really having a hard time with is that I don’t know how to get over my anxiety of this never ending pandemic and the fear of reinjury. On to that portion…
So I work for a university and last April, we were required to all stay home for 6 weeks while the pandemic was getting out of hand. I’m an electrician and am used to a physical job. Now I was doing trainings and prep work for projects and on a computer all day. When we finally went back to work within a few days I started getting agonizing mid back pain.
Ive been injured more times than I can count and figured this was just the usual, be gone in a little bit injury. It wasn’t. After 2 months I went to the doctor and was diagnosed with a mild tear in my erector on one side. So off to physical therapy I went. This is where it unraveled.
I was told in my first appt “you have low shoulder which means your pelvis is off which means you have a short leg! Here’s a shoe lift.”
I’m an avid golfer and my first time golfing with it I strained my left hip area. Within a month I could barely walk. The pain was terrible. The mid back injury was still there too.
On to another physical therapist. We started working on strengthening the hips and core. I started getting better after a couple months. Went back to golfing again too! Life was getting better. Then we decided to list our house for sale. We found the house we wanted but I needed to do a few projects around ours to sell it. After a few days of sanding and painting my hand started going numb. Then I got terrible shoulder pain. I was diagnosed with rotator cuff tendinitis and a pinched nerve. Then a week of doing everything with my other hand and that arm did the same thing! Then I stopped rehab and tried to rest and heal. Everything got mildly better.
So after a couple months of of moderate pain, I started getting back to my normal work. I noticed my fingers would tremor during very task that required finger dexterous things. Then I started getting forearm pain. Then hand pain that was debilitating. I went to a physiatrist and was given a nerve conduction test. Mild ulnar neuropathy in both elbows, aka cubital tunnel syndrome.
The mid back, hip, and shoulders were doing better so I started walking for my meditation and working out again while trying to keep my elbows straight as much as possible to let the nerves heal. Then I started getting low back spasms and my hip started getting bad again.
This is where I’m at today. No golf, still on light duty at work, scared to do things because I’m afraid of another injury or permanent nerve damage. I know in my heart it’s Tms, I have the 6 tender points, I fit the mold, I have had chronic pain for over a year. I just need that confidence to do things again! I have a job I love, a 3yo son who is my world, and a wife I adore and I’m so afraid to let them down if I reaggravate an injury trying to get back too soon. Any words of advice from you all? My big setback is the nerve conduction test and the fact everytime I start getting better I have a worse relapse than before.
Thanks for taking the time to hear my story and I look forward to the journey!!
