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Feet pain

Hi Anna. How long have you had the feet pain? Not that it matters, I am just curious. I had what they diagnosed as PF and I remember so well how debilitating it can be. I know very well now that it was TMS. I don't know much about your history in treating your TMS so its hard to give much advice. But don't let the length of time you have had it factor in. The thing that keeps the TMS going is its effectiveness. So if it has you distracted and thinking that it might possibly be something other than TMS, then its got you. And to make it that much more tricky and distracting, it does not adhere to any logical timetable. Be persistent, keep working on your TMS recovery, and just when you are not really thinking or anticipating it, the pain will be gone. Learning not to monitor it, is important. As I have mentioned before, I have not real idea the day the pain went away. And yet I can remember years of wondering and feeling desperate for that day to come.
 
I believe you are a classic case of tms…especially be cleared medically. I like the part you wrote about ignoring your pain….but don't fight it..when you resist it persist. I have been have same type of issues with my feet mainly, but I was able to get off all my meds with reading of tms books and this forum. I have major martial problem which is fueling my tms. Do you have any major stressors going on with your life…Also have you tried doing the SEP, this can be very helpful in digging out some deep emotional issues.
 
My pain is feet too...14 years! But I'm finally seeing some improvement. Been working with a TMS doctor and now a Tms therapist. Still lots of work ahead but I'm determined to stick it out! It can't be anything else.....I've had every test and surgery and nothing has ever helped. It's TMS! Stick with it! My pain is the same...only hurts when walking or standing. The more I stand, the more it hurts but that doesn't mean it needs to be a physical cause!
 
WTB

My pain is only when I'm still....crazy what our brains can do to us...

You have the correct diagnosis know ...go on your journey and discover your deepest emotions
 
I am going kinda crazy in this same way. I had a relapse after about 4 mo doing pain as TMS (my earlier post in this read), went back to doc, MRI, PT, same deal, since it didn't seem to help to treat as TMS, permanently. But I have the same pattern as before, some improvement then more pain for no very obvious reason. So physical treatment or TMS, the pain always seems to come back.

I am feeling really desperate tonight and upset and angry. I usually don't post when I am so upset - that is the perfectionist/goodist in me I guess - try to hide my feelings. But I am just feeling so dispirited and confused. What really made me feel desperate tonight is I had a mild stretching in my right foot when I got up awkwardly. This made me catastrophize about having two bad feet. This thread really helps though, one reason to realize that others also have pain in both feet, and are surviving, and no one has a magic easy solution - there is no easy TMS way and no easy physical way. I am hoping for that magic bullet and have to remember it is not there, and decide what to do.

I am really thinking about finally going to see a TMS doc, probably one in Seattle (I think that's where the closest one is). Even if there is no magic bullet, I want an *answer* of some kind.

I got pretty mad at my boyfriend tonight, I wanted his help doing a chore, but he made it so that I had to explain every detail to him, and it was easier to just do it myself than get my troubled mind together to explain it. I was so upset that he made it so hard. Just saying no would be better in a way. Either way I don't get the help, but no is honest and quick if frustrating. I have been thinking a lot lately about what deep emotions might be the problem. I think for a long time I denied it could be deep emotions, kept thinking it was the every stress (which probably also plays a role). But I am seeing a lot of fears and frustrations sometimes when I look. Scary. Those kind of things where I can see how avoiding those emotions would be paramount.
 
So so so great to have a community to talk to! I haven't really talked to anyone about the pain (except my husband) and he feels so helpless. Id love to go see a tms doc bc I think it would help me erase doubt but I don't live close to one! I thought for sure my feet were tms and was just learning how to deal with the pain until the swelling and new pain started. Can swelling be tms? I have had the foot pain for 7 years. Ugh. Seems like forever. It is hard to imagine not having pain. Before foot and back/neck pain I had an eating disorder. So that kept me preoccupied too and obsessive. Anyone have a background with that? I think "tms" or my feet are in the back of my mind all the time and I know that's feeding tms. I think I pressure myself to heal and get rid of tms. It's like I put all my thought into how to get rid of tms. I dont think I ever learned how to process my emotions right with an eating disorder and I had a father who always made me feel not good enough and guilty. Then being raised in a Christian home I felt pressured to be good and perfect all the time and not have feelings!
 
So a really interesting thing happened to me today. I was all worried about my right foot - while I've had a bit of pain in it before this, seemingly from unbalanced use, it never bothered / worried me. All of a sudden I'm worried, and not only does my foot feel weird all day (but show no obvious sign of injury) - my left foot (the one that was actually injured originally) did not do its typical pain pattern at all today, with burning pain in the areas around the ankle ligaments. I had some pain, but not the typical pattern.

(facepalm) Seems clear that at least some of this is very TMS-driven, if my worry can move sides...

I found after doing some activity (walk a half mile) that my left foot reacted worse than my right. But the right was definitely hot and swollen. So weird!
 
Anna,
I also had swelling with PF that was really TMS. My foot is fine after being afraid and so worried that life as I wanted it to be was over. So take heart! If tests show your foot is ok, your mind is doing it, and it can do so many different symptoms to try and fool you!
 
linapina said:
'I didn't have any trouble convincing myself that my back pain was from TMS (because every other possibility had been eliminated), but I think the medical diagnosis that came with my foot has made it more difficult for my mind to accept that it too is TMS'.

This applies to me too, very much so!
I am scanning the forums for posts about foot pain. Most people seem to have problems with Plantar Fasciitis which isn't my problem.
Up until Aug 2012 I had been walking daily for the past 15 years (1-1,5 hours/day) and it was my meditation, outlet and 'salvation' as I have been struggling with dysthymia, pain and many other things until I got diagnosed with fibromyalgia. My pain wasn't severe but all the symptoms combined was debilitating and very disturbing. I've had leg pain, back pain, shoulder/neck pain, fatigue, losing hair, dry skin and brittle nails, sound sensitivity. I was certain I had thyroid problems but all tests were fine.

When I got my fibromyalgia diagnosis the first time I was not convinced at all that it was what I really had.
A few years passed and I was getting worse. Back pain flaring up more often, I got a second diagnosis of fibromyalgia and then suddenly that late Aug 2013 I developed foot pain. It started in my right foot and it was not severe, mostly in my big toe, I kept walking as usual but it worried me as my walks are so very important for me. Soon within a week, I got pain in my left foot too. It didn't take long for it to get much worse. Soon walking wasn't enjoyable anymore. I started to freak out and went to different doctors and health practioniers, such as orthopedics, physio therapists, etc for help. They all had different opinions what my problem was.
I had fallen arches, I needed new shoes, new orthotics (I have been wearing orthotics for the last 20 years) I had no fat padding left, I had a neuroma, I needed fore foot support, I needed arch support, or all combined. I had inflammation. I had MRI done which showed arthritis in both big toe joints and bursitis in the fore feet. (This worried me a lot as I had been feeling pain in my left hand mainly in the fingers and so I concluded that I must have arthritis in my hand too) An ultra sound showed nothing. I had four customs orthotics made from different places. The last one made it a bit better and I still wear those.
I ate a lot of anti inflammatories and got stomach problems. That autumn and winter was terrible with lots of back pain too and being depressed because of all the pain and the fact that I couldn't really walk anymore. I could walk for maybe 2-3 km then the pain would be too much.

Slowly, slowly it got a bit better, I came to accept the pain and finally my feet didn't feel inflamed anymore but I still got pain from standing and walking, putting weight on my feet for any length of time. I could not go barefoot even in the shower.

After discovering dr Sarno's book and this site I felt hope and my back got better. Although back pain I have only had in periods (and then would feel fine for long periods) or at night sleeping. So I had no trouble believing that my back pain was (even though I have herniated discs on MRI's) and is TMS related. Nor the outbursts of eczema that I suddenly got last summer and this winter. BUT, and here is the big BUT,
I do have problems believing my feet problems are due to TMS. My feet are now worse again after starting to walk daily again. They hurt when I walk and are very sore to the touch. I have not ditched my orthotics and I can't even imagine ever doing that!

I understand that believing in TMS is essential and I try to convince myself that the feet pain is also due to TMS and I might succeed for a short while but then the doubts come creeping up on me again. I am really worried that my pain has worsened and it feels like a bad cycle that I can't stop. I worry and get worse. I get worse because I don't believe 100%. It's harder to trust in TMS when I get worse.

I DO have very little fat padding and it feels like I am walking on my bones, I DO have fallen fore feet arches and I obviously DO have arthritis. Why is it so hard to believe when it comes to the feet and not the rest of my symptoms?? Is there anything I can do? Anyone else with fore foot problems (and not PF, which I understand is heel pain) who has gotten better?
I am currently doing my own kind of program mixing it up from Scott Brady’s program in the book Pain free for life, the SEP program here and from Schubiner’s book Unlearn your pain. I find it hard to follow any of those programs to the letter so I decided to do my own…I am also seeing a therapist. I have just gotten started with my TMS healing, its only been like three weeks. I was feeling so hopeful and good but now I am not feeling good at all and losing a bit of hope.

Any advice or some words of comfort?
(Sorry for the long post...)
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Hi ! Similar situation with me. It was easy for me to accept back/neck/shoulder pain is TMS and connect that pain to emotions/stressors. But, the foot pain is different - it's harder for me to accept that the foot pain is TMS and I am still trying to 100% accept the diagnosis for my feet. This has been complicated for me because a foot "specialist" told me "you need surgery; I doubt you will recover without surgery." I have rejected this intellectually, but it was traumatizing to hear that and later find out that NO ONE would recommend surgery for what I have - minor tendonitis. So, for me I wonder, "is this mild tendonitis and a true physical problem or is it TMS?" Intellectually, I can't believe that "mild tendonitis" would persist and persist, despite taking it light for several months to allow myself to heal. My primary care doc also told me, "You are fine." All tests came back negative. My mind won't believe there is no structural problem because I truly believe I had mild tendonitis - so what I keep telling myself is: "so what if you had a little, mild tendonitis - you are totally over-reacting and I am not going to stand for this any longer. I'm moving on with my life." Having some luck with this approach. Hope this provides some of the feedback you're looking for - good luck!
 
AnnaSchweitzer said:
My story (I am new so I have yet to write it out) sounds very similar. I was a hairstylist when I developed back pain, neck pain then foot pain. I since then no longer have back and neck pain but haven't been able to get rid of my foot pain. I am no longer doing hair. I quit to be a stay at home mom when I have my first daughter. (I now have a 4 year old, 2 year old and 10 month old. ). I have the typical perfectionist goodist pressure myself guilty personality. Sooo hard on myself most times. I went to 3 foot docs, 2 family docs, 3 pt, 2 chiropractors, an arthritis doc and have had no pain relief . (Even had 3 different orthotics made). So been around. I haven't been to a doc for 5 years though for feet and usually it's just been arch and all over bottom of foot pain. Diagnosis has been PF or tarsal tunnel. Now I've been having swelling in just my left foot in the outside ball of foot. So frustrating. I think I have tms but for some reason can't seem to get rid of it. I ignore pain, fight it, or just try to get on with life but it seems to always be there. It's hard not to think it's physical bc the more I am on then the more they hurt and so then you just think physical I think! And now with the swelling can that be tms?!? Any thoughts? I'd love to figure ourselves out and all have success stories soon!!
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Are you won any meds ANNA?
 
Thank you for all your replies. I'm starting to try to keep track more of my internal dialogue and realizing how it usually goes to doubt (why am I in pain, I'm not strong enough to get rid of it, I'll never be pain free, etc.) So I have a lot of mental and reprogramming of my brain to do. I have good days and bad days believing TMS. I can definately see why "you are what you believe". This Friday I have a dr. Appt with an orthopedic dr. I haven't been to the dr for my feet for 5 years so I guess I just want to make sure there's nothing wrong structurally and move on from there. Thinking maybe I will be able to accept tms fully then. Boston redsox I am not on any pain meds and haven't ever been.
 
Anna, I wonder if it would help you to check muscles in your calves for trigger points (muscular knots). Trigger points are in my mind a manifestation of TMS, but working on them can ease immediate symptoms sometimes and give you confidence in the TMS diagnosis. I noticed that my book on them mentions trigger points in the soleus as causing swelling sometimes. This is a good site to check if you want to try that: http://www.triggerpoints.net/leg-ankle-foot

As for me, I'm now fairly stable at the higher point I reached a month or so ago, having realized that the 'mini-relapse' was trigger points ie TMS. The right ankle remains kind of sore at times, left is still swollen and stiff a lot. I told my PT that they feel the same, mostly, except that the left one always feels sticky. So we're still working on that physically. I am feeling pretty OK mixing TMS and physics for now. :) I laugh when the right ankle acts up because it reminds me it is not physical as that ankle was never injured. I am also getting RSI flares. I think it's mostly work stress that's making it more acute right now. I need to do some relaxing...
 
I was there also between Physical treatments and TMS you must stop the physical aspect of your journey, I am not saying all at once ( would be better) thats telling your mind hey FU I know what it is. All of our journeys are different but getting on the right track is imperative.

God Bless
 
Hi afain linapina. For foot pain, I soak my feet in a pan of warm water with a cup of Epsom salts. It relaxes me right away. I think it will help your foot pain, Epsom salts are magnesium and most everyone today is said to be deficient in that mineral because the fruit and vegetables we eat, even the most healthy ones, are grown in soil with almost no magnesium in it. This is worldwide situation. Magnesium enables 325 or more parts of the body to function properly. I believe that TMS repressed emotions can cause our pain, but also it helps to have more magnesium in our body, and an easy and cheap way to do that is the foot soak.

Anna, you might try the Epsom salt foot soak, too. Combine it with TMS thinking and journaling to discover your repressed emotions. We all have them.
You can buy Epsom salt at the supermarket or drug store. I fell several years ago and hurt all over (fell on some icy stairs). I was black and blue all over, could hardly walk. I soaked in a tub of warm water with Epsom salts twice a day for two days and felt like a new man again. It woiks!
 
Hi Anna,
I no longer have foot pain, yea! Sometimes some part of my foot gives a twinge and I say, really? How's that working now that I'm on to you? Lasts only minutes. Other symptoms sometimes get me for awile if I am not careful of my handling of stress and if I have done something that could have made me sore. Thats getting better too though. I am still learning!
 
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