help to stop anticipating pain during specific motions

[Tuniguts]

Hello,
I am 2 weeks into my TMS recovery and have made incredible progress! I am completely convinced of my TMS diagnosis and have started getting active again. I have a few issues that are not resolved yet and hoping to get help with this specific problem:

I get acute pain when going from sitting to standing. Also sometimes when bending over. There are times when I can do these motions and feel no pain (when I am distracted, not focused on the motion) This reinforces my understanding that its definitely psychological. However, I can't stop anticipating the pain when I stand up or bend forward. Any advice to stop myself from thinking about the motion before I do it and distracting myself so that I can stop feeling pain with these specific motions?

So close to complete resolution. Its the fear and anticipation of pain that is still there during these motions.

Thanks for any advice!

 

[Ellen]

However, I can't stop anticipating the pain when I stand up or bend forward. Any advice to stop myself from thinking about the motion before I do it and distracting myself so that I can stop feeling pain with these specific motions?

Congratulations on all your success in such a short time!

Actually you can stop anticipating the pain, because you stated you are able to do it sometimes when you are distracted. Think about those times. What is distracting you? Try to replicate this. The more success you have, the less concern it will be to you.

Otherwise, when you are not distracted, as you do these motions keep telling yourself "There is no logical reason for me to have pain while doing X, it is only conditioning. Stop it brain, I'm on to you!" or something to that effect. Your conscious brain can override your unconscious brain with repetition. Just be patient and consistent.

Best wishes........

 

[Tuniguts]

Great advice. Thanks so much!

 

[jayMck]

I have found the same thing recently. In this current relapse, I can sit and be pain free. I can ride my bike for hours pain free. But getting up from the chair, getting out of bed, walking down the stairs, it all hurts -- unless I'm distracted. I so anticipate the pain when getting up that I usually take a deep breath and think "here we go" and let out an almost pre-emptive groan before the pain even starts. Fear and anticipation of the pain is such a big part of this thing.

But like Ellen said, we're on to it. We know what's going on. We will short-circuit it!

Jay

 

[Bhamgirl]

I have found the same thing recently. In this current relapse, I can sit and be pain free. I can ride my bike for hours pain free. But getting up from the chair, getting out of bed, walking down the stairs, it all hurts -- unless I'm distracted. I so anticipate the pain when getting up that I usually take a deep breath and think "here we go" and let out an almost pre-emptive groan before the pain even starts. Fear and anticipation of the pain is such a big part of this thing.

But like Ellen said, we're on to it. We know what's going on. We will short-circuit it!

Jay

Jay, the whole deep breath and preparing to rise in the morning with a "hear we go" perfectly describes my mornings. The anticipation and fear of what the day holds as far as pain is one of my biggest hiccups. Like Tuniguts, I don't know how to overcome it. Strangely enough, if I'm startled awake in the middle of the night by one of my kids, I've noticed I can quickly jump up out of the bed with no pain. Instead of seeing that as a clear sign of TMS, I attribute it to the adrenaline that pumps when I think something is wrong with my child. As a classic TMSer and a (former) attorney, I over-analyze everything. Sure wish I knew how to stop doing that....

Emily

 

[birdsetfree]

These are called triggers. You know when you will get them. Instead of anticipating the pain, expect it to come. This will take the emotion out of it. You know that the pain is only caused by your own mind so just keep doing these moves regardless and eventually there will be no need for the pain anymore.

 

[Ollin]

I recently acquired a new symptom: pain in my hip crease when walking, specifically when putting weight on my left leg. Until then, movement relieved my pains, so this is definitely new. I'm 100% sure this is TMS (started after receiving avalanche of 'bad news'). Though I worried initially that it will last when for the first two days I couldn't walk at all. Following morning no pain, but reappeared when I got emotionally triggered in the afternoon. Then it was up and down. Yesterday I got really stressed up about something and decided to go for a walk to de-stress before the pain started. Took a steep hike downhill and uphill for ~ 1hr - no pain at all.

The certainty about the TMS nature of this symptom is the key. I even noticed that when the pain hits, I can sooth myself by thinking about something pleasant and willfully relax the affected muscles while taking a step, so that it doesn't hurt. I still need to be focused on this relaxing with each step, at least for several minutes until my mind wonders off to normal things and I don't give the pain a second thought. If it appears again I will continue this 'trick', but since the several painless activities I no longer worry about it one bit.

So I recommend: keep repeating a mantra that 'this is only TMS and will soon be over' or similar. Notice the patterns when it appears or when you find you didn't notice it for quite a while. When you find yourself anticipating it - focus on the painful area just before you get up from sitting and try to relax it as best you can. Use only the necessary muscles involved in the movement and only with the necessary amount of contraction. Connect with your painful area by sending it warm thoughts, stroke it gently, tell it to relax - it may sound silly but the reason you have pain is because your subconscious thinks there's some problem with this body part, so you'll do well to de-condition it. Don't give up, if this pain has been there for a long time, you may have better success by practising on an area that wasn't in pain for quite as long, before you tackle your most bothersome symptom (which may take time to reprogram your neural pathways). I still have a persistent back pain but had many breakthroughs with eliminating more recent pains in other body parts.