How to cure butt tension?

Hi everyone,



I am from China and new here. About seven years ago after I graduated from college, I was stressful to find a job. One day after playing basketball, I felt uncomfortable with my right butt muscle. I went to see doctor but it didn't work. Then it turned into lower back pain. I had MRI but nothing wrong was found. It got worse and worse. I even couldn't endure to sit for more than ten minutes. Because of that, I couldn't work. I suffered it for almost two years.



One day, I saw a book in the library, which was written by Dr. Sarno. I spent a whole day to read it and then a miracle happened: the next day I felt much better and I could sit on the front of my computer to play games as long as I want. Thank you, Dr. Sarno. He was the man who saved my life.



In the next few months, I felt better and better and I knew this syndrome was called TMS in western. Then I could do anything I wanted as before. Eventually my lower back pain gone totally. But the clenching and tension of my butt muscle didn't. when the clenching and tension happens, It causes my toes to curl and clench, which is not painful but annoying. It has been lasting for several years, sometimes getting better, sometimes getting worse. I don't know how to cope with this annoying symptom. Does anyone have similar experience or how to cure this? Let me know any suggestion to improve this situation. Thank you in advance.



I am an English learner, sorry for my poor English. If there is anything you can't understand or you want to know more details, please tell me.

 

Hi, @Ned2020 , welcome to the forum! Tense muscles, muscle spasms are quite common with chronic pain. If the brain can send signals of pain to the muscles, it can send signals to clench your fingers or toes. I had the same problem in my hands and it is all back to normal now, thanks to Dr. Sarno and great people of this forum. Please, be patient and continue with whatever you are currently doing to heal. In my experience, normalizing the muscle activity takes much longer than getting rid of the pain. Have patience and don't be scared if you experience setbacks. If you stick with your method, you will eventually succeed!

Since you are from China, you should be familiar with Qi Gong. I practiced Qi Gong, and it helped me tremendously to relax my muscles.

 

I had this for a little while...piriformis....it's just tension. Once I realized it was TMS, it evaporated.

 

I had this too. It is TMS, nothing else. See it as tension and breathe deeply into it while redirecting your focus and attention to your emotions. Talk to your brain and tell it you are taking over from now on and it must 'Stop.'

 

Thank you for your warm advice. Actually I am doing nothing about my tension, because I don't know how to deal with it. I always think that there are something wrong about my nerve around my butt. According to your description, I realize it maybe a wrong thought.

I am sorry I know little about Qi Gong, I only saw my uncle in law played Tai Ji, which is similar to Qi Gong. And Yoga prevails more among my generation.

 

Oh, it sounds very easy. Maybe I didn't realized as much as you. Thank you.

 

Taj Ji (or Tai Chi as it is spelled in the West) is a martial art, Qi Gong is a healing art (I jokingly call it standing yoga). Both are based on the Chinese meridian theory and leverage the same energetic system of body and mind. If you are more familiar with yoga, it is another healing modality that I practice. Any gentle yoga practice to start with would be good. As for Qi Gong, I used this very basic routine when I was too weak to practice yoga, 3-4 times a day:

 

Thank you for your suggestion. I practice meditation everyday, I think I can apply it to my butt tension. Observe and accept it, it will go by itself. I should be more patient.

 

When you practice Tai Chi, you move very slowly, I think it can't be used in fight. I find a Tai Chi video in Youtube, it looks very similar to Qi Gong, I can't tell which is which(I am embarrassed to say I am Chinese). As you said, Qi Gong is more gentle than yoga, they all focus on your body movement. I will think about your advice. Thank you.

 

I never got past the very beginning level of Tai Chi, which is long form and is very slow. But it prepares you to control your body and breathing and learn how to mobilize your energy for quick, powerful moves. Every Eastern martial art teaches you basic movements first, then they get applied in the combat. I don't know Mandarin and don't understand explanations, but this is Tai Chi, too:





By the way, I taught my Indian co-workers yoga poses and yoga breathing. Yoga is more popular in the West than it is in India. Looks like same applies to Tai Chi and Qi Gong.

 

Haha, it looks very interesting. In your opinion Tai Chi developed from Qi Gong. The foundation of Tai Chi is quite similar to Qi Gong. I think you are right.

 

I don't know enough to claim that. Both of them come from the same roots. I know that some masters teach both arts. There is also kung fu, but I know very little about it.