Day 4 My "Normal Abnormality" and My Pain

Since my back pain flared up in December, I have tried Chiro, Physical Therapy, and have been seeing an Orthopedist.
I had an appointment with my Ortho yesterday, and the recent MRI confirmed I have a big old disc herniation at L4-L5. Thankfully, he was not pushy about any particular treatment. He is not pushing surgery at all, though said it was a possibility if I really wanted it (I don't). He also mentioned more PT (which wasn’t giving me results and is expensive) and epidural steroid shots (I said no, but I might come back to you in a few weeks).

I decided not to mention TMS to him, because I didn’t want to stick my neck into an intramural medical debate, and I didn’t want him to poo-poo TMS when I really am starting to believe that it’s my issue. He had no issues with me just wanting to let nature run its course, and he agreed with the idea that “motion is lotion” so he was all for me exercising. Good enough for me.

I think the thing I am struggling with right now is how I can have such an obvious abnormality (the L4-L5 herniation pressing on a nerve) and yet that’s not the real problem? I kind of get the “herniation as spark” and “TMS as fuel” concept. Still, seems like that "nerve press" SHOULD hurt like crazy.

To answer the journal question, I guess it is disheartening that I didn’t feel like I could have a completely honest TMS convo with this doctor, whom I respect. Maybe he would have responded positively? But I didn’t want to risk him telling me that “TMS is garbage” or something like that and setting me back by making me feel uncertain about this course of treatment.

Overall though, I feel confident about this course of action. Even feeling the pain differently in certain ways this week that make me think I am progressing. That's an encouraging sign.

 

Hi Western,
Have you read Healing Back Pain or The MindBody Prescription, by John Sarno? He 100% addresses why you can have a disc like this that isn’t the real problem.

There are very few doctors who are willing to even entertain TMS. It basically flies in the face of their medical training. But there are some. Dr. Howard Schubiner and Dr. David Hanscom (a back surgeon). Both have written books and have healing programs for TMS. They could definitely help you solidify your belief in TMS. You need to have a solid belief in order to heal. But it sounds like you’re almost there.

 

Hi! This is an opportunity (with a doctor whom you respect) to lean on their expertise. If the pressing of the nerve was an issue, then symptoms or not that's something that would need to be addressed. There are some things in the spine which produce no symptoms, but are urgently operated on because they could easily lead to very serious issues.

That's all to say that if the orthopedist (a good one) isn't worried about the pressed nerve (from a structural perspective), then I wouldn't be either. He is probably assuming that the disc will heal itself (most do) and will release off the nerve as a result. As Dr Sarno said too, pressed nerves don't tend to produce pain beyond the short term (as the compression interrupts this), it will often produce numbness/tingling instead. I would be encouraged by this fact and say to myself "well the orthopedist isn't concerned about my back or the pressing of the nerve, and if it was that serious then he would be concerned whether it caused symptoms or not, I'm comfortable moving forward with the idea that the symptoms are caused by TMS (assuming the evidence is there) and that my back is ok/safe".

Hopefully that makes sense, let me know what you think