Nerve inflammation

S

stradivarius

Peer Supporter
Hi everyone,

This is an appeal to both therapists and tms sufferers for advice and information.

I have central sensitisation which involves nerve inflammation all over my body. At the moment I am trying to slowly increase activity levels but finding that my symptoms increase and I generally get more sensitive to movement over time, not less sensitive to movement, even though I have already been building up for months. I am already walking for 45 mins and generally sleeping well and trying to stay calm, so doing my best with the self-soothing. I am aware that the nerve inflammation is caused by central sensitivity i.e. there has been no actual injury to heal and if I stop being sensitive it will presumably go away, but I am not sure about whether it will be possible to make a full recovery once the nerve inflammation has got to this stage, seemingly entrenched and all over my body. When I get the inflammation it seems to come on after minutes of activity and can take weeks to settle down fully. Weirdly I get very little pain, but I start to get symptoms in my carpal tunnels if I overdo things and do not wish to end up with nerve entrapments there. Does anyone else have this or know anything about this? I would be really grateful if anyone who has managed to get better from this could share their experiences . Or if any therapists out there know anything about my chances of getting better. I am not sure how much of this is true 100%tms or whether I have a physical process going on in my body that once started, is hard to calm down. Many thanks.
 
Hi stradivarius,

Sorry to hear of your pain and difficulty with movement. I think we've had some discussion of this before on the forums, but the diagnosis of central sensitization is just another name for TMS. It is a form of TMS acknowledged by the traditional medical community, they just state that the process is happening and don't link it to emotions as TMS does. "Central" refers to an overly sensitive brain, much in the way we discuss neural pathways firing in regards to TMS. The process is originating in your brain, not in the peripheral nerves in your body. It is absolutely possible to make a full recovery, as the peripheral nerves in your body are just fine. The brain is plastic and can unlearn these pain pathways! You won't end up with peripheral nerve injuries (like carpal tunnel issues, as you state) from daily activities or regular exercise.

What type of TMS methods are you trying right now? Are you working with a therapist?
 
MindBodyPT said:
I think we've had some discussion of this before on the forums, but the diagnosis of central sensitization is just another name for TMS. It is a form of TMS acknowledged by the traditional medical community, they just state that the process is happening and don't link it to emotions as TMS does. "Central" refers to an overly sensitive brain, much in the way we discuss neural pathways firing in regards to TMS. The process is originating in your brain, not in the peripheral nerves in your body. It is absolutely possible to make a full recovery, as the peripheral nerves in your body are just fine. The brain is plastic and can unlearn these pain pathways! You won't end up with peripheral nerve injuries (like carpal tunnel issues, as you state) from daily activities or regular exercise.
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I've spoken with some great doctors about this, and central sensitization is 100% caused by strong emotions such as fear and anger. Emotions that cause health problems mean - as we know all too well on this board - TMS! The brain is highly neuroplastic and can change anytime, making central sensitization a very healable condition. The brain is also extremely opportunistic, and loves to piggyback off injuries that have already healed.

In many ways, central sensitization is comparable to the football player who suffered an ankle injury that healed within a few months, but it mysteriously begins to hurt and become debilitating throughout his divorce a decade later. The only difference is that central sensitization makes it feel as though the injury never healed/the problem never resolved (I say problem because any TMSer knows that pain can start without an actual injury), despite the fact that it certainly did. Here's a description of central sensitization...
It’s this hypersensitivity that researchers believe is at the heart of chronic pain. Ballantyne explains that an injury prompts electrical signals that are sent to the brain, causing a release of chemicals and a neuroinflammatory process in the brain. Brain cells die and the brain remodels itself. When that process continues repeatedly, it can become ingrained and the central nervous system gets sensitized to feel pain even in the absence of tissue damage or injury.

“All of this goes to explain why some people have such profound changes in the brain after injury, that those changes don’t reverse, even if the injury improves,” she said. “We don’t really understand why in some people it gets perpetuated or you get this central sensitization to make sure it never goes away.”
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An injury that healed/a problem that resolved, but still pain? Classic TMS.

Ignore anyone who claims a "low cure rate" for central sensitization - that's only if the patient isn't made aware of neuroplasticity techniques and/or TMS healing. When one becomes aware of and truly believes in their ability to heal, healing happens every single day. The same can be said for conversion disorder, functional neurological disorders, etc. Ultimately, the terms used to describe these conditions mean and point to the same thing: TMS!

Also, note that a variety of visible symptoms can occur in TMS. I had Raynaud's, mottling of the skin, white fingernails, sweating so bad it looked like I had just taken a shower or ran through a puddle of water, skin that dented very easily (from vasospasms), etc. All were TMS, and all went away once I relaxed and believed I could heal.

If your doctor says the inflammation is from central sensitization, you've got TMS. And that is 100% curable.
 
Many thanks Caulfield and MindBody PT for your kind words. MindBody PT - have you had any patients recover from widespread nerve inflammation all over their body? I was doing Internal Family Systems Therapy, but it was such a long process and I had been doing either Focusing or IFS for years without resolving my problems so need a shorter term solution. Maybe I should go ahead and contact a TMS practitioner.
 
curious if you have actual inflammation, vs hypersensitivity. If you had actual inflammation, then things like steroids or NSAIDs (even certain supplements) would help. I went through all of that for my CS, and it didnt seem to help. at one point, prednisone actually "woke up" a dormant TMS condition, i assume because prednisone is like synthetic cortisol, which is a stress hormone. We are often told that any pain is the result of inflammation, but for whatever reason, anti-inflammatories are often ineffective for chronic pain (assuming you dont have an autoimmune disorder which causes real inflammation).
I'd try to look at it more as sensitivity, like the dial of your nervous system is turned up. Inflammation can be helped with meds, but TMS pain doesnt seem to respond to inflammation meds.
 
Hi stradivarius,

Great responses so far, which reassure you that there is nothing actually wrong with your nervous system. You have activated a repeating alarm system in your brain, that is all. Any and all TMS treatments/approaches will be effective, especially with your understanding, and by you not fueling more fear about symptoms. Patience and understanding go a long way!

I am not sure what kind of help you have had connecting the IFS to your symptoms --with an actual TMS practitioner, but making the connection between your inner learning and the TMS theory is critical, according to Dr. Sarno. This can be done on your own, or with outside help.

Your exploration up till now with IFS and Focusing is very supportive, and will help you do deeper work with a practitioner if you so choose. Your IFS exploration is pertinent because you understand how your current inner relationships (which is where inner tension is created) reflect past relationships. Focusing is a great help, being a somatic practice, because our deeper experiences are accessed in our bodies.

Good luck!

Andy B
 
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stradivarius said:
Many thanks Caulfield and MindBody PT for your kind words. MindBody PT - have you had any patients recover from widespread nerve inflammation all over their body? I was doing Internal Family Systems Therapy, but it was such a long process and I had been doing either Focusing or IFS for years without resolving my problems so need a shorter term solution. Maybe I should go ahead and contact a TMS practitioner.
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I don't currently practice/market myself as a TMS practitioner specifically (I work at a conventional hospital and work TMS in where I am able to) so I can't speak to this as a TMS doctor could but, as Andy said above, there is nothing actually wrong with the nerves themselves- it is your brain on alarm. Plenty of people have recovered from whole-body TMS, as there are many successes to read about here. Central sensitization is just another name for TMS :) So yes recovery is definitely possible! I would recommend working with a TMS practitioner who can address your specific pain issues if you are able to.
 
Yes. Just did the training with Dr. Schubiner and Alan Gordon, and Dr. Schubiner is sure that "central sensitization" is TMS. And by the way, PT, thanks for your rave reviews of that training, which helped me to decide to attend! Really glad I did.
 
stradivarius said:
Hi everyone,

Been suffering same issues for 8 years also with no relief



This is an appeal to both therapists and tms sufferers for advice and information.

I have central sensitisation which involves nerve inflammation all over my body. At the moment I am trying to slowly increase activity levels but finding that my symptoms increase and I generally get more sensitive to movement over time, not less sensitive to movement, even though I have already been building up for months. I am already walking for 45 mins and generally sleeping well and trying to stay calm, so doing my best with the self-soothing. I am aware that the nerve inflammation is caused by central sensitivity i.e. there has been no actual injury to heal and if I stop being sensitive it will presumably go away, but I am not sure about whether it will be possible to make a full recovery once the nerve inflammation has got to this stage, seemingly entrenched and all over my body. When I get the inflammation it seems to come on after minutes of activity and can take weeks to settle down fully. Weirdly I get very little pain, but I start to get symptoms in my carpal tunnels if I overdo things and do not wish to end up with nerve entrapments there. Does anyone else have this or know anything about this? I would be really grateful if anyone who has managed to get better from this could share their experiences . Or if any therapists out there know anything about my chances of getting better. I am not sure how much of this is true 100%tms or whether I have a physical process going on in my body that once started, is hard to calm down. Many thanks.
Click to expand...
 
Thank you MindBodyPT, AndyB and NicoleB34 for your input. Boston Redsox, I am sorry you have been struggling for 8 years and hope you will find relief soon. What are your symptoms?

NicoleB , I do get visible signs of inflammation, there is usually a patch on the inside of my forearm that looks red and puffy, and at one point I had a blotchy semicircle on my cheek in exactly the shape of the nerve. However, I am open to inflammation being TMS too. I have read stories on here and on Thank you Dr Sarno that involved people with bowel problems which clearly involve inflammation, but were stress-induced and went away. I think nerves that are sensitised may produce inflammation because they think something is wrong when there isn't. My doctor has said steroids are not an option and she is not allowed to prescribe them anyway, but I am on amitriptyline and that helps. Doc said this week that the body usually sorts itself out and that it may go away of its own accord.

AndyB yes, I agree IFS and Focusing are good tools and maybe I need to just orient my practice more towards TMS. It is just taking me a long time to build a trusting relationship with my own parts, but perhaps that is an indication I am doing it wrong and being too pushy. I managed to identify a part that gave me occasional insomnia because I wasn't listening to it (useful), but have not identified parts involved in my nerve problem yet. I only get the insomnia now if something has gone badly at work and my emotions are running high. I want to do some kind of quicker trauma therapy but I am scared that my parts will lose trust in me if I push thing too fast.

MindbodyPT that is a good suggestion to work with a TMS practitioner. Funnily enough that feels scary to consider, which may mean it would do me a lot of good!
 
stradivarius said:
Thank you MindBodyPT, AndyB and NicoleB34 for your input. Boston Redsox, I am sorry you have been struggling for 8 years and hope you will find relief soon. What are your symptoms?

I also have been suffering for 8 years with nerve pain ...had tms diagnosis by yes Dr did the tms therapist route..but not much help

NicoleB , I do get visible signs of inflammation, there is usually a patch on the inside of my forearm that looks red and puffy, and at one point I had a blotchy semicircle on my cheek in exactly the shape of the nerve. However, I am open to inflammation being TMS too. I have read stories on here and on Thank you Dr Sarno that involved people with bowel problems which clearly involve inflammation, but were stress-induced and went away. I think nerves that are sensitised may produce inflammation because they think something is wrong when there isn't. My doctor has said steroids are not an option and she is not allowed to prescribe them anyway, but I am on amitriptyline and that helps. Doc said this week that the body usually sorts itself out and that it may go away of its own accord.

AndyB yes, I agree IFS and Focusing are good tools and maybe I need to just orient my practice more towards TMS. It is just taking me a long time to build a trusting relationship with my own parts, but perhaps that is an indication I am doing it wrong and being too pushy. I managed to identify a part that gave me occasional insomnia because I wasn't listening to it (useful), but have not identified parts involved in my nerve problem yet. I only get the insomnia now if something has gone badly at work and my emotions are running high. I want to do some kind of quicker trauma therapy but I am scared that my parts will lose trust in me if I push thing too fast.

MindbodyPT that is a good suggestion to work with a TMS practitioner. Funnily enough that feels scary to consider, which may mean it would do me a lot of good!
Click to expand...
 
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