Positional vertigo...stomach upset...strange cough...

Anne: I was wondering about why the epley maneuver helps so many of us when it is tms related and no therapy treatment should be the cause of the recovery. And I think I get why. Tell me what you think. When a person gets positional vertigo and they or someone else performs the epley maneuver on them, the maneuver puts the patient in the worst possible position bringing on the most extreme vertigo. To the brain by doing the maneuver (especially by yourself) sends a DEFIANT message to the brain that "instead of me being afraid and not putting myself in the position that will cause the extreme vertigo I am doing the opposite and causing the vertigo that you (brain) tried to trick me into avoiding". This would be similar to the patient who is in pain but continues to go about his day. Both are defiant to the mission of the brain and hence the vertigo goes away. I am saying this because so little is known (medically) about this condition and perhaps the "ear rocks" are just another ploy by the brain. I don't about you but I'm going with this one for now. Because BPPV is unlike other illnesses. Doctors all agree that the more you move your head freely (even bring on the vertigo) the quicker you recover cause the brain adapts to the vertigo. Unlike other disorders where you rest, etc., you are encouraged to get on with your life. It's clear that doctors know the mind is doing someting but they just don't quite know how. I have not been back to ENT since my first vertigo episode five years ago but if I do I'll be bring him a copy of Dr. Sarno's book.

 

I could write a novel on this but I'll keep it short. I had chronic cough (so-called "cough-variant asthma", a total nonsense diagnosis) from the late 90's to around 2004, and again in 2011-2012. I had severe vertigo attacks about once a year starting in 2004 that would last for hours (but I went through a nearly constant period of mild vertigo for about a month in Nov. 2013), my last one was last year. I had severe stomach pains and GERD from late 2007 to summer 2009 almost every single day 24/7 (this was the worst of the three). Trust me, all three are TMS equivalents. I didn't know of TMS then though. You won't BELIEVE some of the nonsense diagnoses I've gotten from allergists, ENT's, gastroenterologists and primary care Drs. with some of this stuff! Nothing ever worked (or worked long term). They all spontaneously disappeared on their own (only to be replaced by new stuff at some point).

 

Hi, Jane, Anne is always wonderful with help. She's right, and you are going to heal because your belief in TMS and Mindbody, but perhaps you have not yet discovered the emotional causes of your pain. For me that came from journaling about my boyhood and the anger and feelings of abandonment and insecurity I got when my parents divorced when I was seven. Two years ago I began suffering extreme back pain after I had lifted something heavy (a case of 36 cans of beer at the supermarket). Yes, that is funny.

I learned about Dr. Sarno and TMS and journaled which led me to understand my parents better, that they had TMS of their own, and it led me forgive them. Forgiving stopped my back pain.

You do definitely need to believe 100 percent that the cause of your pain is TMS repressed emotions and/or a perfectionist and "goodist" personality.

You're going to heal and be healthier and happier than you ever thought you could be. Let TMS knowledge get you there.

 

Walt, You are so right about healing and believing 100% in TMS being the problem. I bought Mind/Body Prescription several years ago and had read it, agreeing totally with the concept because that has been my experience with body pain. Interestingly enough I was raised with doctors who very much believed in the mind body connection and acknowledged the main role stress places in our ailments. Of course, I said role not cause. But, nevertheless I was conditioned to consider the role emotions play in your health. Thereby, readily accepted the theory of TMS. I recently bought "The Divided Mind" and was in the process of reading it leisurely. While typing one day I noticed such pain up both my forearms and into shoulder, neck. My mind got crazy going to all the possible causes for the pain only considering TMS along with the others. Even after reading two books about TMS and how our mind tricks us I was allowing my mind to trick me. My brain kept me focused on the "pain" and then one day my room tilted (vertigo symptom of BPPV) and my focus changed from arm pain to positional vertigo. Of course vertigo became the next symptom and I immediately blamed by sore shoulder/arms for possibly being the vertigo cause and guess what? I realized my neck or arms did not hurt AT ALL. I just couldn't help but laugh even though I wanted to cry over the vertigo. It was obvious to me I needed to "do the work" not just agree with a theory. So I have been journaling and am amazed at the "stuff" that comes out. My daughter also has been journaling. I don't know if this is supposed to happen but journaling has caused my daughter and I to become aware of our traits as they come up in our daily life. For instance, I tend to go way overboard in helping people who ask for a favor, etc. resulting in over scheduling myself. Usually it just happens and later I think "how did I get myself into this?" Now, since journaling about my personality traits, etc., I've noticed when I get to that place of over committing, I instantly recognize that trait (mentally) and am able to stop myself from over committing. My daughter noticed the same thing. Of course, I still am the person I always was but just not going to a place that is detrimental to my health. The journaling made us more aware of our personalities and, therefore, what we need to keep ourselves healthy is obvious now at the moment we need it. So we have found a great benefit in that also. I do believe that will only improve as well as our knowledge of TMS. Thank you so much for your wisdom, I appreciate your sharing your experiences.