Reaffirmation! Not Necessarily Doubt!

Over the last six years, I have had several symptoms or TMS equivalents to include, headache (lasted for two years), frequent sore throat and stiff neck, allergies, frequent flu like symptoms, sores on my tongue, fatigue, a rash on my stomach between my belly button and my genital and stomach pain (feels like I am constantly hungry). I've always suffered from "tolerable" back pain since a little boy and to this day it isn't as severe. Except the lingering tight and sore lower back, most of the aforementioned symptoms have primarily disappeared - except for the stomach pain which interchanges with THE MOST crushing symptom - PAIN IN MY PENIS! About four years ago, after a night of sex, I woke up with a slight discomfort in my penis. The pain and the urge to urinate increased as the day and days go by. So I went to my primary care doctor who referred me to an urologist. Every test came back negative. I was put on steroids which didn’t help. I was put on a first round of antibiotics. The pain increased and the antibiotics were switched to another! NO RELIEF! A scope was done where a tube with a small camera was inserted through my urethra to check for defects within the shaft and bladder. That too was normal. I was then sent to another urologist at Vanderbilt where my bladder and prostate were re-checked – again, I was told that they couldn’t find any abnormalities. Still I was prescribed with a supposedly stronger set of antibiotics which didn’t work. I was then sent to a neurologist who advised that everything seemed normal. Back to my primary care doctor who sent me to a pain clinic. Imaging was done on my back at the pain clinic, and I was given two epidural shots in my lower back which seemed to help for some time. I was also prescribed oxycodone, gabapentin, Lyrica during my pain “management” sessions. I later saw a chiropractor. Initially, the pain would be severe after sex and then subside after a few hours or a day, or so. I had no problem urinating, getting an erection or any pain during ejaculation. In fact, the pain is most severe when my penis is in a placid state and the pain went away whenever I got an erection!


Then one day, BOOM, the pain was gone. I had lost over 30 pounds by changing my diet and living a more fasting focused lifestyle, so I assumed those were the reasons for the relief. Apparently I was wrong! After being relatively pain free for about six months (still would have had mild discomfort), the penile pain came back with a vengeance. Sitting was always a problem. The period after sexual intercourse was always terrible and frightening. But when the pain came back this time (about a year ago), it had a difference to it! Now, just being aroused would elicit pain. In the past, I would have to ejaculate to get pain afterwards – now I simply have to get hard and the pain would be excruciating after the penis goes back into a placid state (blood being drawn away from the penis?). Nowadays I’ll get pain after I urinate which is interesting as it used to be the opposite – urination used to seemingly ease pressure and give me relief. I went to see a Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist who didn’t help. I bought an online DIY course from another Pelvis Floor Specialist. I tried acupuncture. I went to see two other chiropractors as my back has gotten noticeably tighter – X-rays were done and both chiropractors interestingly gave me conflicting reviews as to what they meant! About two months ago I went to see a spine specialist who ordered MRIs of the lower back and pelvis – that spine specialist told me he saw no reason why what the imaging showed would cause my penis to hurt. He suggested two more injections anyway and I got them. They didn’t work. He sent me to Physical Therapy with a prescription for dry needling for six weeks. That too was a waste of money and time.


Based on Dr. Sarno’s teachings, the only thing that makes sense to me now is TMS and I get that. I also know that no two individuals or situations are the same. Nonetheless, are prostatitis and its symptoms common with TMS?