Recurrence of Hip Pain post-Surgery

[Mr Hip Guy]

My range of motion on my hips, IT bands is AWFUL.

Most people have TERRIBLE range of motion, not just in hips but everywhere. But they're not in pain. Same goes with posture, or strength, or any of the many other myriad boogiemen that the (well meaning) physical therapists point to for remedy.

I had awful ROM on my hips too - it was one of the "tests" the PA for my surgeon put me through. Here's the thing though, I had awful ROM in BOTH hips, and I only got one worked on (but both hurt and I BEGGED them to operate on the other one too). Guess what? Range of motion is still bad, and both hips don't hurt. That's TMS.

 

[LindenSwole]

I realize I came across a little flippant in my earlier post, let me try and remedy that and add on to enrico's excellent advice.

I'll repeat what is elsewhere in this thread as to what usually works for me:

- Evidence sheets. List a column for pros and a column for cons on why it might (or might not) be TMS. Be honest. Even being honest I'll be there are more TMS pros.
- Read the Success Stories in this forum. They don't have to be hip-related but you'll find many that are.
- Seek out some podcasts about TMS. I recommend "Mind and Body fitness" by Eddy Lindenstein, especially since you're a guy and active. But Nicole Sachs' podcast and youtube are good too.
- Read and re-read the books! I get something out of Sarno's books every time I pick them up. Not to be sacrilegious but it's almost like the bible in that I can pick it up, go to any page, and there is something waiting for me that's useful.
- Have courage and get back to activities. Don't let the pain scare you into a shell.

Hello there! Thank you for the mention!

Would you be open to a podcast interview?

 

[JanAtheCPA]

Eddy!!!

Mr Hip Guy would be a great interview

 

[Enrico100000]

thank you so much for the advice everyone. I will do all the things you recommended. But I do have to ask this because its the one big thing that keeps me continually worried and keeps my thoughts going back to "structural issues". My range of motion on my hips, IT bands is AWFUL. For example I can only spread my legs to maybe a 45 degree angle at MAX, or if I lay on my back and put my knees together and just let them fall to one side or the other, the pain that i feel in the hip joints is bizarre and does not feel at ALL like its muscular, tendon, but rather like its bone on bone contact saying "NO DONT DO THAT". Its frightening, and unnerving and a daily reminder of my pain (even trying to get onto a bike or in a car causes this feeling of pain. If I kneel on my knees on the ground and push my hips even slightly forward, same thing, pain on both hip flexors immedietely and again, it doesnt feel like how my back felt when it had TMS. With my back it felt clearly like a seized muscle, not joint or bone pain. This feels different. And so Im trying to figure out how to deal with that and convince myself its TMS. Has anyone experienced this also?

I'm as inflexible as you are. And for this reason, it makes perfect sense that you and I got pain in our hips. In my case, I got into doing a lot of yoga, actively working on getting more flexible. Hips were an easy place for my pain to start. I think it's possible I over-stretched something in heated yoga, and from there the TMS/chronic pain began. I bet you were already fixated on your lack of hip mobility before the pain, and it's not surprising at all to me that this is where your pain now is. Also, nowhere in your doctor's diagnosis is anything about "bone-on-bone." I think your fear may be giving you even more in-your-head diagnoses.

I'm not trying to berate you, but again, you seem to be really preoccupied with your pain and body. I know it's far easier said than done, but you have to live life and work on lowering your fear.

One other thing I'll mention that helped me for my hip problem was at the outset I worked with a great psychologist who's trained in TMS and works with one of the top TMS doctors. She's not in insurance so it's an expense. But for me it was very helpful to have a coach to work with to help convince me my pain wasn't structural. DM me if you'd like her contact info.

 

[sdiddy]

This question is your brain on TMS. We see this ALL the time. This is your brain still trying to distract you, with the hope that you will find someone who has an exact match to your symptoms and can tell you EXACTLY what to do. This is never going to happen. The reason it will never happen is
#1: in the world of human individuality, you will NEVER find an exact physical match. My yoga teacher assures her students of this all the time, telling us not to compare our poses with those of others, because we are all built differently.
#2: in the world of TMS brain dysfunction, even if, by some gazillion-to-one miracle you found someone who tells you that YES, they had this and YES they still healed themselves with TMS work - your TMS brain would STILL find a reason to discount what that person tells you. Because that is it's job, this is what it was designed to do.

Forget all the catastrophizing bullshit created by your TMS brain mechanism. As long as you do not have an urgent requirement for immediate medical treatment, just do the goddamn TMS work. It is non-invasive, and we have two complete programs and multiple other ways to do it for free. You have nothing to lose.

What two programs are you referencing? Please provide info thanks!!

 

[sdiddy]

I'm as inflexible as you are. And for this reason, it makes perfect sense that you and I got pain in our hips. In my case, I got into doing a lot of yoga, actively working on getting more flexible. Hips were an easy place for my pain to start. I think it's possible I over-stretched something in heated yoga, and from there the TMS/chronic pain began. I bet you were already fixated on your lack of hip mobility before the pain, and it's not surprising at all to me that this is where your pain now is. Also, nowhere in your doctor's diagnosis is anything about "bone-on-bone." I think your fear may be giving you even more in-your-head diagnoses.

I'm not trying to berate you, but again, you seem to be really preoccupied with your pain and body. I know it's far easier said than done, but you have to live life and work on lowering your fear.

One other thing I'll mention that helped me for my hip problem was at the outset I worked with a great psychologist who's trained in TMS and works with one of the top TMS doctors. She's not in insurance so it's an expense. But for me it was very helpful to have a coach to work with to help convince me my pain wasn't structural. DM me if you'd like her contact info.

Its ironic you mentioned this because I started hot yoga also and after every session I was often in MORE pain because I think I was going too deep into the stretches (because im the worst one in the class of 50 people I think I feel inadequate in there). So the other day I tried to stretch my IT bands by standing and spreading the legs (like a splits but barely 45 degrees) and since then my right hip has been screaming in pain all day and night for 4 days. Its awful I am barely sleeping. And to answer the comment about bone on bone isnt that exactly what arthritis is? And they are telling me I have "severe arthritis". I want so bad to believe this is all tms but im struggling with some of the symptoms. And I am really not trying to "hyper fixate" on the pain but imagining not being able to work, sit comfortably, or sleep for nearly 2 years. It's a lot and is doing psychology damage to my well being. Im always tired, always throbbing. Im just so tired of it. Im sorry for ranting but its been a lot for me on top of all my stressors in life while trying to be the best father, friend, son, and find love again and success in my new career too.

 

[Cactusflower]

What two programs are you referencing? Please provide info thanks!!

Scroll town the page on tmswiki.org and look for the structured educational program and pain recovery program.

The definition of arthritis: Swelling and tenderness in one or more joints, causing joint pain or stiffness

stress contributes or is even the source to things like swelling and inflammation because of the body’s chemical reaction to stress and anxiety - these chemicals create inflammation.

 

[Diana-M]

@sdiddy
Check this thread out about arthritis. https://www.tmswiki.org/forum/threads/arthritis-and-tms.8859/
Sarno said it’s TMS.

Word of advice: make sure you actually consider the advice you get here and don’t keep wallowing in the medical world. That world doesn’t acknowledge TMS. They will look for something structural to pin your pain on. At some point you’ll have to go all in on TMS and do the emotional work to heal. If you straddle the fence, you’ll have no hope of getting better.

 

[intense50]

A friend of mine started suffering from severe arthritis. Had a wise doctor. The first thing he asked him was how had been his last year. His house was broken into and his wife rolled the car. Unfortunately this was many years ago and I did not know TMS. But I always remember him telling that story because for him it was strange that a doc would ask that .

 

[sdiddy]

Ok all im posting this to provide feedback and anything that may help us all. This is VERY wierd but after 2 years of TERRIBLE chronic constant shooting/mobility/throbbing/nerve/joint pain, the last two weeks have been a MASSIVE reduction in pain. Im talking 50%. For me this is completely without prescedent. I have even slept for the first time in 2 years because of the reduction in pain, most notably, the constant shooting, burning, throbbing pain in the tfl and the extreme tightness/soreness in the IT band. I do not have an answer as to what is helping but I want to give you my playbook and see if any resonates with you or helps you.

1. I did PRP in the hips about 6 weeks ago. Until 2 weeks ago I had felt no reduction in pain. The reduction happened literally almost overnight so that makes me think it wasnt the PRP. Im not an expert but it doesnt make sense that getting PRP is like a delayed release bomb that goes off in one night 5 weeks from the injection.
2. I started accessing this forum and read some sarno and got some hope from some of the stories here about similar hip pain. Meaning, I started for the first time saying "maybe this is more tms than i thought".
3. I started PT with a new therapist that is having me do more or less the same exercises (90/90 roations, stretches, the usual), BUT she has been doing cupping in the affected areas. Perhaps that is helping??
4. I started taking shilajit to lower cortisal about a month ago (from Purish).
5. Ive journaled a bit in the last month and do9ne some short meditations a few times a week (5 minutes).

Ok so thats it. Overall Im still dealing with plenty of stresses and anxieties in my life, but the biggest one was my chronic pain and what it "means" about the rest of my life. Suddenly, the pain damn near disappeared overnight. Now Im not saying there is NO pain and everything is fine. My body is hella tight in the morning, my mobility is still terrible (but better in the last 2 weeks), and yes it feels sore after yoga or walking a decent amount, but its not chronic and its not distracting. So what do you think is happening? I genuinely hope yall dont say the PRP because it would give me so much comfort knowing it was the other things, more TMS related. But bottom line is I had a massive breakthrough and really so grateful and feeling hopeful again!!!

 

[Mr Hip Guy]

That's great!

Now re-read what you just wrote and see what you take from that. The proof is all there, it just needs to sink in.

 

[sdiddy]

That's great!

Now re-read what you just wrote and see what you take from that. The proof is all there, it just needs to sink in.

thanks for the response hip guy. honestly im just so happy to feel some relief but i will admit the confusion of not knowing what transpired that made such a drastic change nearly overnight is the weird part. For example, is it possible it was the PRP? yes of course it is. Is it possible that the shilajit reduced my already high cortisol to a point where im not longer having elevated cortisol related body pain? sure. Is it possible its the cupping? possibly. But the DRASTIC change in such a short time still tells me its mostly TMS related. The things I mentioned above wouldnt activate in a single day, weeks later (I dont think). BUt I havent even done that much in terms of TMS therapy either, which is unusual as well. On one hand I wish I knew the exact formula that is helping. On the other hand, the hope and optimism I feel from getting a massive pain reduction is wonderful and truly makes me feel like we can conquer this.

 

[JanAtheCPA]

Don't discount the power of the placebo effect. It's real, AND it is effective even when the individual knows they are experiencing a placebo. I use it all the time myself. There are researchers trying to figure out how to harness the placebo effect, but getting funding is problematic. It's not like Big Pharma is going to support it...

Similarly, the "laying on of hands" by empathetic practitioners is very powerful for short-term relief of symptoms, as everyone knows who has experienced relief from massage, acupuncture, chiropractic, cupping, and so on.

I say that if you want to spend the money, it's fine to take advantage of those things... IF you allow your brain to accept that they are not a cure, they are only for short-term relief, by employing the emotional support and reassurance you receive from someone who is working with you in person. The long-term solution must still come from within yourself.

Or, as Nicole Sachs says all the time: the problem is not "in your head" but the solution is not in your body. The solution is in your response to stress and how that response represses your negative emotions, whether the stress is from the past or is very current.

Also - look up the stress-inflammation connection. TMS symptoms are very often inflammatory, and the inflammatory response to stress is how our immune system and survival mechanisms were designed to work. In today's world, with constant stress inputs 24/7, that response becomes problematic.

Your job is to reduce your response to current stressors by being willing to acknowledge what they are, along with relearning the stress responses you developed in childhood.

 

[Mr Hip Guy]

But the DRASTIC change in such a short time still tells me its mostly TMS related.

Of course it is. That's why I said to re-read your post. All that you needed to know was in that particular part. This is similar to a "book cure" situation. The mere realization that TMS is at "play" and even if your conscious mind you only see that as "one possiblity" - it is still enough to make a difference.

Now, as Baseball65 likes to say - KILL IT. Keep pursuing this lead until you get more realizations, and more realizations, and you'll learn more about yourself in the process.

 

[Mr Hip Guy]

TMS is a lifelong condition. There is no "putting it behind you" and moving on from it. But you become better at dealing with it, managing it, keeping it in check, resolving it, etc. It's as much a part of us as eating or breathing, both of which are also lifelong conditions. Ha ha.

The reason I say all this is that I have experienced a recent flare up in symptoms and wanted to share my experience here. As usual, part of this (most of it?) is selfish in that sharing my thoughts, getting them on paper if you will, helps me in resolving things...but also as usual I'm hoping this will help someone else reading this.

A few weeks back, I noticed some pain that is normally diagnosed as Plantar Fasciitis (pain in the bottom of the foot, usually the heel - feels like you're walking on a pebble). I have dealt with this before, in fact just a few years ago I had a particularly nasty session that lasted several months before resolving. Needless to say, it got my attention. Of course, I looked at it as TMS - with so much experience behind me, it's hard for TMS to "sneak up" on me anymore. Around the same time I found my brother was having a real serious issue with the same "ailment" - coincidence? No way. I even ran into him while doing a trail run and he lamented his issues which sounded pretty severe - I know that he is basically unreachable from a TMS treatments standpoint (he's my brother, I know him well), so I tried to offer some advice as best I could and said some prayers. I know how impressionable I am though, and tried to keep putting myself in a strict mindset of "this is TMS - it is not physical" as a result.

Well in the past few days my plantar fasciitis symptoms started to subside...but only to be replaced in the last few days by guess what? Hip pain!

Hip pain in my operated hip. Hip pain that feels exactly like it did leading up to the surgery. Achey...sore...burning feeling in the hip joint when engaged to walk or run or left the leg over something. Now what I didn't mention above that is I am currently training for a marathon and I am doing some heavy training as a result - the last few weeks in fact have been the most intense volume I've done in a long while. So I'm definitely stressing my body. But I am sitting here steadfastly refusing to believe that narrative because I've been down that path before. Nice try TMS. You can stop this BS right now.

Last night while doing some yardwork (mowing the lawn is very meditative for me, as it's mindless and I can do some good thinking), I tried to do some data mining on what might be going on for me psychologically right now. I'm feeling some stress, I have 2 teenage kids, one of which is in between his first and second year in college and the first year didn't go so well. My youngest is dating her first BF, and while he's a nice guy, it worries me having her away from home doing who-knows-what (I know she's a good girl though).

There's of course work stress and all the other things - but what struck through like a lightning bolt once I started this thinking process was - I just had lunch with my mom earlier in the week and she had relayed some family news that my uncle...an 85+ yo suffering with some dementia and health issues...had fallen over the weekend and broken his hip! Doh! Influenced again!

I've spent the rest of the night allaying fears and tamping down worry, even though the hip was as sore as ever...then woke this morning with it feeling about 50% better. I'm going to keep pounding in this direction and I fully expect it to resolve itself.

 

[Giofe86]

TMS is a lifelong condition. There is no "putting it behind you" and moving on from it. But you become better at dealing with it, managing it, keeping it in check, resolving it, etc. It's as much a part of us as eating or breathing, both of which are also lifelong conditions. Ha ha.

The reason I say all this is that I have experienced a recent flare up in symptoms and wanted to share my experience here. As usual, part of this (most of it?) is selfish in that sharing my thoughts, getting them on paper if you will, helps me in resolving things...but also as usual I'm hoping this will help someone else reading this.

A few weeks back, I noticed some pain that is normally diagnosed as Plantar Fasciitis (pain in the bottom of the foot, usually the heel - feels like you're walking on a pebble). I have dealt with this before, in fact just a few years ago I had a particularly nasty session that lasted several months before resolving. Needless to say, it got my attention. Of course, I looked at it as TMS - with so much experience behind me, it's hard for TMS to "sneak up" on me anymore. Around the same time I found my brother was having a real serious issue with the same "ailment" - coincidence? No way. I even ran into him while doing a trail run and he lamented his issues which sounded pretty severe - I know that he is basically unreachable from a TMS treatments standpoint (he's my brother, I know him well), so I tried to offer some advice as best I could and said some prayers. I know how impressionable I am though, and tried to keep putting myself in a strict mindset of "this is TMS - it is not physical" as a result.

Well in the past few days my plantar fasciitis symptoms started to subside...but only to be replaced in the last few days by guess what? Hip pain!

Hip pain in my operated hip. Hip pain that feels exactly like it did leading up to the surgery. Achey...sore...burning feeling in the hip joint when engaged to walk or run or left the leg over something. Now what I didn't mention above that is I am currently training for a marathon and I am doing some heavy training as a result - the last few weeks in fact have been the most intense volume I've done in a long while. So I'm definitely stressing my body. But I am sitting here steadfastly refusing to believe that narrative because I've been down that path before. Nice try TMS. You can stop this BS right now.

Last night while doing some yardwork (mowing the lawn is very meditative for me, as it's mindless and I can do some good thinking), I tried to do some data mining on what might be going on for me psychologically right now. I'm feeling some stress, I have 2 teenage kids, one of which is in between his first and second year in college and the first year didn't go so well. My youngest is dating her first BF, and while he's a nice guy, it worries me having her away from home doing who-knows-what (I know she's a good girl though).

There's of course work stress and all the other things - but what struck through like a lightning bolt once I started this thinking process was - I just had lunch with my mom earlier in the week and she had relayed some family news that my uncle...an 85+ yo suffering with some dementia and health issues...had fallen over the weekend and broken his hip! Doh! Influenced again!

I've spent the rest of the night allaying fears and tamping down worry, even though the hip was as sore as ever...then woke this morning with it feeling about 50% better. I'm going to keep pounding in this direction and I fully expect it to resolve itself.

I am really sorry. You were answering my question, but you have a problem. I am sure you are solving it!

The obsessive compulsive disorder is common for TMS problem, isn't it?

 

[Jenwren]

Hi,
New to this group - just joined today but seeing some success stories which are really helping me with my medical mri findings. Thank you Hip Guy and Enrico

In January I hurt my back at a party trying to do a back bend at the age of 45 (not good idea ) I was in a bit of a panic as starting a new job in the Feb and didn’t want to be in pain. So went to an osteopath who did. hip rotation move to realign my pelvis. At the time of the move I had some groin pain and persistent pain in my sacrum area. After paying for a private mri - it showed that I had a labral tear in my hip (as well as hamstring tendernosis and bursa in my hip).

I have seen two orthopaedic surgeons who have said that they do not think the tear is causing my pain and potentially red herring. But because the pain started after seeing the osteopath - I’m unable to disconnect the event with the potential injury. I also feel the symptoms associated with a tear after they perform provocative tests on the hip.

I have read that hip label tears to do not heal by themselves and either surgery or physio therapy is needed. I am unable to do the physio exercises without feeling like they make the pain worse.

I really want to believe that there is an element of mind body - however the fear is holding me back ( not being able to do the exercises so not being able to heal the tear and the fear around the tear it’s self).

I have just read Sarno’s book and could relate to it but because it didn’t specifically mention labral tear - I couldn’t fully accept anything other than a structural diagnosis.

I have been working with a pain reprocessing therapist but I’ve been doing that alongside the structural route of seeing orthopaedic consultants and physiotherapists. I’m now on my 3 rd orthopaedic opinion and after reading these posts - I think the pattern for constantly searching for answers is potentially counterintuitive to my PRT.

My main pain is my sacroilliac joint. But I also do get pain in the side of my hip, my hamstring and my groin after walking or long periods of sitting/ standing. I had a steroid injection in my sacral joint in April and whilst it did help a bit the pain is still consistent (it doesn’t go).

The fear around my tear is that it’s causing my pelvis to go out of alignment which is putting extra pressure on sacroiliac joint (this is what I’ve been told by physios). My first MRI of my sacral joint in January after the initial incident was completely clear but then it was redone in April and that showed red marrow expansion and edema. So that has reinforced my fear that the tear is pulling everything out of alignment and putting extra pressure on my sacroiliac joint as things have changed from January to March. I have had confirmation that an xray has shown my hip socket joint to be normal and no cysts - just a tear which they graded 2a.

I think I’m stuck in a fear/ pain loop cycle. I’ve been keeping an evidence list:

1) Strong history of other symptoms in the body which go when I calm my nervous system down (tinnitus, facial pain, shoulder pain, bladder pain)
2) pain started in high stress (stress of old job which led me to my new job) injury happened two weeks before starting new job - also week after Christmas
3) suffered with bladder pain for 3 months prior - which then went and next day the pain started at the party after the back bend.
4) pain does move around (but pain in sacrolliac joint in constant)
5) had a few moments where pain significantly decreases (at a bbq, when I paint or have a few glasses of vino)
6) pain increases after medical appointments which I put down to because of manipulations performed by the physio or consultant testing the hip

Since January I have been fixating on finding a solution, I am definitely fearing, fighting trying to fix and feeling extremely frustrated by the pain.

My brain just can see past the mri findings. I am reading the books, doing the therapy but just can’t seem to calm my fear down to heal.

Any tips?

Thanks

 

[JanAtheCPA]

Any tips

Hello and welcome to the forum.

1. Using our search box, look for your symptoms; using the More... button, limit your search to the Success Stories subforum. I don't recommend retelling your story and asking questions on old threads there - just read and let the variety of tips and methods sink in. It's important to understand that ultimately, you need to find your own way. There is no "one way" and there is definitely no quick fix. But there IS a way out and forward.

2. Start doing our Structured Educational Program on the main TMSWiki.org. It's free of cost, free of ads, even free of registration. The only requirements are a commitment to stick with it when the going gets tough, and a commitment to brutal self-honesty. And we're here to answer your questions and lend support. Be sure to figure out how to start your own threads for that!

 

[Cactusflower]

SI joint and sacral pain is one of my symptoms. I mixed doing the SEP with slowly working through physical activity to gain confidence, which helped me loose the fear.
The anxiety we hold in our minds can simply be mirrored in our bodies. Muscles get tight, and we don’t notice it, especially when we are not in touch with emotions , and the mind body connection.
I dropped the fear by consistently reminding myself that Dr. Sarno observed that TMS in itself is benign. That my thoughts surrounding the fears were not truths - doo thoughts etc. I had to change the idea of forever to “now” and not think about the future in respect to my physical symptoms. I focused on easing the suffering which was the mental and emotional symptoms: anxiety, depression and mindset and simply allow the symptoms to be there “ for now”.
I think your identification with Sarno, your understanding of the emotional connection will help you have a great outcome. For myself it all began with making the choice to take healing into my own hands and start down this path.

 

[Mr Hip Guy]

In January I hurt my back at a party trying to do a back bend at the age of 45 (not good idea )

I'd be willing to bet that "this is probably not a good idea" was the exact thought passing through your mind when the pain actually hit. If I'm right, what does that tell you?