Symptom imperative

[Lz123]

Hi,

my question about symptom imperative is the following: can new symptoms arise without old ones being resolved? In my case, this is true. I currently have pain in 3 or so different areas, which each one being the "main" one, depending on what I do. If i type a lot , my elbows hurt (tennis elbow), if I lift weights, my shoulders hurt more so I feel them more..I hope I am clear. Usually when I read about shifting symptoms, people usually mention the last symptom dissapeared and a new one appeared, but this is not the case for me.

Thanks

 

[BloodMoon]

Hi Lz123,

I can't give a definitive answer to your question as I don't recall this being mentioned or discussed in any of the TMS books that I've personally read...However, I was diagnosed with so called 'Fibromyalgia Syndrome', which Dr Sarno apparently said was the worst manifestation of TMS (or words to that effect). It causes me widespread muscle pain - the pain pops up all over the place in my body and I usually have at least 2 to 3 particular areas (but often more than that) that are all moderately to extremely painful at the same time. Sometimes the pain in one particular area will gradually disappear altogether (rarely suddenly disappear) only to be replaced by pain occurring somewhere else in my body, but mostly the pain in an area either stays pretty much the same or may reduce a bit and then be joined by another area of my body suddenly (or sometimes gradually) becoming very painful. Sometimes an area that was starting to feel better will flare up again, despite another area of my body having flared badly. My 'fibro'/TMS pain favours particular areas of my body - some of them being sites of strain or past injury - which is apparently typical of TMS trying to make you think it's a physical problem...And when those areas aren't in flare they usually still nevertheless hurt/give me discomfort.

I hope the above was all clearer than mud!...But, in essence, I believe that with TMS it is possible to have a new symptom appear before an old one disappears.

 

[Lz123]

Hi Lz123,

I can't give a definitive answer to your question as I don't recall this being mentioned or discussed in any of the TMS books that I've personally read...However, I was diagnosed with so called 'Fibromyalgia Syndrome', which Dr Sarno apparently said was the worst manifestation of TMS (or words to that effect). It causes me widespread muscle pain - the pain pops up all over the place in my body and I usually have at least 2 to 3 particular areas (but often more than that) that are all moderately to extremely painful at the same time. Sometimes the pain in one particular area will gradually disappear altogether (rarely suddenly disappear) only to be replaced by pain occurring somewhere else in my body, but mostly the pain in an area either stays pretty much the same or may reduce a bit and then be joined by another area of my body suddenly (or sometimes gradually) becoming very painful. Sometimes an area that was starting to feel better will flare up again, despite another area of my body having flared badly. My 'fibro'/TMS pain favours particular areas of my body - some of them being sites of strain or past injury - which is apparently typical of TMS trying to make you think it's a physical problem...And when those areas aren't in flare they usually still nevertheless hurt/give me discomfort.

I hope the above was all clearer than mud!...But, in essence, I believe that with TMS it is possible to have a new symptom appear before an old one disappears.

Hmm..yeah, that sounds like my pain patterns. One week, this hurts a bit more so I feel it more, the other week that hurts a bit more so I feel it more, but the pain never goes away in the other area completely.

Thanks for replying

 

[BloodMoon]

Thanks for replying

You're welcome

I currently have pain in 3 or so different areas, which each one being the "main" one, depending on what I do. If i type a lot , my elbows hurt (tennis elbow), if I lift weights, my shoulders hurt more so I feel them more..

I forgot to mention about Dr Sarno having said that the brain causes TMS pain by reducing the blood flow to the muscles and other tissues, causing mild oxygen deprivation...which makes me surmise that when we are using an area of the body quite a lot (that is an area that our brain has chosen to target) the mild oxygen deprivation makes that area less likely to be able to cope with the extra movement and/or strain...

In his book 'The Hidden Psychology of Pain: The Use of Understanding to Heal Chronic Pain' https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hidden-Psy...1537119150&sr=8-1&keywords=dr+james+alexander Dr James Alexander says - and he backs it up with some research references - that lack of oxygen can also cause small (or large) muscle tears, which would explain the worsening of the pain - and the time needed for recovery. (It was only recently reading Dr Alexander's book that finally convinced me that my 'fibromyalgia' is actually TMS; without the expanded explanation of what oxygen deprivation can cause, I found it hard to believe that my brain could be causing me so much pain.)