TMS arm pain and numbness, struggling with PRT

[ecc123]

I developed TMS pain in my upper back 10 years ago, 6 months after my sister killed herself. Five years ago, a year after my partner was diagnosed with kidney failure, I developed chronic fatigue and Long Covid symptoms (congestion, cough, heart palpitations, dizziness). He got a transplant and is healthy now. But the experience of his illness -- along with what I now see as a lifetime of stress -- has led to a new symptom over a year ago: severe pain and numbness in both arms.

I've been trying Pain Reprocessing Therapy for a few months, but in the face of so much pain (and fear) it seems impossible to do. Waking up every morning (when it's at its worst) in pain just seems to tell my brain that I'm in real trouble. I can live with the back pain, fatigue, and Long Covid, but the arm pain just feels like too much.

Anyone else facing something similar? Any suggestions to offer?

 

[Diana-M]

Hi, @ecc123 !

Sorry to hear of your troubles and pain. My symptoms followed your pattern. As things got worse for me, my arms became activated with numbness and pain—in addition to the rest of my body. It truly is hard not to focus on it, but it’s no different than any other symptom. Just an alarm bell from your brain. It thinks you are in danger. The PRT will work if you stick with it. That’s what I believe for myself. Just put in the work each day and stay calm and in the present. It has been proven to work. I’ve seen some gradual improvements. I think it happens slowly.

 

[Ellen]

I'm not very familiar with PRT as it came out after I had already recovered from TMS. But there was a technique I used when in acute pain, either from fibromyalgia or migraines. It was a guided meditation called Soften and Flow and in it I would focus on the pain, but only on the sensations of it--not on my interpretation or thoughts about it. I would describe the sensations to myself like "its electric, its moving, now its stationary, where are the edges, what color is it, what sound would it make", etc. Sometimes the pain actually went away when I did this, but not always. But what it did was stop the fear of it. It's just a collection of sensations, and I don't have to attach any interpretation to it like "it's horrible", "it's unfair that I have to endure this", "will it kill me", "am I dying", "what should I do about it", "nobody knows what I'm going through", etc.

Try this and let us know if it helps.

 

[Diana-M]

@Ellen, you did PRT without knowing it! That’s it. Somatic tracking. And it worked for you. You’re a sign of hope for us!

 

[Ellen]

@Ellen, you did PRT without knowing it! That’s it. Somatic tracking. And it worked for you. You’re a sign of hope for us!

I call it Mindfulness Meditation but it is the same thing.

 

[JanAtheCPA]

There's an audio program called Meditations to Change Your Brain by Rick Hanson and neuroscientist Richard Mendius MD. More lecture than meditation, this is the resource that taught me about how our brains are still wired for the primitive world, why this wiring does not work in today's world, and what to do about it. It works really well with the PRT concepts. It's available on all the usual venues like Amazon and Sounds True (that's where I bought the download version), but I see now that my public library has the physical CD or a download (using Libby or Overdrive). The description:

Seven Guided Practices to “Rebuild” Your Brain for Lasting Joy and Fulfillment

The structure of your brain changes constantly in a dynamic, unfolding process that you yourself can help direct to create the life you want. This is the exciting premise of Meditations to Change Your Brain, a breakthrough three-CD program from neuropsychologist Rick Hanson, PhD, and neurologist Richard Mendius, MD.

Course objectives:
Use meditation to rewire the neural pathways in your mind—to change your brain and to change your mind
Learn the science behind suffering; how our survival instincts have led to our own suffering and how we can change this
Learn several different meditation techniques to promote concentration, let go of painful past experiences, and promote a more positive outlook
A scientific overview of the structure of your brain and which areas are responsible for our different skills and emotions

Drawing on a vast body of research spanning more than 30 years, Hanson and Mendius show you how to strengthen the neural circuits that generate happiness, love, and inner peace. Join them to explore fascinating insights about your brain and how you can consciously affect it with good results. Then learn seven guided meditations to reshape your brain, including:

“Steadying Your Mind” to tap the full creative power of your attention
“Taking in the Good” to maintain a positive emotional landscape
“Antidote to Stress,” a conscious way to activate your body’s relaxation response
“Healing Painful Experiences” to free yourself from the charge of negative memories

Science has proven what contemplative traditions have taught for centuries: meditation holds a key to a life of balance, peace, and joy.

Whether you’re discovering meditation for the first time or looking for a way to deepen an existing practice, with Meditations to Change Your Brain you have a full spectrum of techniques to make your brain your greatest ally on the path to personal fulfillment.​

 

[Adam Coloretti (coach)]

Anyone else facing something similar? Any suggestions to offer?

Have you done much emotional work (such as the program offered on this site the SEP)? Given the clear background links in terms of your past, I'd be focusing on that at least in tandem with PRT. Assuming the possibility that the symptoms are reflective of repressed emotions, PRT might give you some relief as it relates to how you relate to the symptoms, but it won't go to the root.

 

[ecc123]

I'm truly grateful to @Diana-M, @Ellen, @JanAtheCPA, and @Adam Coloretti (coach) for responding so generously and helpfully. I'll keep working with PRT and somatic tracking and check out the SEP. Thanks for the encouragement!

@Adam Coloretti (coach), I hear you, and I'm really trying to get at "the root." Though it took me a long time to see it, I've been a vigilant represser of my emotions since adolescence. But I've been doing mindfulness meditation and IFS (Internal Family Systems) therapy for about 5 years, and both have given me tremendous insights into my mental and emotional habits. Thanks again!