TMS flare up or real pain?

Hi everyone,

Been a long time since I’ve checked in here. A long story short: the chronic neck and back pain that plagued me for 7 years is gone. I’m so incredibly grateful for this community.

I’ve been running a lot over the past year and am planning on running a half marathon (my second ever, and first since 2022) in April. I recently increased my mileage, however, and much of my December has been consumed with foot pain.

I’m not sure if I’m experiencing physiological pain, or a TMS flare up.

Seventeen days ago, after a 7-mile run, I started to notice pain on the outside edges of both of my feet, with more in my left. Then, I started to develop left ankle pain.

I received a cortisone shot, and was prescribed an extra-strength non-steroidal inflammatory. I also iced both of my feet constantly, and bought new, very supportive running shoes.

Today was my first run back. My feet felt about 90 percent better, so thought I’d give it a go.

About 10-15 minutes in, though, I started to feel pain in my left heel, and when I got home, I felt pain in my ankle again. I’ve been feeling super dejected all night.

Does this sound like TMS to you? Or is it possible I just need to wait longer for the inflammation to come down, or something else?

I received an X-Ray on both of my feet, and the podiatrist did not mention anything alarming from the imaging.

The fact that the pain is moving around makes me think it might be TMS. Also, this started after an extremely frustrating incident at work — an incident that I have yet to let go of and am still stewing over.

What do you guys think?

 

I think the fact you’re back on here, you have already answered it for yourself

sounds like you’ve done all the right things physically, now is time for psychological.

 

That's a really good point! I woke up today, fully convinced that this was TMS, with no pain in my left foot, and minimal in my right. Still, I went to my scheduled podiatrist's appointment today, and he had no interest in my theory of it being psychosomatic pain. My X-Rays came back clean, and so he attributed it to plantar fasciitis. He wrapped me up with K-Tape and put support pads on my insoles.

I'm feeling a little torn. This really does feel like would be classic TMS -- the pain coincides with a moment of extreme anger from my job -- BUT there is always the possibility that there is some physically wrong. Additionally, I have not had a CT or MRI scan, so maybe there is some tissue damage? I don't know -- I don't know what to think.

 

Plantar fascitis is TMS. There are many success stories here and elsewhere by people who have overcome this label using TMS recovery techniques. You are in the right place.

 

Well I'll be damned....That's incredible. Makes sense! With my back and neck pain gone for almost a year, my TMS needed somewhere to go, and it waited for an extremely taxing moment to hit me where it hurts (emotionally) -- my feet -- at a time where I've never been more proud/excited to run. This is a pesky, smart syndrome..

 

From the Steven Ozanich book defining TMS symptoms if that’s helps