TMS? How to overcome doubt?

[handpain14]

Hello all. Longtime lurker. I am an otherwise healthy 27 year old male who has been experiencing waxing and waning hand/wrist/arm and foot pain for roughly 8 months, starting after I felt a twinge when opening a jar. Initially, I had stiffness and pain in the bottom part of my right middle finger, which then "spread" to the a good part of the hand being painful, and two weeks later, to my left hand. This seemed to "clear" when I started getting neck pain two months after, but returned when the neck pain cleared. It then faded over the course of a few months as I came down with severe bilateral plantar fasciitis, and is now rearing itself again as the foot pain dies down. Currently, I have pain walking distances and driving due to the lingering foot, as well as sometimes severe pain when typing in my fingers and forearms. Doctors have found nothing wrong in my xrays and extensive blood tests. I remember no moment of injury, but my activity level has been greatly reduced (I used to be an Army Officer who ran daily, lifted weights, etc). I believe I may be experiencing TMS, but still have trouble pushing myself into pain inducing activities just in case it COULD make it worse. Is this TMS? Do I just "push through"?

 

[Sonic]

If you have had the tests to rule things out then and they find nothing then this strengthens the case that it's TMS.

Sounds like you have got a case of the symptom imperative going on which is another clue.

It's hard making the leap of faith into the TMS diagnosis. From personal experience, I had a load of tests where docs couldn't find anything wrong along with acquiring knowledge from a couple of TMS books and this forum helped convince me of TMS diagnosis.

 

[Ellen]

Keep an evidence list. Write down all the ways your pain could not be structural, e.g. shifts from one hand to another, one body part to another; goes away when I'm involved in a interesting task, etc.

Yes, push through. Talk to your brain--"There is nothing structurally wrong with my body. I am strong and healthy."

Be patient but persistent.

 

[Baseball65]

What she said (Ellen).

Never just take anybodies word for anything, and scrutinize the evidence Fairly. TMS is always self evident. I probably got my first ongoing symptoms right about then (25..also when I first got married) Though once I learned about TMS I could spot attacks all the way back to 6 years old.

I too had once been alpha-physical dude, so the notion that I had completely gone to hell at 32 was a tough pill to swallow. Luckily, Sarno changed that and I am more active at 51 than most 20somethings. But don't believe US...for real... the truth of the TMS will be found by examining your own experience. Does it make sense? Does it explain things that otherwise wouldn't? It is very scientific and there is NO leap of faith.
Give it a fair hearing in the court of your own mind and experience

peace