Why is TMS not the placebo?

Why is TMS not the placebo? i know my somewhere in my brain i've already answered myself this but my brain is asking again and now im confused.

edit: what i mean is healing via TMS methods
 
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The definition of a placebo is that it has no therapeutic value in and of itself but only because you believe it will work.

Whether or not TMS healing is "placebo" is an interesting question I've thought about. I don't think it is...though you DO need a belief in it for it to work, unlike a pill. I think this could be true of any psychological method of healing. It's therapeutic property is cognition itself so it is hard to compare it to a pill.

Also recall that the cure rates for TMS (for people who are open to it) are much higher than people who are open to and receive surergy, PT or meds for pain. That should help convince you :)
 
TMS is not a placebo because it explains the cause and the pattern of pain and it works like nothing else does.

The fact it provides the only reasonable explanation of why we hurt, why pain becomes chronic and moves around, how awareness can be curative is the real evidence for it.

TMS answered some of my biggest questions, like why I woke up to back pain or why my right foot, the one that presses on the gas pedal, went numb, and so on.

For me it even explains why we hurt where we hurt.

http://www.fredamir.com/single-post/2016/10/13/Why-You-Hurt-Where-You-Hurt (rapidrecovery)

I still advocate a Nobel Prize in medicine for Dr. Sarno.
 
I wrote in GPD that it depends on how you define healing. "If healing is dependent on believing" then TMS is a placebo because it's incumbent upon belief. Everything in life depends on belief, and you have to believe there's nothing wrong with your body to heal. But as the word placebo is recognized it is not a placebo as Fred said here. There is no fooling, or ritual, slight of hand, nothing. As people understand the placebo effect TMS healing is not a placebo.

Fred's book was helpful to me in my own recovery, as was his insight to pull other TMSers together and learn more. Fred is one of the handful that gets it. Kudos to him and his great work. And Dr. Sarno of course deserves a Nobel Prize in Medicine.
 
Thanks for your kind words, Steve!

It is truly inspirational to see you helping so many people through your books. While mainstream medicine continues to send patients down the wrong path, it is voices like yours and spaces like TMSwiki, that bring light and hope to so many around the world.

It took decades for Dr. Sarno to get some recognition for his groundbreaking work. I hope eventually he is awarded the Nobel Prize in medicine! Meanwhile, let us do what we can to spread his message. If it was not for Dr. Sarno, I would most likely be in pain and disabled for the rest of my life.

Our collective thanks to Dr. Sarno.
 
and even if it is placebo, so what? :)
it is cheap, no side effect and is a lot better than going under the surgeon's knife.

Yeah i know, for some reason my brain is messing with me, probably not wanting to heal, looking for excuses. I dont know, its nice to read why it isn't a placebo though, it does build confidence.
 
Balto has a point! I believe the Placebo effect surrounds us. It could be described as the power of suggestion or positive thinking a belief. We could look to the Placebo effect as serving us to get through our complicated busy lives, sometimes we haven’t got time to absorb the truth or it’s too abhorrent. Could we not think the Placebo effect as protecting us from negativity or helping us on our way?

It’s what we believe that makes it work for us as individuals. This explains to me the sheer diversity of beliefs, from Lourdes to winning a race. Now I have written the words “ultimate truth”, now I think about it who’s ultimate truth, mine or yours?

As I have progressed with TMS healing since 2000, my “ultimate truth” has changes several times over. As new information became available my old views were cast aside as being in denial, a situation very similar to the Placebo effect.
 
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