Description
ASIN : B000FA5SGG
Publisher : Balance; 1st edition (March 15, 2001)
Publication date : March 15, 2001
Language : English
File size : 1204 KB
Text-to-Speech : Enabled
Screen Reader : Supported
Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
X-Ray : Enabled
Word Wise : Enabled
Print length : 208 pages
Best Sellers Rank: #3 in Back Pain
–
–
–
Customer Reviews: 7,535 ratings
Amazon Customer –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book
Great book, but slow read. Helped me through a few physical issues. The brain is a powerful organ.I also purchased it for a few friends.
Tom reichert –
5.0 out of 5 stars
This book changed my life.
My brother would say the same thing. I had Scheuermann’s disease as a teenager. Later in my 30s, at one point I was seeing a chiropractor twice a week for back treatments. I read the book while on vacation visiting friends. On the return flight, I saw the chiropractor, and told him I would not be seeing him again. He congratulated me, and indeed, I never had a reason to return.
Go P. –
5.0 out of 5 stars
If you have back and other pains, this book by Dr. Sarno will change your life.
If you have back and other pains, this book by Dr. Sarno will change your life as it changed the lives of thousands of people. I wish that Dr. Sarno received the recognition that he deserved while he was with us. I do hope this happens one day. Thank you, Dr. Sarno! You were a wonderful person.
TreyGGS –
5.0 out of 5 stars
My experience with HEALING BACK PAIN
I would not normally write a review but today I read some reviews of other books which helped me decide if I wanted to purchase them. After doing so I felt compelled to write a review about this book, this is the first review I have written on Amazon.I was referred this book by a friend who said that he had a miraculous recovery from back pain 3 weeks after his doctor told him he would have to have his back operated on. My friend told me he read the book, practiced the theory and after 3 weeks returned to his doctor who could not believe my friends’ recovery.At the time my friend referred me this book I had terrible neck and shoulder pain which radiated down my left arm and made me continuously try to relax and massage my shoulders. The pain in my arm and neck made it hard for me to sleep in general and impossible to sleep on my left side. I am a swimmer so I attributed the pain to my swimming regimen and resigned myself to the fact (as I saw it then) that I could either quit swimming or live with the pain. I chose to live with the pain.This book will teach you that your chronic back problems stem from the suppression of your negative emotions in your mind and once you truly realize and accept that, your mind will not be able to create your back problems any more (even when you are stressed out). It does not matter where your back pain is, mine was in my upper back but the book references people cured of back pain from all over.Dr Sarno states that mankind had no chronic back problems until about 40 years ago, what we used to have were ulcers, which within the last 4 decades have been cured for a majority of us with Tums, pepcid and anti-ulcer medicine. We got the ulcers because we were mentally under some negative emotion or stress that we did not want to reveal or think about because it was too mentally taxing, too scary. Our mind attacked our stomach so we’d focus on that pain rather then on the mental and emotional pain we suppressed.Since we could now better counter the ulcers with new medicines, our mind went looking for some other way of forcing pain to the body so that the pain in the mind could remain hidden. What the mind now does is attack our body by creating chronic pain in our back by slightly lowering the amount of oxygen that the muscles in our body (where the pain is located) receives. This causes the muscles to become tense and creates debilitating pain for many of us.I started reading the book the same month my father passed away. I had incredible tension and pain in my upper back, neck and arms. I have never finished the book, there are parts where it drags a bit with other patients’ testimonials and experiences, but I understood the principles and applied them and within 3 weeks all of the tension in my shoulders and neck were completely gone and the pain that radiated down my arm was less than half what it had been and eventually (within another 2 weeks) that pain was gone as well.I know this sounds unbelievable, it sounded too good to be true to me too, until I started applying the principles and telling my mind to lay off my back. I have had no pain and very little tension in my back, neck or arm in the past 11 months. If I find myself getting a bit tense in my shoulders I can quickly (within minutes) get rid of it because I know what the cause is (my mind) and how to stop it.I mentioned the passing of my father because I used that grief to help me with my back. One of the things Dr Sarno teaches you is that it is helpful to “let it out”; yell, cry etc. If you’d like to try out one of the principles that this book will teach you for healing your back, wait to be alone when you are experiencing bad back pain. Gather some emotion that you think is troubling, your marriage, job etc and have yourself a good old cry/breakdown about it and just let it out for a few minutes. Then see if your back is feeling worse, better or the same. By letting it out, those negative emotions are going to reduce the stress in your back and your body will feel better, your mind will too for allowing you to let out those mental demons. Give it a try and good luck with your back problems.This is a fantastic book.
27 people found this helpful
BettyBuyer –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting concepts
I have chronic back pain and this book came highly recommended. We have to have an open mind to understand how to try to help yourself. It was interesting reading however, unless you follow up with this doctor and his methods, I don’t see how this book alone could help you.
Fabulous –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very highly recommended
If you have pain that won’t resolve, you should get this book. If you have pain that resolves in one area but shows up in a new area, you should get this book.If you get temporary relief due to PT, shots or pain relivers only to have the pain reappear, you should get this book.If you have the doctors stumped regarding your pain, you should get this book.If you keep getting told your pain is in your head, you should get this book.I am having great success resolving my pain that bo doctors (MDs, DOs, Neurosurgeon, Chiropractor, Sports Med, Physical therapist, Masseuse, Orthopedic, Rheumatologist) could not help me resolve since 2011.I am grateful this book was written and I am even more grateful it is not woo, woo BS.
Rebecca Mok –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Curing Pain Painlessly
The author John Sarno explained clearly the whys and hows pain occurs in the body – be it the back, legs, arms or shoulders. The cause is very often emotional. His term for it is Tension Myositis Syndrome (TMS). I have shoulder pain which does have a structural cause as evidenced in an MRI. However Sarno’s explanations and advice have been invaluable for the management of the pain and the limited range of motion in my left arm. I’m confident I can manage my condition without intrusive procedures and do say a profound thank you to John Sarno.
Kld03c –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Truly a lifesaver and proof that western medicine doesn’t know everything’s
Update: It’s been almost a year and I’m nearly pain free! I haven’t had any more medical treatments or medications. I was fortunate to see Dr. Schecter (he interned with Dr. Sarno at NYU) and he said he was very unimpressed with my medical imaging and that he excepted a full recovery based on the TMS concepts discussed in this book. I was still having some hang ups so he referred me to a therapist that I have been doing skype sessions with her since April. I was holding in a lot of disappointment about some life experiences. Working through the pain has been one of the hardest things I’ve ever done but the pay off has been invaluable. This book was the spring board to many positive changes in my life.I’ve been dealing with staggering back pain at the age of 33 for nearly a year. It started from something very simple and spiraled into 11 months of pure hell trying to figure out what was causing so much pain. I tried physical therapy, massage, acupuncture and epidural injections to no avail. I have a great job that I have worked hard for and serve as an officer in the military and was terrified to lose all these things I worked so hard for. After X-rays and MRIs showed nothing particularly exciting and 2 consults with orthopedic surgeons that resulted in the recommendation of a spinal fusion, I had to remind myself that the healthcare industry is very much a business. These docs both told me within 5 minutes of looking at my records that my pain was probably due to muscular instability from a degenerated disc and a fusion is the only surgical option. To say that I was mad was an understatement. Fortunately I have the common sense and mental stamina to not be a passive participant in my healthcare. I regrouped and stopped all of the treatments that hadn’t been working for me. Well guess what happened? My pain started slowly decreasing after reading this book. I’m an open minded person and was willing to accept some of the theories discussed which is key. If you don’t have an open mind you may not get much from this book. What I realized is that is my anger and obsession with trying to find a cure for the pain probably caused a lot more pain and stress which just kept the pain cycle going. I’m now shifting to viewing my pain through a psychological lens rather than physical as the book suggests. It’s not easy but it is possible. Once I had that glimpse of a pain free life it really changed my attitude and propelled me forward. I’m a very analytical person so it will probably take me longer then others to fully accept everything and let it sink in lol I will also say that when I have an acute spasm I will get treatment for pain relief BUT it heals so much quicker now with my new understanding. I’ve also started to see a therapist and it initially was to deal with chronic pain but now it’s time to shift to dealing with other feelings like anger and all of those other unpleasant feelings we like to sweep under the carpet! I’d recommend this after ruling out a serious diagnosis so that you aren’t wondering in the back of your mind and aren’t able to fully accept the concepts. I would also say to be strong when more interventional medical solutions are recommended such as a major surgery. It can be tempting to want a permanent fix but I would challenge readers to remember that many people still have pain afterwards. Try this first and you will be so happy that you did. It has truly changed my life for the better. This isn’t a quick fix BUT it’s a viable long term solution that requires effort and understanding.
8 people found this helpful
I never received this item My name is AnnaMarie Horn My address is 368 SW Kestor Dr, Port Saint Lucie FL 34953 –
5.0 out of 5 stars
This arrived
It’s good
Michael Felberbaum –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Taking the time to heal with a good book
Below is a quick recap of my story, and then I’ll get to the book:In August, I was experiencing the worst back-leg pain I’d ever had. Because of the pain I was temporarily disabled. After several weeks, I had an appointment with a neurosurgeon who recommended surgery for mid-September. I read this book–studied it in fact–and I felt strong enough a week before the surgery to cancel it. By the end of September I was largely back to normal. I am deeply grateful that my family gave me this book and saved me from a surgery I did not need.Sarno is an MD who worked in New York City and specialized in back pain. Early in his clinical practice he had made the typical diagnoses and treatment plans. But after 15 or so years he grew frustrated with the lack of results and their unpredictability. He started experimenting with a psychosomatic diagnosis. He found the results much better, more predictable and his practice became more fulfilling. He continued to expand on his ideas over the next several decades. Today he is revered by many as “saving their lives” because they came to see him in debilitating pain and his program allowed them to get to back to full activity.Admittedly, a lot of Sarno’s ideas are not mainstream. He goes a bit far at times with his psychological explanations and his critiques of other practitioners. However, there’s a lot of value in what he’s saying. Most importantly, his recommendations, if followed, appear to work. As I can attest from personal experience–following his treatment recommendations to the letter–I am incomparably better off than I was a few months ago.The biggest obstacle with Sarno’s material is getting past the weirdness of his view on mind-body connnection. Can you entertain the idea that awareness and thought can actually alleviate very real, very significant physical pain? If you’re like me, you may react to his ideas about the mind-body connection with a sense of irritation and embarrassment. Assuming there’s a “mental” aspect to the situation might make it seem somehow worse and more stigmatized. It might make you feel weak. Of course Sarno addresses all these common objections, but they’re nonetheless very potent. In fact, he claims that the vast majority of people reject his diagnosis out of hand. He pre-screens patients to see if they’re open to the idea that their pain might not simply be a result of a physical cause. In my own experience I hesitate on recommending the book to people because I anticipate they’ll be somehow insulted by this basic idea.You can go as deep with this book as you like. If you really ponder it, as I did, I would be surprised if it didn’t raise more questions than answers about the nature of physical and mental suffering. Some of the ideas will be dismissed as Freudian psychobabble–and there may be some merit to arguing that Sarno overuses some of his psychological explanations–but in my opinion it doesn’t diminish the value of the insights. Anger that does not rise to awareness, or only dimly makes it’s way to consciousness, can have physiological effects. If you buy into that idea, then you can accept a lot of Sarno’s reasoning. It’s also important to note that “buying into” this way of thinking seems to happen in stages. There are degrees of acceptance of his TMS diagnosis vs. a structural abnormality like a herniated disc. It takes time.I recommend this book highly as it made a significant difference for me and my family.
25 people found this helpful
Kerrj74 –
5.0 out of 5 stars
25 years chronic pain, anxiety, fusion. My personal experiences I believe fit TMS 100%.
I have read every Sarno book multiple times as well as listened to the audio versions of each many times. I truly believe his TMS theory is spot on. I wanted to share my story because I believe it aligns with everything he describes. I also know that I benefit from reading other people’s reviews when they share their personal experiences with chronic pain and TMS because it helps strengthen my belief in TMS when I hear others just like me. I hope this helps someone. So here is my story. It is VERY long, but nobody is making you read it! I believe the details are all very relevant to my complete chronic pain story.I am a 43 year old male with a long history of continuous health issues for the better part of the past 25 years of “adulthood”. Only recently have I realized that these might all be related and the result of a deeper stress/tension induced psychosomatic issue. I have read 100’s of similar stories of people with “TMS” or other stress induced disorders over the years, and I believe my symptoms and traits perfectly match the typical profile.Summary of my personality traits: perfectionist, overachiever, people pleaser, want to be liked, want recognition/approval/validation, chronic worrier, anxious.Probable sources of unconscious anger & fear: years of constant, relentless worrying about career and job security, afraid of failing in my education or in my jobs, fear that work is too hard and I won’t be able to handle it, fear of losing my loved ones, guilt/shame, messes/disorder (neat freak), and frustration over my chronic health issues.At the end of this, I will talk about my latest issues and current battles with all of this, but first, here is a summary of my history that may put things in better context:1974-1992: Childhood through end of high school. Perfect childhood, parents, family, and middle class life. No traumas- physically or emotionally. Driven, perfectionist, afraid to fail. Graduated 2nd in my class of 300 students in school. Put a lot of pressure on myself to be “the best” and make everyone happy and get praise and admiration from people.1990’s: Developed Allergies. Controlled by shots & medications. (mold, pollen, dust)1992: 18 years old and started college. Chemical Engineering student and member of rowing team. Difficult courses and studies, and very busy schedule with sports. Started to develop constant sore throats and “sinus infections”. Many months of every kind of antibiotic. Always sick.1993: Had tonsils removed. Sore throats were better, but still always getting sick.1993: For 6-9 months had what was diagnosed as Carpal Tunnel syndrome from one really long day scooping Italian ice non-stop for 10 hours in my summer job.1994: Sinus surgery. Stopped getting sick as much.1994: After feeling a “pop” and a jamming feeling in my lower back while on a rowing machine one day, I had an “injury” and Back Pain for the first time in my life. Until then, I was in great physical condition with strength training, running, and rowing almost daily. From that day, I developed chronic low back pain which lasted 2 miserable years.-Pain was in lower back. Mostly on left and right sides of spine in the small of the back in the boney parts around the Hip/SI joint areas. Sometimes pain would be bad in the center and hurt to touch the spine, but also moved side to side throughout the day. Pain never went into legs or any numbness/tingling/burning. It was a constant, dull, but torturous aching. The pain was the worst when sitting. I couldn’t sit for a minute. I spent two years of college with an ice pack on my back to get through class to numb the pain. It also hurt to stand for too long. The only relief was walking or lying on my back, but even that hurt to some extent.-The only thing that helped with the pain was ice (which just numbed it temporarily) and Ultram (tramadol) which I lived on like candy for 2 years.-I had X-Rays, MRIs, CT Scans, Nuclear Bones Scans, and went to probably 8 different co-called “best doctors” in FL and NJ. Nobody could find anything wrong on the images or exams. Best they could say was “soft tissue” inflammation or strain.-I did months of Physical Therapy with stretching, core strengthening, walking, stairs, massage, heat/ice, and TENS unit.-I tried acupuncture (at two different places) and 3 or 4 different chiropractors in NJ and FL.-Nothing ever helped and the pain was 24/7 causing so much rage and frustration, Depression, and hopelessness. I wanted to die every day. It was so hard to go to class all day, study Chemical Engineering, and my life (which was supposed to be full of possibilities) was upside down and miserable.-Cortisone injections didn’t help, nor did any other OTC NSAID or Rx medicine.-I did meditation and self-hypnosis.-Found out about Dr. Sarno and TMS, and read all of his books at the time, and was 100% convinced I had TMS! As an Engineer with a logical, rational mind, it made perfect sense to me. Unfortunately, I was just unable to undo the pain even the slightest bit.1996: A “so-called” top in the nation spine surgeon in North Jersey (Dr. Casey Lee) said my L3/4 disc was destroyed. He said I probably broke the vertebrae above (or below?) the disc when I “injured” it that day, and the broken bone probably destroyed the disc. Nothing bulging or herniated, but rather he said the disc has small nerves in the annulus and that was causing the pain which was “referred” to the area a few inches below it in my back. He performed a discography(discogram) the confirmed his diagnosis. For the first time I had hope that someone figured it out, and I was confident this was the answer. He proceeded to perform a discectomy and interbody spinal fusion (no metal, just hip bone graft). I had to take off a semester from college and took about 4 months to recover before I went back to finished my final semester before graduation. The surgery was a success by every measure. In fact, recent MRIs this year (2017) were reviewed by a chiropractor, and he said that he and his partner have reviewed 1000’s of MRIs over the decades, and this was by far the most impressive fusion they had ever seen!1997: I went back to college after the recovery, and slowly rebuilt my strength and was in great shape again. For the next 20 years, I was pain free (for the most part). I definitely thank Dr Lee for the surgery. It was a success both medically and for getting rid of my pain. I was pretty much able to do anything, but I was always cautious not to lift anything too heavy. I did however lift weights regularly for years with no problems.A few times over the years, I would have the occasional back spasm or muscle strain that would go away in a few days. No big deal.A couple times over the years I had pain very similar to the pain that I had prior to my fusion surgery, which made me wonder- how could that be possible? How could I have the SAME EXACT pain in the SAME EXACT location if the problem (the disc) was removed? After a week or two, I got worried, and I immediately read Dr Sarno’s books and people’s reviews on amazon all day for weeks, and I was convinced it was TMS. Eventually the pain went away. That had me 100% a believer in the TMS diagnosis now. This made me think I probably never even needed surgery. Was it just a placebo? I couldn’t change the past, so I didn’t dwell on that thought to much.2001- 2008 – I had a lot of career changes and stressful jobs during this time. Always still trying to be perfect and successful (like I was “supposed” to be). Always fearing losing my job as the main income provider in my family (with a wife and 2 small boys). I was in the computer/tech industry which was constantly downsizing and laying off people every few months. Lot of worrying and stress daily from that.2006/2007: After 15 years of contact lenses, I developed Dry Eye Syndrome and have never been able to wear contacts since.2008: Fell into a severe depression with anxiety. Spent 4 months on long term disability. Tried every antidepressant, anti-psychotic, anti-anxiety medicine in every class of meds. Eventually got better and returned to work. Been on antidepressants ever since then.2010-2012: For about two years, I had a constant strange Stomach “tension” or nervous/butterflies feeling. Nothing would relieve it. No medication or therapy. It was not painful at all. Just a strange feeling of nervousness in my stomach which was distracting and uncomfortable. It felt like nerves. Doctors said it was not a digestive issue.2012-2014: For no reason, out of nowhere one day, I got terrible Elbow Tendonitis pain, and the stomach issue went away! I never did anything to injure the elbow. Pain was awful. Couldn’t even lift a gallon of milk. Did a few months of PT everyday with no improvement. Spent two years getting many cortisone shots in my elbows. Elbow(s)? Oh, did I forget to mention that the pain would go away after a cortisone shot and then my other elbow would hurt just as bad a couple of months later!!! So I would need a shot in that elbow! This went back and forth from elbow to elbow, shot after shot for almost two years. Sometimes they would work, and sometimes not. Then one day the pain just stopped and never again!2015: Lots of uncertainty about my job (my company was closing locations and might be forced to move away from our families). I developed bad anxiety with shaking arms and legs when I would lay in bed in the morning. Never had a panic attack, but just chronic general anxiety. Wound up out of work again for 4 months in a treatment program on long term disability again.2015-2016: Developed IBS (Irritable Bowel System) with diarrhea. Many docs, colonoscopy showed a perfect colon, yet now all of a sudden I had constant diarrhea for a year! Put me on medicine (Viberzi) which helped a little.2016: Spent about a year of intense job searching because the end was near at my job. No luck. Very discouraging. A few months later in mid-2016, the anxiety got really debilitating, and once again, I was out for 4 months in a program on disability. I should mention that for the past 8 years since 2008, I saw a great psychiatrist and therapist for the depression/anxiety. Did a lot of CBT/DPT therapies. Meditation, deep breathing, mindfulness, etc. My doctor and therapist and I believed that the job environment was toxic (60+ hour weeks, high stress because it was in nuclear power, and the impending thought of having no job in a couple of years). The belief was that if I got a new job, the anxiety would go away.November 2016: Finally got a new job!!! Was SOOOO happy for once! I felt hope and relief. I felt like my problem was solved and I could finally relax and be happy for the first time in a long time!December 2016: Started the new job. It was great. Great people, boss, the type of work, hours, etc. Couldn’t ask for anything more. Only downside was an increase from 20 mins to 60 mins each way in commute, but I was willing to live with that for all of the positives that came with it. Not a problem. I was a few weeks into my new job and all was wonderful for once! My job is not strenuous. I just sit at a computer all day in a nice ergonomic chair.A few weeks into the job, before I could barely enjoy the relief of years of anxiety, and my low back started hurting. I didn’t think anything of it. Started a little achy. Felt like I might have just strained something from bad posture as I was leaning forward and twisting to the side a lot reading and typing a bunch of reports for a few weeks. A few weeks later and it was very sharp and “spasming” on the lower right side. I could barely bend down to tie my shoes. It hurt to even breathe. I thought I must have done something serious, but how? I did nothing to injure it!! I was able to do so many physical things prior to this with no pain. What caused this?Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention that the IBS that I had every day for the past year miraculously stopped ever since the back pain started! Another ailment/pain replaced by another once again!So I started the doctor/treatment/medication routine. A few weeks later, it developed into more of a dull, nagging ache. Moved from left to right sides throughout the day. I would describe it as having two dull knives stuck into my low back all day. Pain never goes into buttocks or Leg. No numbness/tingling. Unbearable pain to sit for any period of time. Relieved only when walking and lying on back. In the beginning, heat helped. Then it no longer helped. Then ice helped numb the pain for a few months. Now neither really help.I spent the next 2 months reading every TMS, mind body syndrome book, audiobook, website, testimonials etc. I was convinced this was TMS and nothing really wrong. Unfortunately nothing changed. I believed 100% in it but just like back in 1994, no luck. I immerse myself in the TMS readings all day and night, buy into fully, but never helps. I want it to help so bad, but I never feel any sign of relief to give me hope.Went to 4 MD’s and chiropractor in the 6 months since Dec 2016. An MRI showed L2/3 disc degeneration and a couple of “mild” disc bulges. Initially tried OTC NSAIDs, Flexeril, methylprednisolone, ice, heat, bed rest, pain ointments/creams, etc. Tried yoga/stretching. That didn’t help, and one day I bent and twisted the wrong way at Yoga, and got a really sharp jolting pain, and never went back. I have tried about 5 different lumbar support pillows/devices at work, in my car, and at home. They don’t help at all.The first Spinal Orthopedic Surgeon at a reputable, established Ortho/Pain center basically said it is probably soft tissue strain or an annual disc tear (but never even said which disc). She sent me for PT. I tried physical therapy – core strengthening, stretching, TENS, etc. No improvement.I then tried a supposedly reputable Chiropractor with decades of experience and he said I had two bulging discs that were pressing into nerves and causing the pain. He was 100% sure. So he started me on a fancy “VAX-D” Spinal Decompression table. I went every day for 30 mins each for about 4 weeks (~17 treatments) along with some PT there afterwards (core strength, massage, TENS). No relief at all, so I stopped going.This was really affecting my ability to work or be useful at home to my family or around the house. I have spent every waking moment at home on the couch or bed or floor.I went to a Physiatrist (gave me Ultram, Flexiril, Valium) and said probably soft tissue strain. After more weeks, no improvement. He sent me to a “top” Spine Pain Specialist MD. He scanned the MRIs and a quick evaluation and said it is most likely your facet joints (arthritic). Sounded 100% sure that was it. No question. He said we need to inject anesthetic into the medial branch nerves of the vertebrae (a medial branch block). If the pain was reduced significantly enough for a few solid hours, then it would confirm that the pain is indeed from the facet joints and the next step would be radiofrequency ablation (RFA) where they would burn those medial branch nerves to provide 3-18 months of relief until they grown back. He did the lower 3 lumbar/sacral vertebrae one week and then the upper 3 lumbar vertebrae another week. The first procedure seemed to provide some relief for a few hours, but second procedure didn’t help at all.That brings me to this past week at my follow-up again. He said they need to repeat the first procedure again!!! This was needed to confirm it works (that the relief I experienced wasn’t a fluke) before proceeding with the nerve ablation. This seemed to be his practice of ensuring success but also apparently required by my insurance (BCBS) before they will cover the ablation procedure. He said if it is confirmed, then an ablation would be recommended. If not, however, then he said it is probably the L2/3 degenerative disc causing a “referred” pain to the area a few inches down lower in the back where I feel it. That would require more consults with a separate surgeon, a discography (discogram) diagnosis procedure, and then potentially a surgery (fusion or artificial disc replacement). I do NOT want any of that!So here I am today in May 2017. 6 months of the SAME EXACT pain as 23 years ago! Just like back then, only ice, laying down, and Ultram provide any relief. Lately the Ultram (50 or 100 mg, 1-3 times per day), or the ice, or lying down don’t really help anymore. I try not to take the Ultram because I don’t want to go down the opioid addiction/narcotic path. I may be take 1 to 4, 50mg pills a week.I am 3 weeks away from that 3rd nerve block procedure. I am frustrated on how this has dragged on for 6 months now with NO IMPROVEMENT. I can’t believe I am still in pain. How could this be? The pain consumes me every waking moment (and even disturbs my sleep at times lately). Every once in while I have a better hour or day, and think I am turning the table, but then the next hour or day, I am back in the normal state of pain and misery. I really think if I didn’t have a family, I would not be alive at this point because it seems so hopeless and the thought of living the rest of my life with this constant pain is unthinkable. Because I love my family, I decided to be positive and beat this. I have to. I started a strict self-PT program this week. Every day walking 20-30 mins, and 10 mins of core strength and stretching.I go back and forth lately between thinking something must be really physically wrong to cause this kind of 24/7 horrible pain vs. the TMS psychosomatic pain theory. I don’t know what to believe. I am currently re-reading everything by Dr. John Sarno, “The Great Pain Deception” by Steve Ozanich, and now “Crooked” by Cathryn Jakobson Ramin, Dr. David Schechter’s work, etc. They are all AWESOME books and I believe they describe me on every page. I just don’t know how to undo this? Are my neural pathways so strong now that I cannot reverse this after 6 months?So here’s why I think I have TMS… 25 years of constant pains or sicknesses. Always something getting my constant attention on my body- instead of letting my unconscious fear and anger surface which would be emotionally painful to face. There has never NOT been something wrong with me since I became an “adult”. It all started in college when life got stressful. One ailment moves to the next, and the next…. Pains move from Arm to Arm, side to side in lower back. How can a real physically induced problem do that? Either something is hurt or it isn’t.It is frustrating seeing 5 different medical professionals/doctors and getting 5 different diagnoses! It seems like they just guess and try things until something works. I feel like a guinea pig while they just try to make money and push meds and procedures on me. I am sure they are well-intended, but it doesn’t feel right. Each time I had confidence in their diagnoses, but each time they failed to result in any improvement.I find it hard to believe that my discs are the problem. I have seen WAY WORSE spines on MRIs! The two discs are barely bulging (probably how everyone’s discs look over 20 years old), and one degenerative disc which wasn’t even that bad from what I have also seen. Even the first two docs or radiology report said NOTHING about the discs!So I’m really wondering now where to go from here. I am reading all these books and believe so much in TMS and feel like that has to be it. However, I just don’t know how to change it? I would love a TMS expert or Mind-Body Doc to read my story and let me know what they think. How do you ignore the pain and tell yourself nothing is wrong when it hurts you 24/7? How do you unlearn that and reverse that? Would love to hear from you all. Thanks for your time. james.e.kerr (at) comcast.net
250 people found this helpful
David Wheeler –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best book for back pain
This is the fifth time I have purchased this book because I keep giving it away to friends who have back pain. It’s a Flippin miracle what John Sarno has discovered. Truly a gem of a read and easy healing for back spasms.
MitchMitchell –
4.0 out of 5 stars
NOT a miracle cure. There’s no such thing. But worth reading.
I found the contents of this book to be quite riveting. I had been proactively troubleshooting a chronic lower back pain for two + years when I purchased this book upon a friend’s recommendation. There are some astute (although not very scientific) ideas and observations here regarding the possibility that pain can remain in the nervous system long after the original cause of that pain has subsided-like a mere impression that simply won’t stop remembering the original injury in extreme detail. Sarno suggests that if you’ve tried everything, and been diligent, as I had, that it is probably time to stop trying and pretend the pain isn’t there. He suggests it is most likely all in your head at this point, and the best way to exorcize it is to deny its very existence by going on about your life as if it isn’t there. Don’t give it the satisfaction, so to speak. I was excited by this idea as it sounded a lot easier and more pleasant than practicing a strict daily regimen of physical therapy and avoiding doing strenuous things like shoveling snow and doing yoga.So I stopped doing my prescribed PT exercises (which had been very slowly but noticeably improving my condition over the past 2 years). I reminded myself of Sarno’s suggested daily affirmations, designed to convince your mind that you have no back problem, and are simply allowing stress and anger to manifest themselves in your once-injured muscles. I resumed my long-abandoned yoga practice (starting very cautiously mind you). Prior to this time I had actually been doing quite well, with only occasional mild back pain for brief spells of a few hours at a time, max. Within 5-6 weeks of having done precisely as Sarno suggests in Healing Back Pain: pretending there was no pain & ceasing ALL doctor-prescribed activities, I had my first major pain flare-up in five months, and was set back what seemed to be nearly a year in what I had gained with diligent PT, massage work and general caution. After that, happened at a time when I had very little stress as I was on a three month vacation and getting along very well with everyone in my life.needless to say, I decided to take John Sarno’s suggestions with a grain of salt.My strong recommendation is to read this book, absorb the idea that your pain may be intensified by emotions, as it very likely IS, and pursue a BALANCED, multifaceted plan to treat your pain. This includes EXERCISE as prescribed by you physician and physical therapist to help counter the effects of your work, your age and your physical history; countering the emotional element by pursuing a daily mindfulness practice, such as is beautifully explained in Thich Nhat Hanh’s short book The Miracle of Mindfulness; and eating a healthy, natural diet low in processed foods and refined sugars.
55 people found this helpful
Chandler –
5.0 out of 5 stars
The doctor said it was lupus. I was cured of acute chronic pain in ONE DAY…by reading a book.
This editorial quote is key to understanding: “He’s not saying that your pain is all in your head; rather, he’s saying that the battle going on in your mind results in a real physical disorder that may affect muscles, nerves, tendons, or ligaments. An injury may have triggered the disorder, but is not the cause of the amount or intensity of the resulting pain.” I can’t begin to even place into words how life-changing this book was and how grateful I am that celebrities have been cured through him because that’s how I heard about the book (as well as the doctor being written up in Forbes as “America’s best doctor and his miracle cures”)for years and, as a last ditch effort to help my chronic acute pain that I’d recently developed, even though mine was far more than back pain, I decided to read it.Let me start from the beginning, having gone through a criminal act done to me a couple years ago which resulted in temporary PTSD I thought I’d worked through, to me throwing myself more heavily into work and having recently bought my fourth company, then having minor surgery in which I was not properly anesthetized, then having a reaction to sulfa,to someone close to me giving me some digs now and again that I did not confront, I can look back now on the triggers that added up to things that I needed to deal with that would create mental and bodily stress. Collectively and individually.But I didn’t think the book fit me because the pain was real and I was hospitalized twice for it, completely unable to function. My pain was not just in my back although it eventually settled there. It began as full-body acute level 9 crippling can’t-function pain–part of that likely began as the sulfa allergy I had to an antibiotic, although the doctors had never seen it at the level I had it and were surprised a sulfa reaction could be so crippling although they admitted it had been documented as a possible reaction in others, but was rare. Although they tried drugs for fibromyalgia, they had no effect and eventually I was on hydrocodone, a 2nd pain killer, and steroids. With hospital visits in between for greater help. And still in crippling pain. I am very much against pain killers for anything more than a few weeks so I was very troubled, of course.Eventually I was diagnosed with an auto-immune disease which they felt was likely lupus. An appointment was made with a rheumatologist to work out which one I actually had. It had been a month of crippling pain that let up for a couple days then came back. And it was acute. I eventually only wound up sleeping an hour every night.I remembered this book and finally, before my specialist visit to work out how I would be treated for the rest of my life to MASK my pain, I bought it. And then I read this book as I laid in bed, awake all night as usual. Remembering Ellen Degeneres having talked about the mind-body connection and her body shutting her down due to back pain when she was doing too much or not dealing with enough mentally, and Howard Stern’s years of chronic pain that this doctor eliminated, and a few others…it was my last hope before serious drugs or surgery and a lifetime of pain pills or even a wheelchair to simply cope. I was at the point where I could no longer walk up and down the stairs in my home for any reason. My joints suddenly made creaking noises, proving it’s not all in the mind but can be very much created there, leading the doctor to diagnose this as a joint-related disease, my muscles (my main source of pain) felt like I’d been beaten for days, I could feel everything on my body in greater detail–the ring on my finger, scratchy clothing, dry feet–like overactive pain receptors– I could not work, (but I am self-employed!) I could not function. And just thinking maybe my body was doing this to myself was not enough to make it go away. I had my diagnosis.And then…that was it. It was gone. I closed the last page and I was well. That does not even seem logical does it? It’s what happened.I was told I had an autoimmune disease and that my body was attacking itself and my life was going to be changed forever.I had loved ones taking care of me. And then I closed the book–got up, and walked downstairs, pain-free, effortless. Later that day, I was actually able to get on my treadmill for the first time in what felt like forever since it was once a very important part of my daily routine. I was normal. My life was back in full swing after being told it was gone for good–and everyone around me just had dropped jaws.The reality was that tension caused an oxygen deprivation to my muscles and blood vessels which is not something anyone can find or understand. And every time I’d ever had a massage I was told I had no tension. Once I recognized not only this reality but thought about the stresses leading up to it, and fully understood the process of why it happens, my body was not able to create the pain in order to mask the emotions because I knew what it was doing. Knowing what it was doing cured it. But the thing is, before I opened the book I thought about that being the case having HEARD about the book and that was not enough–I needed to fully read and understand the physical steps as to why it happens and internalize and believe them and THAT is when the cure seeped in, likely about 1/3 of the way through the book–to the point where I could close the book and then actually go workout that same DAY because i was NORMAL again. The night before I read this book I was in so much pain that I was ready to just check myself into the hospital and go stay there, medicated because I could no longer take the level of pain and I was simply constantly in a fetal position, in tears.Here is the interesting thing. When they ran the test for lupus I was told “If it comes out negative I don’t want you to get too excited. This test has a very high false negative rate.” Looking back, because I was told if the pain did not subside (which it did not) that it meant I did have the auto-immune disease in spite of the negative reading, I believe that it may be that there are not false negatives at all. But in Western medicine, if one is in acute ongoing pain, you have to label it something and mask it with meds. My body WAS attacking itself but not due to lupus. Due to trying to mask emotions it did not want to have brought to the surface. But that’s not recognized in Western medicine where we treat the symptoms but not get to the root, especially embracing the idea that my body could create these issues due to psychological tension. Not when I am not a typical psychological “case” but a woman who is seen as “with it” enough to run 4 companies, a charity, and a social club and who STUDIED psychology in graduate school, no less! The fact is, that’s not “with it” in reality, but even more of a mask and a tad over-driven. Because it’s true that I prefer to work harder when I don’t wish to deal with something. It seemed like a positive “outlet” but in reality it masked what I needed to deal with.I was a people pleaser, I was a “yes man”, I was a work perfectionist but considered myself very laid back because I never was angry. I now know for me that is not a good thing…I was angry inside. (Actually many people with this are angry outside, but that was not me. I was always the calm one no matter what I faced in life) And rather than acting out, my body internalized it all. I now speak up and speak out, I now deal with my emotions. And I am now pain-free 100% OVERNIGHT to the shock of my family doctor and the emergency room physicians who grew to know me and my condition.We don’t treat the issue in Western medicine or equate psychology with physical ailments–we simply treat the ailments. I was on high level pain killers and it would still come back. I asked my doctor before reading the book if the recent stress could cause this and he said no, it was physical and my immune system was confused and attacking my body and the flare up was triggered by the sulfa allergy but was dormant until then. They just are not trained to fully grasp the mind-body connection. And understanding what was happening DID make it go away because it was 100% my body telling me “lay down and don’t think! Here! concentrate on this pain for awhile so that you don’t bring those painful emotions to the surface and go batty! That will take your mind off of that stuff that is under the surface!”I have never felt the kind of pain I was in and I actually have a high tolerance for pain–I can have surgery and be back on my feet working in no time, I am tough and can deal with it–but I was 100% crippled and in bed and non-working and disabled with a diagnosis of it being the rest of my life.The more I read the more I thought of others I knew who came down with crippling back pain and how things like surgery did not help and they could not work. What’s interesting is that this doctor realized that some people showed the same back deformaties in x-rays but had no pain and he looked to why for some it was crippling and for some it was nothing in spite of whatever x-rays or tests showed. Or why some got better and others did not since the body typically heals itself. I knew someone who had surgery after surgery after surgery. I can now understand why that never helped. The mind is more clever. You have to understand what it’s doing to stop it.This literally changed what was about to be a lifetime of being crippled in some regard according to my doctor…I was told to accept it. Thankfully, instead I accepted with an open mind, reading this book. The irony is that before I read the book, I would have a few good days but once I was given the diagnosis that I for-sure had an auto-immune disease, that’s when the pain got worse than ever. My body had tricked me.I took back that power.
196 people found this helpful
Mark Buetow –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Got rid of my sciatica and back spasms!
I remember my first true back spasm in college: I bent down to get something out of a drawer and for no apparent reason, my back “snapped.” I was walking crooked for days. I tried laying still, struggling through some sit ups (I recalled a friend in high school who had been given such “back strengthening” exercises for his back pain) and just hoping it would go away. From time to time, my back would “go out” again and I’d suffer for a few weeks as it slowly healed and I tried to take it easy. One time, my back hurt so bad, I had to take several minutes just to get out of bed!In 2005 I was vacationing at my parents’. I spent many hours on the floor playing games with my brothers and my kids. I noticed a slight numbness in my leg.At first I thought it was constantly falling asleep from being cross-legged on the floor for hours. It gradually grew and traveled down my leg until I had full blown sciatica (with lower back pain too)! One day, browsing at Barnes & Noble, I was looking for some sort of book about back pain and how to get rid of it. I found this book. I read through it quickly and a day or two after I finished it, the sciatica was completely gone. It has never come back and the worst I ever get is a “stiff” back which is easily dealt with through the principles of the book.The essential thesis is this: Back pain (as well as several other ailments) is caused by an unconscious denial of blood to a certain part of your body. Your brain does this subconsciously to take you away from dealing with the things that are actually causing stress, anger and anxiety. This is NOT saying that the pain is “all in your head.” It’s an acknowledgment of real pain. But that pain has a cause. The essential steps for dealing with the pain are: (1) Living, working, acting normally as if your back is not injured, that is, not favoring it, “going easy” on it, etc. and (2) identifying what is causing you anger or stress and dealing consciously as necessary with the issue.After I read that, I actually could trace the beginning of my pre-sciatica numbness to an email I had gotten regarding work which had really made me angry. Once I realized what I was really upset about, the pain was gone. In the days since I’ve read this book, my back has only once or twice really “snapped” and I immediately began going through the events and frustrations of my mind. The pain is usually gone within a day. Even that is quite rare now and whenever I have a stiff back, I simply do the same thing: run a mental catalog of stressful or anger-inducing items while doing nothing to favor or “baby” the back and the pain fades.The author, Dr. Sarno, describes this important mind-body connection in a way that poles some fun at current medical practice (so many ways to treat a bad back? Why? Because who knows what will work? The problem isn’t the back! It’s the things causing your brain to mess with your back!). Dr. Sarno can get a little Freudian sometimes and even recommends deep Freudian therapy to bring out the worst of the issues that your brain might be trying to block. But other than that, I think his thesis is a solid one. It’s certainly attested to by others but I have the best evidence of its truth: It worked. Plain and simple. I no longer get nasty back spasms that leave me walking crookedly for weeks on end. And when my back does get stiff, then that is now a signal that I need to run a mental check and deal with the things that are bothering me that my mind is avoiding.I’ve read and used the book. It’s worked for my wife. The principles have been useful with the kids (“growing” pains) and I’ve ordered and given copies to friends. Call it bunk if you like but the thesis sounds good to me and it works!
23 people found this helpful
Michael Walter –
3.0 out of 5 stars
Too Good To Be True?
I suffer from periodic back pain that can range from annoying to downright debilitating at its worst. Dr Sarno is a frequent guest on Howard Stern and I’ve always admired his medical advice (especially during the pandemic) so I figured I’d give this a shot.From the subtitle I figured I’d learn about how back pain could be caused by emotional things like stress but I was not ready for the forceful argument that Sarno spends the entire book making, that virtually all back pain is the result of TMS (Tension Myoneural Syndrome) which makes it all psychosomatic. As much as I want to believe that (because then I could deal with the outside factors effecting my head while my back feels fine) I just find it hard to believe that pain as intense as I get sometimes is “all in my head.” But even as I write that I’m aware that if I don’t believe it, it’ll keep happening.
Kareem –
5.0 out of 5 stars
This book changed my life.
26 years old and have suffered from chronic back/neck/shoulder/pelvic pain for 3.5 years. Probably saw 20ish doctors, physical therapists, accupuncturists, chiropracters, massage therapists, hypnotherapists and osteopaths over the years with nothing but temporary relief.I can’t think of a better way to share my experience than sharing with you the letter I wrote to my family 4 weeks after reading this book. Forever greatful to Dr. John Sarno.”My Dear Family,There was a time when I never thought I would be able to say this, and I still can’t believe it myself, but I have made a 90% recovery from the chronic muscle problems that have debilitated me for the past 3.5 years.Over the past few weeks I have gradually resumed an active life once again, and find myself driving, doing computer work, lifting weights, going on intense bike rides, and much more with virtually no pain at all. I feel like I have been re-born again, and find myself in a perpetually good mood and excited about life and the opportunities that await me once again.As you know, these years have been extremely difficult for me, both physically and emotionally. Particularly over the past year when this problem took on a whole new level of intensity and spread throughout my body. I wanted to thank you all for your support through this very difficult time for me. Without you guys, I probably would have jumped off a cliff by now.You may be curious as to what caused this sudden and immediate change in my health. Which doctor did I see? What excercise did I do? What posture did I adapt? Modern medicine has conditioned us to look for a physical explanation to our symptoms, and after countless massages, physical therapy, chiropractic, accupuncture and osteopathic treatments, with limited progress, I was depressed, desperate, and knew I was looking for an answer in the wrong place.I know what you’re thinking. Stop blabbing oo, tell me what you did? What caused this miraculous change in your health. Well, the answer is so stupidly simple you are going to think I’m crazy. I read a book. Yes, that is not a typo. I read a freakin’ book, stopped going to all my doctors, and within weeks I am virtually normal again. 3.5 years of awful and intense pain that my life has revolved around disappears, and all I have to do is read a book…?I’ll let this 20/20 news clip and this article about in Forbes Magazine about America’s most miraculous yet neglected pain Doctor explain further.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsR4wydiIBIhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/edwardsiedle/2012/09/26/americans-best-doctor-and-his-miracle-cures-dr-john-e-sarno/As I reflect on why the universe chose this journey for me, I am going to do something unorthodox and be very emotially open with you all (I know I’m not known for this). This journey has without a doubt been the most difficult thing I’ve ever had to deal with. While I tried my best to be optimistic, there is no doubt that my life has full of pain, fear, sadness, loneliness, anger, anxiety, rage, self-pity, desperation, and depression since this all began. Living with some back pain and not being able to play sports is one thing, but eventually becoming disabled, being forced to leave my job and unable to support myself at the age of 26, with the fear of living the next 50 years of my life with this was probably the most unbearable feeling of all.I often thought what it would be like to overcome this battle and be able to be a normal kid again, but to be honest, I never truly believed it would happen. Now that I stand here with all of this finally behind me, I still can’t believe it. It hasn’t totally hit me yet that I have my life back.As I try to think how to wrap up this email with some sort of lesson that will inspire you and help you in your daily lives, I’m beginning to think that is all unnecessary. Instead, I’ll leave you with a piece of wisdom, from an ancient Native Indian proverb that has always stood out to me and illustrates the power of the mind-body connection.An old Cherokee told his grandson: “My son, there is a battle between two wolves inside us all. One is evil. It is anger, jealousy, greed, and resentment, inferiority, lies and ego. The other is good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, humility, kindness, empathy, and truth.”The boy thought about it, and asked, “Grandfather, which wolf wins?”The old man quietly replied, “The one you feed.”What a relief to be able to finally write this. I think it’s time to go for a bike ride ;)”
168 people found this helpful
Pearl Lin –
5.0 out of 5 stars
I am forever grateful to Dr Sarno
I have found the cause and cure for my horrible hip & leg pain that I suffered for more than 10 years!!! IT CHANGED MY LIFE!! What a great relief! I actually read Dr. Sarno’s book 10 years ago and had experienced very good results. The book was recommended by my friend Judy, who got help from reading this book and cured her TMS. (Thank you, Judy!) I was quite sure that I was having TMS back then. However, I failed the battle because and I didn’t know how to handle recurrence episodes, so I thought I was not having TMS. What a big mistake!! I gave up on the theory, put the book back to the book shelf and went back to my old treatments – physical therapy, acupuncture treatments, chiropractors, pain killers, massage, ice, etc., for 10 years!! I really wish I held onto Dr. Sarno’s theory and saved myself so much unnecessary suffering…During the past 10 (2004 – 2014) years, I was not in constant pain, but every year I had at least 2 -3 episodes. Each episode will last for about 2 months. My physical therapists told me that my core muscles were too weak; that’s why I kept injuring myself if I lift something heavy or slip my feet on ice. I had trouble to walk during the attacks, because the muscles in my hip areas were having spasm which made my hip alignment crooked, one leg will become shorter than another. During each attack, I had to accept the truth that I will have to live with the pain for about 2 months. My physical therapist said that strengthening and stretching my muscles will be my only solution.Because of the excruciating & debilitating pain, I sometimes had to use crutches. The buttock muscles were having constant spasm and the pain travels from one side to another. I can never forget the worst situation I had before, was that one night I didn’t have my crutches with me so I had to crawl from my bedroom to bathroom at night…On 12/30/13, I had another attack right before my husband’s eye surgery. I was under a lot of stress because his other health issues plus his eye surgery. During this most recent episode, I went to my PT who already became my friend to receive my usual massage and adjusting treatments for about 1 month and yet the pain still kept traveling to different areas between my hips and legs and the pain just won’t go away.On 1/23/14, I was so depressed and feeling hopeless. I felt that my life is over because of this never fading problem and it made me not able to function. Out of desperation, I suddenly thought about the book “Healing Back Pain” by Dr. Sarno that I read 10 years ago. I picked it up from my book shelf and read it again from chapter 1 carefully. This time I again see myself on each page of this book like 10 years ago. To help myself even better, I also read a lot of reviews from Amazon about this book; I realized that there are so many people had the same problem as me. A lot of them are even more serious than me and they were cured. I also found out that for some people it does takes longer to be cured 100%. Not everyone was cured 100% instantly. For some people it takes 2 day, some 1 to 2 weeks, or even 1 to 2 months, or ever longer. Be patient and do not doubt!!Another very important aspect that we should know is sometimes TMS can come back because our brains are so deeply ingrained by the previous diagnosis and experiences. We just need to learn how to deal with it by shifting our attention to our emotion and reading the daily reminder that Dr. Sarno suggested. The pain should go away in a very short period of time. I also watched some video online to help to understand how other people got help by Dr. Sarno’s theory.This time, 10 years later, the result was amazing! I’m now 100% cured! It took me about 1 week to get 100%!Here is a record during that amazing 1 week. I’d like to share this with you to hopefully be of any help to you –The 1st day – I read the book and felt 90% better immediately. I stopped messaging myself and doing any strengthening and stretching exercises that I supposed to do in the past. I can feel that my both legs were stronger and most of the pain was gone, but right buttock still has some mild pain and tightness.The 2nd day – Read more of the book and some Amazon book reviews. I can walk normally and felt stronger than yesterday. Later on, I felt a short period of pain in my groin area and I immediately shift my focus on my emotion, not my physical, and the pain just disappeared instantly. But the tightness in the right buttock was still there.The 3rd day – I read more of the book and the Amazon book reviews. I did laundry and cleaning work without any pain but with the same tightness in my right buttock.The 4th day – I went grocery shopping for 2 hours without any pain and with just the same tightness in the right buttock area. Read more of the book and watched some video regards to Dr. Sarno’s theory.The 5th day – I shoveled the snow for 2 hours with no pain. I was so proud of myself.The 6th day – I felt I was 95% better. I can still felt the tightness in my right hip area though. I went to my PT that day for the last time because the insurance company needed an evaluation report done by my PT. During this past 1 week, I purposely didn’t do any strengthening & stretching that I supposed to do and yet I my PT checked on me and said that my hip alignment was perfect. Both legs were in the same length. I told my PT about this book and cancelled all the booked appointments for the following weeks and asked her NOT to loosen me up on my right buttock since I didn’t want the treatment to confuse my brain.The 7th day – I was 100% better. The last bit of pain and tightness in my right hip area was totally gone.During the following months, I got 2 or 3 times of very mild soreness here and there, but they didn’t last and never affected my walking ability. All I needed to do was to review Dr. Sarno’s “daily reminders” on page 82 and to resume writing journals every night to focus or “think” psychological and the pain will go away instantly.However, I have to say, it does take TREMENDOUS courage. When my hips gave me the old signals that I used to think that it was about to go into spasm, I had to ignore it, and walk, bend over, or lift something, and ignore my fears. I had to force myself not to massage the sore muscles, refuse the PT treatments and be patient to let it go away itself. I had to talk to myself and deal with the fear everyday. This was the most difficult aspect of this healing, though. But it is WORTH it.I feel that I’m gaining back my confidence and ability to live my life. I’m hopeful and very thankful. I’m no longer feeling as a victim but wish my experience can be a blessing to other sufferers. Not only did it cure my pain but it gave me tremendous insights into my own psychology which were incredibly valuable. I realized that I am/was a very anxious person. I constantly live in fear. Especially about my pain, immobility and my husband and my kid’s health conditions; these are probably my biggest worries.I can only hope that more doctors and health care providers will read this book and accept this theory to help thousands and thousands of people who are suffering from TMS pain and yet are being treated incorrectly.I ordered several Dr. Sarno’s books to share with people around me. I thank God for Dr. Sarno and would recommend his book and theory to anyone who is in chronic pain. Even if you are not in pain, it’s good to have the knowledge that the connection between body and mind as a prevention and maybe you can help other people by mentioning this book. If you are in chronic pain, please read this book with an open mind. Just like a reader, Steve Rankel, commented in his Amazon book review for this book ”Why do we as humans think everything must be hard? Complexity is not the measure of something’s value. Results are.”I am forever grateful to Dr Sarno. Thank you Dr. Sarno from the bottom of my heart!! You are an amazing doctor. I appreciate you for regaining my health, my life, and I admire you for your honesty and courage to challenge the mainstream medical society. Please keep teaching others how to take advantage of the healing capabilities God gave to all of us.Dr. Sarno, you truly deserve Nobel Prize!!!
300 people found this helpful
B –
5.0 out of 5 stars
surprisingly, it works — just read it if you think it might help.
this is a weird book. it’s not really all that impressive, in and of itself — a couple hundred pages of loosely sketched out theoretical ideas, and a general sort of critique of common chiropractic diagnoses. some of it makes a lot of sense, some of it seems a little far-fetched – objectively speaking, i can absolutely understand why some people dismiss dr. sarno and this (and his other similar) books as fluff/quackery.that being said – it works. or can, depending on who you are and what kind of pain you’re experiencing. i was suffering from horrible, near-disabling levels of lower back and neck pain when i first read this book, and as many others report, simply reading the book and thinking about what it had to say, made 95% of my discomfort simply vanish overnight, like magic. it was frankly shocking to me how effective it was, and i am a person who absolutely, 100% realizes how ridiculous that sounds. but that was my experience. i do still have back pain, but it is now 10 years later – just reading this book one night literally produced something like eight or nine years of very significant relief. whether the back pain i’m experiencing now is something different or just a recurrence/regression of the TMS described in this book is something i’m currently trying to figure out.the general argument put forward here is that changing the way you think about back (and certain related types of) pain can dramatically alter your experience with it, because the way we’ve been taught to evaluate this type of condition to ourselves is largely based on false medical myths that have an (unfortunately) strong influence on the way our psychology interacts with our body. sounds a little out there, perhaps, but it is – to my honest surprise – quite true. what the book offers is not a placebo effect. what’s weird is that the pain a lot of people are experiencing is in itself a kind of (negative) placebo effect already – what this book can do, is sort of quickly train you to reverse the psychological processes that create that scenario. it’s not that the pain you’re experiencing isn’t real, or that it’s just imagined – it is very, physically real, as any sufferer knows – but in many people/cases, it’s being produced and greatly exacerbated by a kind of trick of the brain that can be unlearned with surprising ease. a lot of people in the last couple of generations have, for various reasons the book gets into, unconsciously programmed themselves to be susceptible to certain types of back pain that don’t have any real physical cause. most chiropractors and even physical therapists will x-ray you and explain you have a herniated disc, something out of alignment, scoliosis, etc. — but while true, this is in most cases a very natural part of aging, and it only produces ongoing pain/discomfort in certain people. generally, they won’t know exactly why – they’ll theorize you have a “pinched nerve” or something along those lines, but this book explains how, in dr. sarno’s opinion, that’s just unethical guesswork and makes no diagnostic sense. he proposes that the pain is more akin to a negative placebo effect based on the anxiety natural to certain personality types, and nurtured by cultural conditioning. this anxiety and conditioning train the brain to deny oxygen to certain muscle groups and body areas, which produces spasms/constrictions/tension in those areas. while harmless in and of themselves, they can be very uncomfortable, and many in the medical community erroneously link this discomfort to what is actually pretty normal wear-and-tear along the spine. in turn, we (the sufferer) begin to overthink the fragility of our spine/back, and expect it to give us problems, which fuels the negative link the brain has already made to those areas. this begins to allow all kinds of personal anxieties and emotions to start registering in a very physically real way as body pain, usually in certain parts of the back or neck where we most anticipate pain to occur, and it becomes a self-fulfilling cycle that can just grow worse and worse over time.the book explains this all better and in more detail. not everything put forward in the book is 100% convincing, but dr. sarno has definitely tapped into a legitimate phenomenon – and i say that simply because the book just plain worked for me. after years of very depressing and increasingly excruciating levels of discomfort and pain that i attributed to a slipped disc, i read this book, and poof … it was just literally gone. i couldn’t quite believe it and many people i relate the story to do not take it seriously. but my brain wised up to the trick it was playing on my body and the relief was literally an overnight phenomenon. and not only did it work – the results lasted many years.many people will blow off this book and sarno’s others as pseudo-scientific fluff – i get that. but, listen – i spent $2 on this book at the time i first read it, and got years of shockingly significant relief from it. it’s not like it’s a big expensive gamble, if you think it might help you. i also get that it won’t work for everyone – obviously there are legitimate injuries and conditions that can occur and cause pain that are unrelated to what the book describes (and which the book is very clear about). however, a lot of conditions that people think are legitimate physical problems are covered by this book, and have a far shakier medical basis than you’d think. psychology and the way your psychology programs your body and its expectations has a lot to do with a lot of the pain people suffer from.if you think there’s even a chance this book could help you, spend a couple bucks on a used copy and give it a shot. it takes a couple hours to read, and it could save you thousands in medical bills. worst case scenario, you learn a little about an alternative theory re: body pain. even if you’re skeptical, it’s sort of a no-brainer if you’re really suffering discomfort.
77 people found this helpful
A.Chan –
5.0 out of 5 stars
SAVED my life – I had nothing to lose and everything to gain
I am not exagerating when I say this book literally saved my life and gave me real future to look forward to. Back in 2011, when I was 23 years old, I started having debiliating back pain just out of the blue and it took over my life. The pain felt like severe sciatica and it limited every aspect of my life every single day – up until my husband found me this book back in 2019. I suffered everyday with just about everything, from the moment I woke up until the time I went to bed, and then throughout the night lying awake with insomnia mostly from the pain and also being depressed about how I even got this pain in the first place and if I would have to suffer with it for the rest of my life.I really couldn’t do much of anything. It didn’t matter whether I was sitting, standing, lying down, or walking, it was always present and aside from the extreme discomfort, it limited me physically and was frustrating when I was around others due to the inconvenience. I went to several doctors and specialists, had scans done, went to physical therapy, took pain killers, went to the chiropracter, and saw an acupuncturist. Some of them helped subside the pain, but it was only temporary – nothing long term, and eventually it would return full force again. No one could figure out why a 23 year old was experiencing this at all. We all just kept thinking I must have torn a tenden or weakened my back muscles, or it really was severe sciatica.At first I was skeptical about the book helping at all. But after I read it, I learned about TCM and how the subconscious mind could have such a powerful influence over the body. Then after hearing the case studies of others who experienced the same if not similar situations, I decided to give it a try and implement what the book taught to do.Well low and behold … it worked. For the first time in 8 years… the pain actually stopped and I felt like I started living my life again.It seems hard to believe that a book could heal me, but I figure I really had NOTHING left to lose. I was in so much pain I didn’t feel like I was really living… it felt like I was a prisoner in my own body. The worst that could happen was things would stay the same and that I would just continue to live with this pain for the rest of my life… and this was the case anyways whether or not I decided to do something.And wow am I glad I decided to listen and try it.It didn’t happen instantaneously, but after trying one thing and seeing some truth to it (when the pain didn’t follow it’s usual course of action), I decided to keep practicing it and retrained myself with what the book taught. And eventually after 2 weeks the pain really started to fade away and gradually completely disappear after 6 months or so. It was NOT easy and I had to keep reminding myself about what Dr. Sarno taught in the book, but after being in constant pain for about 8 years, this was nothing compared to what i dealt with. And the result – I was finally able to live my life pain free again.So if you’re like me and you’ve seen doctors, gone to physical therapy, taken medication, and NOTHING actually seems to work – just give this book a read. The worst that can happen is everything stays the same as it did before. But completely worth it if you ask me. It’s now the end of 2023… and, knock-on-wood, still living pain free.
26 people found this helpful
Shaniqua Jones a.k.a. LeeRoy –
4.0 out of 5 stars
ANATABLOC supplement for back pain
I have tried this book and it did not work for me. I do believe I had a placebo effect and it worked for 3 days or so. I even went to see a therapist for my “stress.” I gave it 4 stars because I think it can help others out there. I would rather have this book work than have to take any meds or supplements.I have come across ANATABLOC. It is a supplement, not FDA approved. You can only get it at GNC. I can not believe how amazing I feel. Here is my review I wrote on GNC.com. Please try this book first!No back surgery for me since I have found this product. I am a 35 year old female and have had chronic back pain for a year and a half. I have tried physical therapy, Pilates, massage, books on back pain (it says it’s stress related, I agree in some cases), a change in diet, and epidural/cortisone shots. The physical therapy, Pilates and massages have helped a bit but only for a temporary time.When I started taking this I had no back pain and could not believe it. I have not been able to have a normal life since my pain began. I am so amazed that it is working.Insomnia has been a side effect for me when I was taking the full dosage. So I started taking 3/day in the morning for the first week. I am slowly working up my dosage.If you take the doses too close together or too many at once it will cause dizziness.I would rather not have to take this since it is not FDA approved.I plan on trying decompression for my back. If it works then I won’t be taking the supplement anymore.My friend who takes this says it increases her anxiety. But she has had anxiety problems for 10 years. So she doesn’t take it all the time. She has Hashimoto’s disease and when she first started it she could not believe how great she felt.I found a link online that says what symptoms it helps with:[…]
One person found this helpful
mike freedberg –
5.0 out of 5 stars
This book will “cure” your pain
I was buying this book for a friend who is dealing with knee pain. I have had such a positive experience with Dr Sarno that I am going to review it.I am a true believer in Dr. Sarno. I was in severe back pain 10 years ago. Basically lying on my back for hours at a time. I was diagnosed with 2 herniated disks. I was given steroid shots to my back and I went to two years of physical therapy. I did everything the physical therapists said to do. I did the exercises exactly the way they told me. It did absolutely nothing. There was not a single time I left the PT’s office feeling better.A friend who was a big Howard Stern fan bought me this book in both the paperback and the audio tape version. As soon as I started reading it my pain started going away.I realized that I was not injured. Injuries go away. I was in constant pain for two long years. I was 30 years old and I became an old man. Dr. Sarno made me understand that the pain was my minds way of diverting attention from emotional issues. It is genius. Within a few weeks, I had made a full recovery.Over the years, I do get occasional pain. When I do get pain, I reread this book and get my mind right again. I am able to make the pain go away.This past few months I have been getting into really good shape. I just completed an olympic distance triathlon. Pain free.As a side note, during my training I developed severe pain on the side of my knee. I did a lot of reading on this and was told that this was ITB syndrome, a common pain that runners develop. My neighbor gave me the dreaded foam roller used by PTs. I did the prescribed exercises. It did not help. I soon realized that the pain was not from an injury. It was TMS, the same cause of my old back pain. As soon as I realized this, the knee pain went away. The rest of my training went on without pain.If you are suffering any type of pain, you must read this book. It had a profound effect on my life. Without it, I would be an old man. Scared to do any physical activity. Now I live a very active life. I have 3 young children and get to run and play with them. My quality of life has been given back to me.
39 people found this helpful
Lisa C. –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Dr. Sarno’s Treatment for Chronic Pain Actually Works!
I am a 47 years young female with multiple “injury” sites on my body. After just 7 days of reading Dr. Sarno’s material and putting his treatment to work I am already experiencing about a 75% pain reduction in those sites. This is after stopping my 2 x’s per week physical therapy where I was actually experiencing increased pain. For months, I have been battling a second onset (within 3 years) of right, lower lumbar back pain that extends in to my right tronchater hip (bursitis), pain under my right buttocks and then radiates down to my right knee. I was diagnosed with SI Joint Dysfunction (locked and immobile) as well as lumbar dysfunction (immobile L4/L5) by my sports medicine Dr.. He told me after X-rays that these issues were related to a serious fall I had taken down our wooden stairs 3 years ago (fractured my tail bone), a shorter left leg, knee weakness and muscle imbalance and prescribed physical therapy. Additionally, for 2 years I have been battling such debilitating pain in my left knee that I cannot even squat down while holding on to something because the pain takes my breath away. My sports medicine Dr. stated, after X-rays, that I likely have either tendonopathy or possibly a meniscus tear and that it was probably brought on by the same issues that have caused my SI Joint Dysfunction….that it’s all a chain reaction. Well, as of today, while I am still experiencing some pain, I can actually squat down all the way without holding on to anything! Physical therapy had not gotten me anywhere near this with my left knee after 8 sessions!! Lastly, 13 years ago I suffered an exercise injury and have had pain in my right shoulder ever since. An MRI showed I have partial tears, mild arthritis and impingement syndrome. While I could probably live the rest of my life with the reduced pain level, unfortunately because I want to get back to playing tennis, bowling, dancing and taking golf lessons with my husband I may ultimately need surgery to repair my shoulder. The same goes if I have a meniscus tear in my left knee as these activities could cause a progression of the tears. But, the good news is I have learned how our psyche controls our pain levels and that it is rarely due to structural abnormalities. This is exciting and I am so impressed with Dr. Sarno’s work and treatment! I highly recommend his books….I have three of them.
3 people found this helpful
Brave Orange –
2.0 out of 5 stars
Not helpful – just vaguely says somehow your brain is causing pain
Somehow knowing this is supposed to make your chronic injury go away. Didn’t happen, I’m aware of the various things in my life (mainly the injury) that cause angry feelings. But thinking about that being a cause of the pain didn’t do anything to get rid of it. Only reason I gave it two stars instead of one is that there is some truth here – I think angry and resentful feelings can contribute to pain from actual injuries where something is definitely physically damaged. But it’s still ridiculous to claim that all or almost all injuries are “all in your head.” Sorry, physical things actually can break and be in a state where they’re so broken that they keep causing pain and can’t heal.
Rmit –
5.0 out of 5 stars
PAIN FREE FOR 21 DAYS AND COUNTING
Here is my story — 49 years old male in generally good health. Do not take any medication for anything. Am a professor of biomechanics so have an appreciation for physiology.- Started having lower back pain about 8 years ago and it got worse over time. In hindsight now, this was the time I switched to a higher pressure job with a 3 hour round trip commute with bad traffic (the things we do to ourselves!!)- Pain always built up during the the night (concentrated in my illiac region) and has been the thing that has woken me up most days in the last 4 years. Pain sometimes dissipated during the day but then sometimes is got worse and affected other regions of my back.- My pain was not as bad as those of some of the others but sitting or standing for long periods and playing golf were things I found difficult during my flareups.- My back pain became the primary focus of my daily existence!- X-rays and MRIs came out clean (mild herniation of a couple of discs)- Tried physical therapy, exercise programs, yoga, massage and swimming — all improved my body; in fact I think my back is more supple and strong than it ever was in my 30s, but did not make the pain go away.- Got Frozen Shoulder two years ago; excruciating shoulder pain for 6-8 months during which my back pain disappeared!! Back pain came back within a week of finishing the PT for my shoulder. Started thinking that that was curious.- Friend put me on to this book. Read and finished Dr. Sarno’s book on the night of Aug 12, 2016. Had no trouble in seeing my symptoms and personality as classical TMS. People pleaser; perfectionist, goodist, good at hiding emotions, outwardly considered calm and collected and reasonable, feel hurt and offended easily but keep it all inside. And BTW I have had tenderness in the iliotibial area of my outer pelvis just as described by Dr. Sarno.- The following morning my back was almost completely pain free, a feeling I had not had in many months.- Since then (21 days and counting) I have been following the simple program suggested in the book and I would rate my daily pain level between 0-10%.- Am quite confident that TMS is my problem and I now know how to beat it.- Added benefit: The program is helping me become a more wholesome person. I am realizing things about myself that I never knew and I feel very empowered about it.
13 people found this helpful
debbie –
3.0 out of 5 stars
It’s okay
I liked what he had to say, some of which was hard to believe as I work in pain management. It left you hanging and did not tell you how to relieve the pain or where you could go to follow up.
Edith from CA –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Be kind to yourself – read: Healing Back Pain by John E. Sarno, MD
This is an excellent book and I am a different person for having read it. For a little back ground – I broke my back, L4 crushed and L1 when entering a recessed living room almost a year ago. I don’t recommend anyone else doing this – the pain is awful. Broke my L knee and R shoulder eight months before the back. Finally had a cornea transplant so I can see again (IT’S WONDERFUL) and stop walking where I should NOT be! My mind and doctors had worked overtime convincing me that I would never be without pain, would have to always be very careful, take pain pill, etc. Well, after reading this book two times and believing what I was reading, I daily started working the program by not taking any more pills, working on forgetting the diagnosis & all the things I had been telling myself, working on total understanding of TMS & how the RAGE we ALL have is affecting me and how very slight(but harmless)oxygen deprivation causes the pain, ordered the DVD and MINDBODY PRESCRIPTION, (both outstanding) both by Dr. Sarno, and I was on my way. In two days my knees, my thumbs, the awful sciatic pain from the buttocks to my ankle had stopped hurting – completely!!! My back was MUCH better but I obviously needed to dig deeper in my understanding and self reflecting, which I did and am still doing, two months later, and will continue. I continue to follow the program daily by reading, and/or watching the DVD, and/or writing/journaling and digging deeper within my memory. My conscious mind IS in charge!!! And – my back seldom hurts and when it does it’s not much, and all my other aches and pains are either gone or maybe once a week I get a reminder that I have a knee or thumb from a sharp stabbing pain – ONCE – and it’s gone. A reminder for me to keep working the program. Read this wonderful book & the others by Dr. Sarno and work the program – it can be done in 15 to 30 minutes morning and night. Dr. Sarno has help thousands of people – a worthy group for all of us to join. If I can stop the pain – and I have – at 84, you can do it, too. LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL!
9 people found this helpful
Monika Thomas –
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Mind-Body Connection
I first heard of Dr. John Sarno in Dr. Andrew Weil’s book ”
Spontaneous Healing : How to Discover and Embrace Your Body’s Natural Ability to Maintain and Heal Itself
. I believed I had “slipped a disk” while back-packing in Australia. While I was scuba-diving the Great Barrier Reef (and doing my best to pretend I was not in crippling pain) the pain deepened into sciatica. I could barely walk. Wherever I was, at the airport, on the boardwalk, I had to lay on the ground and curl up into a ball in order to walk another few minutes. In New Zealand, as I was hitchhiking from Christchurch to Auckland on big-rig trucks, a physical therapist gave me some exercises he said I’d have to do for the rest of my life. After a year or so of helping, the exercises stopped working. I was so afraid I’d have to have back surgery and/or be crippled for the rest of my life. When I read about Dr. Sarno’s deconstructing the emotional and stress-related mind-body connection in the majority of back pain syndromes, I started to mentally investigate my own back spasms. What was I thinking about when the back pain started? I started to see my own pattern of worry – that I had been attributing to my sitting position in the car, or my shoes for instance to my stresses and deepest fears. As I read more of Dr. Sarno’s carefully detailed investigation into Tension Myositis Syndrome (TMS), my back pain gradually subsided as I learned the mechanisms of TMS, and deconstructed my own experience of back pain. A year later, I rarely experience back pain, and when I do it’s very minor and just a sign that I need to relax and take care of myself. I can even wear high-heeled shoes and go back-packing again (not at the same time), and all manner of bending over and sitting positions are no problem. I’ve even taken up hula-hooping! One should certainly investigate TMS before considering back surgery. TMS may not be a diagnosis accepted by the entire medical community, nonetheless, Dr Sarno’s approach *WORKS* and it could work for you. It’s as easy as reading a book, critically deconstructing your own experience, and changing the way you deal with stress. I’ll add that reading a book is inexpensive and harmless. Spinal surgery is not. This is even my 2nd copy of this book, because I purchased a copy for someone I cared about who had back pain. I recommend this book to *everyone!!!* Best wishes…
MT
7 people found this helpful
liverleef –
3.0 out of 5 stars
One of the strangest books I’ve read.
I’ve long suffered with back pain. I have scoliosis, arthritis and the typical stuff people get as they age (degenerative disc disease, sciatica, etc). I don’t normally go for books like this but like others I was getting desperate so I gave it a read. I knew Dr Sarno would offer a non traditional approach to healing back pain but I never expected this.Dr Sarno believes that back pain is caused by the subconscious mind in an effort to keep you from thinking about or dealing with unpleasant or painful thoughts and feelings. It accomplishes this by depriving oxygen to the nerves and tissues surrounding the spine. This is a condition he calls TMS. Conveniently, this is not a condition that can be measured, viewed on imaging or the like. You just got to take his word for it. If this sounds crazy, hang on, it gets crazier.One might think that the solution to TMS would be psychotherapy then, right? Well, not exactly. Dr Sarno thinks that the important step to recovery from TMS is to understand how TMS works. You see once the subconscious mind becomes aware of the fact that you have discovered this big trick its trying to pull on you then it knows it can’t use that anymore and relent on your back pain.One thing I found particularly interesting about all this is how its written. Normally pseudo-scientific books will dress up their theories with lots of sciencey and clinical sounding words. To a reader untrained in medicine, this may make the claims seem more authentic. Dr. Sarno makes no attempt at all to do any of this. In fact, he goes out of his way to explain his theory in the most raw and uncomplicated terms possible so that his theory will be easily understood. It seems clear to me that Dr. Sarno honestly believes everything he has written in this book.So Sarnos treatment is bunk then right? It’s like this, read the book. Do what Sarno recommends. If you feel better then it isnt bunk at all. My back pain does feel better after reading the book but that might be because ive lost some weight and started exercising.
343 people found this helpful
Oggy Doggy –
5.0 out of 5 stars
This book has been crucial to my life and happiness!
I have read all of Dr. Sarno’s books, but I always go back to this one. Whenever I feel ANY pain in my body from shoulder , neck, back, legs, WHATEVER…I turn on the audio version of this book and within a few days I am back to normal.Many years ago I had severe shoulder pain that lasted about 2 years, my doctor told me it was a torn rotator cuff , filled me up with pain pills and sent me off to physical therapy. When that didn’t work ( it made it worse ) he wanted to do surgery. ( I did not do the surgery.) That is when I found Dr. John Sarno. It WAS NOT an instant fix, but slowly over several months ALL of my pain went away and has STAYED away! This was back in 2008! I went to my doctor 6 months after finding this book and he asked me how my shoulder is doing. I told him it’s completely healed. He was astonished and asked me how? I told him that I read a book- HE LITERALLY LAUGHED AT ME!Look, it is a hard pill to swallow and when I tell people about this book that saved my life, they usually get angry with me as if I don’t believe they are in real pain which must have a real physical reason. I get it, most people will not have faith and believe in this simple idea. I could not put on my T-Shirt without extreme , sharp, debilitating pain. Now I am pain free for more than 10 years!Here it is in a nutshell: Good luck!Dr Sarno’s 12 Daily Reminders1. The pain is due to TMS and not a structural abnormality.2. The direct reason for the pain is mild oxygen deprivation.3. TMS is a harmless condition caused by my repressed emotions.4. The principal emotion is my repressed ANGER.5. TMS only exists to distract my attention from the emotions.6. Since my back is basically normal, there is nothing to fear.7. Therefore physical activity is not dangerous.8. And I must resume all normal physical activity.9. I will not be concerned or intimidated by the pain.10. I will shift my attention from the pain to the emotions.11. I intend to be in control, not my sub-conscious mind.12. I must think psychological at all times, not physical.
307 people found this helpful
Anonymous –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Works for some, but not all.
I give this book 4 stars because it has obviously worked for so many people, as evidenced by these reviews and the TMSHelp forum online. I also personally know 2 people who have used this book to overcome chronic back/knee pain. However, it must be noted that on occasion, this book will not do the job of ridding you of pain. Elsewhere a reviewer states that she felt like a failure because she subscribed to the book so thoroughly but it didn’t work. What did work was back surgery, and this is the case with me as well. I gave the book 4 hard months of psychological work, including psychotherapy and several self help books on anger and anxiety. By the end of those 4 months I felt like a crazy woman. Every member of my family and every good friend was quietly hoping I would come to my senses and get surgery, though they all were very good about not interfering with my psychological “treatment”. Finally, a point was reached that required some new course of action, so I called the surgeon a friend had recommended. The surgeon was a jerk. He saw me for about 3 minutes and said “let’s fix this”. I was so upset, but a combination of factors allowed me to go ahead and schedule the surgery. For the three weeks leading up the surgery my gut said NO, but my logical brain persisted. Three 3 days after surgery, I was not on pain meds for the first time in a year. Now, three weeks later, it is still apparent that the surgery worked. I also know 5 other people for whom surgery worked (and I had been thinking they were having a placebo effect). Sometimes instincts are not reliable. I am so grateful to the person who posted her review (maybe it was a he) stating that surgery worked. I would have probably delayed even longer if not for that. What the difference is between the people for whom this book is successful or not, I cannot even begin to guess. One thing to note, however, is that during my entire 13 months of persistent, sometimes almost unendurable pain, I didn’t give up most activities. I picked up my two small children, I kayaked, mountain biked, snowshoed, hiked, sat for long periods, etc. I didn’t do yoga, jump on a trampoline, or, after initial attempts, cross-country or skate ski. So, if you have given up all activity, maybe the first thing to do would be to resume all activity within reason (not jumping on a trampoline seems reasonable, however, skiing should be tried, at least). If you persist with that and the pain continues, try surgery. Even if it is a placebo, I’ll take it.
11 people found this helpful
Dee –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book.
Great book. After reading it there are many things to contemplate about and apply.
Diana in NM –
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Few Extra Tips
I have waited one year to write this review. I have the same story that you see over and over here. After over 20 years of pain and trying to heal it, I REALLY had nothing to lose. So I committed to Dr. Sarno’s technique. I went from being basically disabled to working and playing hard, including doing a remodel for 6 months, where I used my body for heavy lifting, doing all kinds of things I thought I’d never do again. There is no describing the gratitude and relief and surprise. But I do want to write a few tips that I learned. 1. This takes TREMENDOUS courage. When my back gave me the old signals that I used to think meant it was about to go into spasm, I had to ignore it, and bend over, or lift something, and forget about my fears. After all of the pain I’ve been through, it was very difficult. But I did it, over and over, and it worked. This was the most difficult aspect of this healing, though. It is WORTH it, but if you can find support through this, it would be so helpful. 2. Making some alone time, I talked out loud to myself every day, like he says to do, but I also added checking in with my emotions and stress levels. This isn’t emphasized, and I think it is very important. It was for me. Through this process I’ve learned about the emotions that I habitually would just stuff, or deny, or not even be conscious of. I felt I had to make these emotions conscious so that I didn’t stuff them. I also had a tendency to “sugar coat” things, or “look on the bright side”, which can be a very good attribute, rather than being a complainer/worrier – but I have learned that I need to be realistic about my emotions and stresses, and just ADMIT them – for instance, with anger, I don’t have to throw a fit, I just need to talk it out, to myself or with someone, and it dissipates. It is the denial/sugar-coating/not expressing verbally, that was making me stuff the emotion. 3. I did have two minor setbacks, which really scared me, but they didn’t involve the old excruciating pain, just minor spasm, and I REALLY focused on emotional/psychological, not physical, and they passed quickly. It may be unreasonable for everyone to just heal 100% immediately. After over 20 years, my body has some patterns to redesign. So if you have a setback, don’t get demoralized! 4. Finally, the bottom line is that I had a great, productive, physical year that gave me quality of life back. Even if this whole theory is baloney, and I have a terrible episode tomorrow, I had a great year. Just that makes the whole thing worthwhile. I would have given anything for a year like that. And now I’m starting another one. Don’t fall into the trap of calling this kind of healing weird or anything else disparaging – our minds really are much more powerful than we know.
34 people found this helpful
Stephanie Stephanie –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting perspective and information
This book is an interesting read and perspective on a common problem. I bought a copy for a family member who deals with migraines and also a copy for myself as I am interested in reading about health and wellness. I have read about a lot of people who have benefitted from this book, so I decided to give it a read and also share it. I would say give it a read as more information may be helpful. While not everything may apply to everyone in this book, I did get value out of parts of it. I like to be open to as much information as possible to make my own conclusions on my own health. Wishing all better health by being informed!
3 people found this helpful
Joslyn –
5.0 out of 5 stars
No Neck Pain Anymore
This book and his others helped me heal from chronic neck pain and upper back pain that I experienced for about a year after getting rear-ended in a minor car accident. (Of course, I did get checked out by various medical doctors to make sure there was nothing seriously wrong, such as a tumor.) I am in NO neck or back pain now.This is the first full review I’ve ever written for Amazon, and I waited almost three years after my accident to write it, to make sure I would have a big stretch of being pain-free. I read this book about 11 months after the accident, while I was still in moderate, constant pain. Before reading the book, the pain as well as my stress levels had increased when I found out I had a herniated disk. (He goes into herniated disks in the book.)After I read this book and his others, did the simple program he suggests and went to a TMS doctor, my pain levels eventually dropped way, way down. By the way, the TMS doctor really wasn’t required–he only told me what I already knew, though he did provide some good reinforcement and a helpful way of implementing the written exercises. (For example, abbreviate the list of stressors and carry it on a small note card.) I was a stubborn case, so I felt like the doctor was helpful to me, but I’d already had very good success in getting the pain levels way down on my own. And I think that trend would have continued, though I am grateful that I saw the doctor.I won’t say the amount of time it took me to get fully better, because a.) I don’t want others to compare their time line to mine, and b.) since I’d stopped paying attention to the pain, it went away in a gradual way that I didn’t precisely mark down or calculate.The first time someone had mentioned Dr. Sarno’s work to me, I initially rejected it. I thought my herniated disk diagnosis, my obvious trigger (car accident), my tender trigger points, etc., meant that I had a “real” physical injury and that this whole TMS concept didn’t apply to me. But then, through a serious of serendipitous events, I started putting the pieces of my past and personality together, and finally got curious enough to read this book.Thank God I did, because I am done with the pain, with searching for yet another physical therapist, with getting steroid shots (which seemed to make things worse), with jotting down pain levels, with the elusive quest for the perfect posture or magic lumbar cushion, blah blah blah. I am FREE of the pain and the obsession with the pain, thanks to God, my own work and Dr. Sarno.I could write a lot more, but I want to get this review out there now, so it can help others. His other books are all good too, as are some others, and I will eventually review those in the future.
21 people found this helpful
LouLou OH…… –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Yahoooowoohoo!!!!
I approached this book already a believer and seeker of the mind/body connection. Having failed to find answers in other books–even great books that opened my eyes in so many other ways still did not help make this connection (lacking the scientific or medical explanation).Just reading the reviews was like someone telling the story of my symptoms, my condition, my MRI and feeling hopeless and frustrated. I felt a relief and was on the verge of real crying the more I read. Because inside I was not fine believing I could control this, not knowing how, whatever rage, anger or tension was not being dealt with, having a job injury and not wanting to go back to a job I hate–there-I said it–Hate. Hah.I started to feel better the second day I read reviews. I just finished the book and am 99.9% pain free. I am happy and amazed. And with this new-found understanding so much anger has melted away. And the beauty is that I don’t have to exercise and I don’t have to see a therapist for the rage and anger–I just have to be aware of it–which I already did anyway for PMS.For those interested: I work in construction and had a lower back injury. My second injury was a week to the date of the first one. I am in my 40’s and the right size for my height.Since I started seeing doctors for my back (18 years old)I’ve been told: scoliosis, long spine, too much sitting, not enough exercise, bulging disk, herniated, sacroiliac joint disorder, degenerative….The first time I ever “pulled” my back I was 15. I picked up an empty milk crate. By that age I had already dealt with a lot of dysfunction and instability at home. All this tension I am sure started when I was still in the womb since my parents fought all the time.But, I have had a good adult life. My personality type was described well in the book.UPDATE: It’s been 4 months since reading the book. I had the chance to put this diagnosis to the test. I was overloaded with some anger and stress and then it came: I was tucking in my pants and it happened-I “pulled” my back. I was shocked at the amount of pain from such a minor movement-this had never happened to me before. It was kind of pathetic but the pain was intense and very real. So I was laying down, walking crooked, couldn’t carry groceries from the market, it hurt to sit…. So I grabbed the book and started re-reading certain pages and delved into my mind to face the issues. And the more I dug and brought it to the surface the more pain subsided. By the evening I was 95% better-still holding on to the old ways for security. By the next evening it was like nothing happened.
8 people found this helpful
J. Clarke –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Book
This is an amazing book. It’s written in an easy-to-understand language and is very useful for people who struggle with anxiety, stress, fear and pain. This book is full of useful and practical knowledge.I purchased this book because I was struggling with severe hip, back and leg pain. My pain started in my hip and moved to my legs and lower back. It was so bad that I couldn’t even put my socks and shoes on. When I reached out to my doctor, she said that I need physical therapy because my muscles were putting pressure on my nerves. The pain was so unbearable that I couldn’t do any physical therapy. I asked my doctor to give me something for the pain that I can do the therapy. She reluctantly prescribed some kind of pain killer which didn’t help that much.I was in so much pain that I decided to take the matters in my own hands and find a solution for my problem by doing online research about muscles and nerves. And this is how I found out about this book and decided to order it.This book gave me a clear understanding about the connection between human mind and body. Dr. Sarno’s approach is very clear and logical. He explains how our emotions effect our bodies and how you can stop the pain by retraining your own mind. I loved this book so much that I purchased another one for a friend who was suffering just like me. Thank you Dr. Sarno for writing it. I really recommend this book. I not only purchased the book but also got the membership for Dr. Sarno’s app. It is called curable, and you can find it in any app store. The app is designed by Dr. Sarno and his colleagues. It full of wonderful step by step exercises that you can do on your own pace. Give it a try. You won’t regret it.
11 people found this helpful
L. Higgins –
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Different Approach to Back Pain
Dr. Sarno, through many years of treating patients with back pain, has discovered what he considers an epidemic of back pain in the U.S. and states that usually the cause is not an accident or a degenerative disease. He attributes it to repressed emotions, usually anger or anxiety, and says that the stressful situation that causes the Tension Myositis Syndrome (TMS) does not always have to be resolved for the pain to go away. The patient just needs to recognize the mind-body connection that he is experiencing.I have not tried to apply Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection’s seemingly simple techniques; I have only read the book. Dr. Sarno’s detailed discussion of the failure of traditional medicine’s handling of back pain does make sense. He advises someone with back pain to consult with a doctor to get that perspective, but then evaluate their symptoms in the light of his thesis. He also says many other conditions such as eczema, headaches, and irritable bowl syndrome may be attributable to repressed emotions also.Dr. Sarno cites a lot of anecdotal evidence as well as data gained from surveys of patients to support his theory. He does not claim to understand how the brain can exert such powerful control over the body, but reminds the reader that there are many things about the way the brain works that are not completely understood yet. Dr. Sarno is a medical doctor, not a salesman, not a slick businessman ready to perform on morning TV. His background is displayed in his writing style, and my 4 star rating reflects that. His bold stance against the traditional and unsuccessful medical view of back pain and his obvious enthusiasm for helping those with back pain rates 5 stars.Additional Notes:1.Much of the book is technical. The chapter about his technique is vague, maybe because it is so simple and we expect more bells and whistles from modern medicine. Because of these factors, I found the Appendix particularly valuable. It is comprised of “Letters from Patients” and shows concretely how various patients have applied his theory and their results.2. Having finished this book on the mind/body connection, which deals primarily with the power of repressed emotions, I was amazed as I started a fictional book to discover at least four prominent references in the first chapter to how the characters realistically reacted viscerally in various ways to stress inducing moments. I reflected that if people instantaneously respond physically (tightening muscles, a sinking feeling in the gut) to anxiety, then Dr. Sarno’s connection of repressed emotions and body pain seems rational even if ignored by the medical community.
11 people found this helpful
sergio –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great read
This was recommended by a friend after he found out I had severe back pain and man am I glad he didGreat book to better understand back pain and what can be causing it
DJ76092 –
5.0 out of 5 stars
As a physician, I was skeptical. Boy, was I WRONG!
I have had chronic back pain for the past 8 years which had been getting progressively worse over the past 2 years.What made things worse was that I am a physician and I deal with back pain patients all the time and have seen some terrible looking backs on MRI or CT scans. I perform procedures using xrays all day wearing a 8 lb. lead apron for hours every day. I just knew I had some structural problem with my back like a herniated disc.Over the summer, I had an acute attack where my back went “out” and I was bedridden for 2 days. It was the worst pain I have ever felt in my life. I knew something was terribly wrong. On my MRI, I found a disc protrusion at L4-5 and L5-S1. I knew that HAD to be the problem. It seemed like my back pain got worse with this knowledge. I became very careful with my back. Never bending over too much, never lifting anything too heavy, etc. As the book states, it became the first thing I was aware of in the morning and the last thing I thought about at night before going to bed. It was a chronic pain that would never leave and it made me and probably everyone around me miserable. I feared going to see anyone about and since I was a physician, I decided to self medicate. I first tried NSAIDS (Motrin, Advil) for a few months and did not notice ANY relief or change. Tried stretching early in the morning before work. No help at all.Then, one very fortunate day, I found this book on Amazon and saw the postive reviews, so I decided to give it a try. Everything Dr. Sarno reveals in this book made sense to me. It was as if he knew what my exact personal situation was like. When he describes the typical competitive, high achieving, perfectionistic patient that can get TMS, he was describing me to a tee.I read the book over 3 days, and just like that my pain was gone! I could not believe it. I have been trained like all physicians that back pain is mechanical. It has nothing or very little to do with emotions. I now know that is not true. Just the knowledge that my pain was due to emotional factors made my pain go away. I knew this was not a placebo effect since I was very hopeful of other remedies I tried which never worked and was very skeptical of this book but indeed, it worked like a charm.If you have back pain and have found no relief from the variety of traditional therapies out there, I strongly encourage you to invest $10 and buy this book. It will change your life!
18 people found this helpful
Tony –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Worked For Me
Purchased this book three years ago.I had been experiencing bad back episodes every 6 months or so. Usually I would be unable to get out of bed for 24 hours and then struggled to recover over a 1-2 week period. All would be fine and then 6 months later another episode. This went on for 5-6 years and I tried many things to deal with it. I am in generally good shape, exercise, eat well . . 5′ 10″ 175 lbs.After reading this book and understanding TMS and applying tips suggested by Dr Sarno, I have not had any problems with my back whatsoever. 3 years now. In fact, I no longer even think about it (in the past I would worry, “oh, is my back about to go out on me”?I am writing this review now (after 3 years) because a friend asked me about the book and it reminded me how this book has changed my life.
8 people found this helpful
TBone –
1.0 out of 5 stars
read this if you want the CURE to chronic back pain
I wish I could give this book ZERO stars. I want to be as fair as I can be here. I don’t like it when people carelessly lambaste someone’s work, but the premise of this book is just plain bull. Sarno wants to diagnose just about ever agreed upon condition as the mysterious TMS. Tension Myositis Syndrome is whereby your guilt and/or anger leads your brain to “punish” you via lack of oxygen to certain muscles causing chronic pain. During an exhaustive bout with my own chronic low back pain, I read the book and I searched my own past and tried to convince myself that anger towards my family was causing my pain. The truth is, I really look forward to seeing my family…sure I have some issues with parents and siblings (who doesn’t), but my literal addiction to playing sports could never be overpowered by some mysterious guilt or anger or both. I wasted a whole summer on this B.S.Anyway, I tried several other methods to get back my back. Chiros, prolotherapy, Physical Therapy, Osteopaths, Cortisone shots, Acupuncture and Acupressure. None of them really worked. After “re injuring” my back for about the 25th time in 2 years, I started to lose hope, but that little injury was exactly what I needed. You see, I was basically living with the disability. My world kept getting smaller and smaller as I could do fewer and fewer things. I had accepted it. Before, I was an avid athlete…it was literally a part of everyday for me. My chiro had sort of convinced me that I would not ever be the same. Even though he got me to where I could play golf, I was limited…I had to take a cart, I couldn’t hit the ball as far and I was in pain 3 days after playing. He was always saying, “Hey, everybody’s got something wrong.” This is another way of saying “You are limited”.Somehow, I knew that was wrong…if I got myself into this, why couldn’t I get myself out? I refused to accept any limitations. Quite luckily, I stumbled across the cure while searching for a book on golf flexibility. The book is called “Pain Free” by Pete Egoscue. He was wounded in Vietnam and told that he’d have hip pain forever…he refused to accept that and found a method that will cure any pain ailment that is musculoskeletal related. The whole concept is that chronic pain comes from posture issues that arise from a lack of proper movement. I was skeptical at first as I have been promised cures about 20 times. The proof for me began about 4 days after beginning the program. I had been unable to walk long distances due to a hip pain for about 3 months. After the first 4 days, I noticed a difference in my gait and in how I stood so I walked 1 mile…no pain. The next day I tried 2 miles…no pain. Then, I noticed that suddenly, I could bend forward without guarding. I hadn’t been able to do that in 3 years…I knew I’d found the cure!A word of warning about the Egoscue method…it’s not for excuse makers or pill takers or people that want the easy way out. The exercises are about as simple as can be, however, it takes a commitment and a lifestyle change. You can’t do the exercises and then return to your sedentary lifestyle. You gotta move which for me means limiting my TV watching and waking up early to do the exercises. Now, don’t get the wrong idea…I work on a computer all day long, however, I make sure I get up and walk and stretch ect. I don’t just sit there for hours on end staring at the monitor.You don’t have to be limited anymore…it’s up to you!
47 people found this helpful
E. Thompson –
5.0 out of 5 stars
I’m free of four years of sciatica now!
It’s an absolute travesty that doctors don’t know these concepts. In this book Dr. Sarno articulates the basics of the origin of chronic pain clearly and understandably. While just this book didn’t cure my sciatica, following up with a local MindBody physician in the area fixed both that and my plantar fasciitis in a matter of days. I’m free of pain that has dogged me for four years now. The doctor I saw said MindBody methods are very effective, but doctors don’t make money telling patients that they are healthy and perfectly fine.Research since Sarno pioneered this work has proven much of what he says to be correct. Not only that but many other diseases such as allergies and autoimmunity have been shown to be a result of these psychosomatic reactions. Even cancer seems to be partly a result of emotional repression. This book is a good place to start and David Schechter has also written follow up books. If you’ve had any painful conditions that have lasted more than 6-8 weeks you owe it to yourself to read this book.
6 people found this helpful
Jase –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Changed my life
If I could give this book 100 stars I would. This book has changed my life. I’ve had “chronic” back pain for eight years and I’ve seen doctors, physical therapists, chiropractors, massage therapists, and no one could ever tell me what was going on. This last time when I had pain it was so bad it was going down into my leg and foot. I went to a doctor and of course he told me I had a herniated disc and needed surgery. I was so distraught and I never thought I would be able to lift weights or exercise normally again which made my pain worse but I knew there was no way I was going to have surgery. I have always heard terrible things about back surgery. I randomly came across this book when it was on sale and I said “why not” it couldn’t hurt to read it. Wow was it amazing. I never thought a book could understand everything I was going through. I started reading it and accepting what was happening to me and why. Not only did my back pain disappear but my shoulder pain that I’ve had for over 20 years was also gone! This book is not only for back pain, it’s also for any kind of chronic pain you might have. I cannot recommend this book enough but you have to have a very open mind if you read this book because it goes completely against the norm and changes how we have all been conditioned to think. Read it! You won’t regret it
12 people found this helpful
Amazon Customer –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Healing Back Pain
A friend recommended this book when I was in the throws of severe back pain. Ad I read the book, it really struck a chord with me and not in my back. The whole thing was…maybe it could be an emotional thing and not a physical thing. That struck me as I had gotten some very unsettling news the day before my back pain began. So it was very great od for me to read it but I felt he could have set the t in less pages, meaning a shorter book. I would def recommend this book if you’ve been experiencing back pain. I did get an MRI and was told my back to pretty good and I probably have some arthritis there. Glad to hear and glad I bought the book. I won’t probably reread it again unless I get another severe back ache. Then it will be at my bedside.
10 people found this helpful
Benjamin whitworth –
1.0 out of 5 stars
This book is only if you have no structural damage to your back
I shouldn’t have ordered this book, but I was recommended it because I was talking to somebody in the sauna about how much pain i am in from the multiple fractures I have in my back. There are some interesting points in this book and some truth as well, but he is very contradicting and flat out weird. giving advice like end all physical rehabilitation, stop going to your physical therapist stop using heat and cold stop stretching, begin the most vigorous exercise and physical activities you used to enjoy no matter what the pain tells you, just terrible advice even if your have no structural damage if you’re in that much pain, you shouldn’t just force yourself to exercise. However, one of the main points he makes, is this book is for people with no structural damage. So if you do have back pain with no structural abnormalities this might be for you. But even still, he contradicts himself with this wacky section He has a section in this book listing all sorts of abnormalities patients have like bone spurs, herniated disc, Plantar fasciitis, scoliosis a list of all sorts of other back problems and every single one He just writes off the patients pain toTMS tension mitosis syndrome. It’s like he believes if you get a gunshot to the head, it’s because of tension mitosis syndrome everything is caused by this and I’ll just tell you yes a lot of our society is psychologically confused and it can manifest into physical pain I get that, but that’s too simple and that’s the only point of this whole book. It’s more complex than just repressed emotions and repressed anxiety that manifests as pain. Anyway, I wish it was that simple because I would love for my problem just to be from TMS not from the eight fractures I have in my back
3 people found this helpful
mmb086 –
5.0 out of 5 stars
This book gave me my life back
Eye-opening. Our brain has more power over our bodies than we know. This book gives the old “mind over matter” a new meaning. Backed by clinical evidence, rationally explained and easy to read, this book has changed my life. Not only am I free of back pain now, I have the knowledge and the tools to address any related pain in the future.I am what Dr. Sarno calls a textbook case. After years of chronic lower back pain, I experienced a crippling event one day while playing tennis. Bedridden for months, with severe sciatica, I was diagnosed with two herniated discs (L4-L5 and L5-S1) as well as facet joint degeneration. When epidural injections and physical therapy failed to bring relief, surgery was suggested.I came across Dr. Sarno’s book just in time. Half way through reading it, I started to feel relief, and I knew right then that I would never have to deal with back pain again. The very next day I played tennis, and within a month of using the strategies outlined in the book, I was completely free of back pain.I will forever be grateful to Dr. Sarno for giving me my life back.
5 people found this helpful
sky goddess –
5.0 out of 5 stars
A must read
I have read Dr. Sarnos books before years ago when I was having back pain and could not figure out what it was. I bought the book cover Read it and found out that I have a lot of emotions going on that I could not express. My ex fiancé was abusive and I was too stupid at the time to figure it out. Read the book, got rid of the pain. I reread the book and now I am on several sites I’m dealing with on fear, perceived pain, and emotions that have not come out. I truly believe that about 70% of the people with any kind of pain in their body are having it from emotional stress and anxiety that they don’t deal with. You can save yourself a lot of money going from doctor to doctor by doing some of this holistic work. Some people may call you crazy for reading a book and getting rid of pain, personally I think it’s the best thing ever. Reason it out and you will see that in our world today, we have a lot of emotions not expressed. You’re not crazy.
5 people found this helpful
Stephanie Campbell –
5.0 out of 5 stars
This man was sent from God!
I am a pretty open minded person but when I saw all of these reviews I couldnt understand how could reading a book heal someone. Well after many prayer meetings, chiropractors, hospital visits, MRIs and everything else we all have been through after we have been led to this book God gave me the answer. I couldnt walk for THREE LONG YEARS! After I did start walking after falling in the shower and weeks and months of physical therapy the PAINFUL muscle spasms wouldnt go away. Reading this book (and the reviews) made me better in the matter of a month! There is nothing else that I can say that the other reviewers have said except that when they cant find anything wrong with you and you are at wits end or feel like you want to commit suicide because of the spasms and the pain get this book! I would also suggest that you read Sarnos book The Divided Mind because in that book is the explanation for all of this. Save your money people and plop down 20.00 for a few Sarno books you will feel like you have left a healing meeting or had a religious experience. Go to youtube and listen to his lectures. This is not an overnight thing I must warn you and Im not 100 percent but Im about 90 percent well. It takes work and faith but it wont be tens of thousands of dollars and doctors making you feel like you are crazy and depressed. Im glad I am not the only one who had this problem because there are thousands of people in the world dealing with this and many family members, and people in the medical community will deem you as being crazy. Once you get a hold of these concepts in the book and Sarnos other pieces of literature you will tell everyone you know! If the medical community could get a hold of this I guess there would be many doctors out of business! Its OK Dr Sarno if you are reading this I thank you, my friends thank you, and God thanks you for being there for us when nobody else was.
12 people found this helpful
Amazon Customer –
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Must Read!!! Take your life back!
This is a great book about how our emotions effect our bodies. Learn to be in tune with your body and recognize what triggers your pain. Basically take control of yourself, be aware of your stressors and learn to let go of the pain.
Timothy hardy –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Healed myself
Awesome
Wheat Lady –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Book for chronic pain sufferers
This book explains exactly why I’ve been in pain for twenty year’s. I totally understand the concept but have never had it explained so well. I’m not finished with it yet so I’m hoping it gives me the knowledge and know how to finally cure my pain.
Magicbird –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sarno’s work changed my life–less pain plus I’m more forgiving, more tolerant, more accepting of criticism. Happier.
I spent my entire career as a medical professional searching for better answers for chronic pain, both for myself and for other people. How is it possible that I and my colleagues never even heard about TMS or Dr. Sarno until this year!? And why was only by CHANCE that I came across TMS and Dr. Sarno’s unequaled work and NOT through medical channels, as one would hope for any superior treatment for pain such as Sarno’s? One would think that medical professionals would be quick to spread the word about effective treatments–but it’s not that simple, and that’s not how it works in medicine. In fact, regrettably there are a whole lot of bad practices going on in medicine due to ignorance.I ONLY learned of Sarno’s work because an ad from Amazon.com popped up on my computer screen for the book, “The Great Pain Deception: Faulty Medical Advice Is Making Us Worse” by Steven Ray Ozanich–a book which is about Dr. Sarno’s work with TMS. I have over 200 health-related books and I was reluctant to spend money on yet another one. But the subtitle “Faulty Medical Advice Is Making Us Worse” caught my eye, so I purchased Ozanich’s book out of curiosity. Little did I realize this book, about Sarno’s work with TMS, would change my life! But it did. After reading Ozanich’s book, I worked backwards and purchased this book by Dr. Sarno himself, “Healing Back Pain.”What’s happening in our medical system is almost criminal. It’s been known for over 30 years that there is no correlation between bone ‘abnormalities’ that show up on X-rays–such as ‘disc problems’ and whether or not a person has pain. Yet surgeons are still telling patients, “Lookie here, your X-ray/MRI show you have spinal fractures (or a slipped or bulging disc, whatever) right in the same place that you’re having back pain. Well, there you are–that must be what’s causing your pain.” And the patient believes it because, hey, they can see it on the X-ray with their own eyes. But it’s NOT TRUE. As Sarno says, the pain is caused by oxygen deprivation to the muscles. Yet I’ve heard so many people speak in despair of the ‘fractures’ that were found on their MRIs and X-rays.In my opinion, learning about TMS is the most important thing that most Americans can do to improve their health.Dr. John E. Sarno’s work with TMS changed my life. It not only resolved most of my chronic pain but it changed my whole mental outlook on life. Little things don’t bother me as much. I’m more forgiving. I don’t crumble in despair when criticized. I’m more accepting of everyone else’s flaws as well as my own. I’m back on good terms with my sister again. I’m just plain happier, no bouts of depression or despair.Best thing you can do for yourself, and for this country’s failing medical system? Read Dr. Sarno’s book yourself. Also read Steven Ozanich’s book “The Great Pain Perception; Faulty Medical Advice Is Making Us Worse” (about Dr. Sarno’s work). Heal yourself and then SPREAD THE WORD. Your physician does not have the answer to you or your loved one’s chronic pain, but Dr. John E. Sarno’s work DOES. Let the world know. Spread the word.
30 people found this helpful
JPepper –
5.0 out of 5 stars
My letter is ready…
The following is a letter that I wrote to my supervisor, several months after I graduated from residency and finally began my career as an attending anesthesiologist. It sums up my perception of the book. I told myself that I would post this review (and letter) on Amazon at least a year after I felt that the results were for real. The letter was written in January 2013, and it is now over 2 and a half years later and I am still pain free and living actively:“…I wanted to share with you a positive (but more accurately, life-changing) experience with regard to the issues I had with my back and leg pain. When I graduated in June, I said to you that if I run across any miracle treatments, I would share it with you.“I don’t know if you have ever heard of Dr. John Sarno, who was a rehab doctor at NYU. I had seen his name around the web when I was reading all about back pain, discopathy, etc…but I didn’t think his books applied to me so I didn’t read them. My sister then told me of a friend of hers who got lots of help from his books, so I finally gave it a try in late July…especially since the pain was continuing to be very bothersome for me even after I graduated and was off from work (a few weeks intoJuly).“After trying various different treatments – including PT (multiple different times), chiropractor, daily stretches (which is why I was forcing myself to get up every morning 30 to 45 minutes early before coming to work), NSAIDs, gabapentin, lumbar pillows, changing the position in which I sleep, being off from work, etc – that the one thing that gave me consistent and persistent relief…is what I learned after reading his books and applying his advice. It took time and effort, but after early October, I was no longer a prisoner to my pain. I am also now working every day, without pain, and off NSAIDs and off gabapentin.“What I had learned from his books – the role that emotions can have on our physical pain, and how to overcome it – was a miracle for me, as it went to the root & source of the problem. I didn’t want to share this with you too soon, because I had to be sure that the effects were lasting as opposed to just giving a week or two of improvement. But it has been more than a few months now that I have seen the result, though the process was gradual.”As a physician, I have been approached many times by family, friends, colleagues, patients and acquaintances for my thoughts to address various ailments and chronic pains, the most common of which has been back pain. If I feel the issue can be addressed by Sarno’s philosophy, I refer them to all of his books and share with them my experience: a cure of nearly a year and a half of daily back and/or right leg pain that made me too afraid to jog, lift things, compromise my posture, or even take 2 steps at a time when climbing the stairs. I will continue to spread the word to those that are willing to have an open mind about it. My life certainly turned a complete 180 degrees after the word was spread to me. For that, I am ever so thankful.Best wishes!
32 people found this helpful
AMV –
5.0 out of 5 stars
When your pain is beyond medical diagnosis…
I had moved to Boston in a new job sometime in September 1998. Boston was much colder that Kansas City and by November it grew colder, with increasing snowfall. Due to the problems of road commute, I had stopped driving to work and started using the train system to travel to work. Very often it snowed all night, that cleared up by daybreak.The melting snow formed streams of water and puddles that I had to wade through while walking from to the train station, and from the Boston subway station to the office. On a wet morning in November as I was treading to the station, my left ankle twisted and I slipped into a puddle nearly losing my balance. As I regained my stand I was suddenly struck with a severe pain in my left foot shooting up the calf muscle.The pain was somewhat bearable, but when it persisted for a week and kept getting worse, I went to a local doctor.He thought it was sciatica pain, and prescribed a course of Naproxen, a common anti inflammatory drug. That did not help much, and the pain was so crippling that I was limping all around my home and in the office.By January of 1999 I was ready to quit the cold of Boston head back to Kansas City. I called one of my previous manager in Kansas City and told her my story. She was extremely sympathetic and offered me my old position!Once in Kansas City I went back to my old Doctor. He ordered X-Rays, CT scan, and MRI, and finding no physical abnormalities, reaffirmed the diagnosis of sciatica pain by the Boston doctor; and asked me to continue with Naproxen. A month later, with no relief in sight, the doctor sent me to physiotherapy. After two weeks of therapy without much benefit, the therapist was considering putting me on traction. I was shocked! I didn’t want traction!!Right from my teenage days I had a keen interest in psychology. I was also a believer in the power of the mind and the concept of mind body connection. I loved reading books on these subjects and whenever the opportunity arose, I thought there had to be a non-medical solution to my pain if it was beyond medical diagnosis!So I started searching for books on on healing muscle pains that had no mention of medicine or surgery. That is how I found this book in Barnes and Noble and bought a copy. Back home that evening I settled down and started reading the book. In about two hours I had finished reading more than half of the book, when I felt something strange happening!I felt that my sciatica pain that was my constant companion for over three months was much less! In fact the pain had almost disappeared!! I was too excited to continue with reading. That night I slept well, without being woken up by the pain even once. The next morning I finished the book. My pain had disappeared 100%!!You can read my full story and more on this book in my website mind-body-soul.net. Dr. John Sarno retired from the New York School of Medicine in April 2013. But before quitting his epic work life, he has published another book, “The Divided Mind”, which has the same content as Healing Back Pain, plus some great articles by six of his colleagues in the profession who have successfully practiced his theory of T.M.S (Tension Myositis Syndrome).
25 people found this helpful
Eff –
5.0 out of 5 stars
I didn’t really believe the reviews, but I’m 60% better.
Okay, the reviews sound too good to be true. I’m not gonna lie.The mind is a very mysterious and powerful thing.We use the word placebo to explain this power, how the sheer fact of believing something can result in the body doing any number of things, that typically (in our society) require medicine or surgery or more.So on that level this book totally makes sense.But when I read the reviews I was skeptical, and it was only the sheer volume of reviews and the fact that I could get the book used for four dollars that persuaded me to buy it.I was hit head on while riding my motorcycle in 2006. I broke my wrist really badly, and the ligaments that attached my legs to my hips tore. The people at the hospital dropped the ball and tossed me out of rehab, saying that if I could turn a key in a lock I wasn’t their problem, even though I was in chronic pain and nobody could figure out why. I couldn’t lean my elbow on a desk, I couldn’t write more than half a page without wincing and feeling like there was an icepick stabbing up my arm. I had sciatica so bad I would toss and turn all night and wake in the morning feeling like I’d been beaten. Sitting and standing would result in aching pinching lower back all around my tailbone.I’d tried chiropractic (helped a bit.) Deep tissue massage (helped a bit.) Accupuncture (helped a bit.) Somatics (helped a lot.) Painkillers (didn’t really help.) Herbal extracts (helped a little.) and was still in so much pain that years later I still felt like I was a hundred years old and the only thing that really made me feel ok about the situation was the fact that someday I would die and the pain would stop. It was that bad.So I’ll try just about anything once, and I got this book.And it didn’t heal me completely but I gotta say, all I did was read it, and only once, and the pain just sort of vanished by about 60%. For four dollars. I can’t even tell you how many thousands of dollars I have spent on treatments that helped a little bit.Suddenly I could sleep. I remembered what it was like to NOT be in pain.If you are even thinking about it, get this f’ing book.(One more thing, if you have gotten this far, you are, or you know someone who is in some serious pain. I stumbled upon a woman who does massage and organ manipulation.. apparently when I got hit my organs had gotten slammed down too low in my body, and that was what was causing the *pain down the backs of my legs and in my lower back*. She massaged my stomach and pushed organs around. And now my pain level is down to about 5 to 10%. She said very active people can have their insides shift down too low in this way too, and it causes this kind of pain. Unrelated, but I had never heard such a thing, I don’t know that western medicine even acknowledges it, and if you are like me it could improve your life.)
10 people found this helpful
Holmes –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Strangely enough, it works.
This is the most begrudging 5-star review I’ve ever written. I am what the author would describe as a skeptic/problem patient – the type of person that wouldn’t accept the idea of a mind-body connection creating physical pain unless it was literally the only thing left that it could be after exhausting every other possibility. I was really apprehensive about the ideas this book conveyed going in, but I was at an emotional low point after suffering debilitating upper back/shoulder/tailbone pain for two years, and very desperate. I couldn’t even sit down normally anymore – I was dependent on a special coccyx pillow. I had every major medical diagnostic and treatment that could be performed in regards to back pain – X-rays, MRIs, massage therapy, chiropractic adjustments, a 3-month round of physical therapy, nerve relaxing meds, a cortisone injection, even antidepressants. Everything came back negative, or didn’t help me. At the age of 24, I already felt like a frail old man, and the fear and anxiety this state brought to me was further deepened by the fact that every medical specialist I’d seen couldn’t discern what was actually wrong with me.Finally, after all of these unsuccessful attempts at a remedy, my pain management doctor suggested that I read this book. That is likely the most important part for me – a real, qualified physician that I trusted suggested that I read this, not a late-night TV commercial or a forwarded email from my grandma. It caused me to look at the book with just enough open-mindedness to accept what it said. I still thought the book was unbelievable, new-age alternative crap when I was first reading it, but all of Sarno’s points were well-reasoned, and his profile of a typical sufferer of this condition fit me perfectly. (And I don’t mean that in a cold reading sense – the condition described in this book most often afflicts a very particular type of person, with a certain type of past) Eventually, the points he made had driven in and clicked with me enough times to accept. Hungry for more evidence for and explanation of what he dubs “Tension Myositis Syndrome”, I proceeded to read another two books of his, The Mindbody Prescription and The Divided Mind. They were all helpful to me.I’d like to temper this reverent review with one realistic comment, however – this book isn’t magical. I still have minor bouts of the same old pains occasionally, and because this book walks you through fixing a psychologically-based disorder, that means you need to commit yourself to changing what could be very old and deeply-rooted thought patterns. This is important because you have to essentially de-condition and deprogram yourself – you have to stop thinking of yourself as damaged, and that’s much harder to do if you’ve believed it for a long time. I was lucky to face these issues at a young age after going through only two years of pain, and saw real improvements in just two weeks – I can only imagine how long it may take those who have suffered for significantly longer stretches of time.I recommend this book highly. It’s cheap, short, practical, effective, and easy to understand.
11 people found this helpful
Michael K –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Having chronic pain for 2 decades is like being in a prison
Chronic pain has been something I have been working to relieve most of my adult life……over half of my life now. Most of my life work has been working with business owners that are in the health and wellness field because this has been something that has plagued me so much personally. I’ve been to dozens (if not hundreds – who’s counting at this point) of allopathic, complementary and alternative practitioners to deal with this pain.I’ve tried things as aggressive and invasive as radio frequency ablation, cortisone shots, many rounds of Physical Therapy, consults with top surgeons, acupuncture, massage, somatic body therapist, people waving crystals over my head and lots of yoga, stretching and myofascial release.Sometimes I feel like a part-time patient with all the doctor visits I have. I know my health card ID by heart. I have Aetna on speed dial. I have lots of blank insurance forms. I can’t stand filling out forms and having to tell my story to yet another person who probably won’t be able to help me.I started to research more and more different methods to deal with pain. What causes pain? So many theories and mysterious reasons. lack of vitamins, water, ergonomics, structural anatomical differences, faulty movement patterns, negative beliefs, bad posture when sitting and standing, old injuries that never healed properly.I watched lots of videos on youtube about ways to deal with pain with non-surgical methods. I started to learn the language of anatomy and dysfunction. When I go to my doctor I can describe anatomically the exact areas of my pain just like a doctor.Where is my pain? Depending on what year you ask me it has been in different body parts -my tailbone, me knees, my low back, my shoulders, my hands and wrists and the last decade mostly in my forehead and neck.My biggest friend in my right against debilitating and excruciating pain – Google. I realized that if I wanted to get rid of my pain I was going to have to become my own doctor and not rely on a health professional to heal me. I started to wonder what all this pain and constriction in my head and neck was. What was causing it and how could I deal with it more powerfully.I don’t even know how I found Dr Sarno…. I think it was just suggested to me by Amazon… so not having any faith that this would help me I bought his book.After I read the book, I wondered if retraining my brain via’s Sarno’s suggestions would work for me. So I committed myself to retraining my brain…. I bought two of his books and the The MindBody Workbook: A Thirty Day Program of Insight and Awareness by David Schechter M.D.. I bought these over a month ago. I also started to meditate almost daily.Relief From Chronic Pain… finallyToday I am pain-free!. Having chronic pain for 2 decades is like being in a prison/ You want to run away from your body but you can’t. Life is miserable.Today I feel like I finally have the keys to unlock myself and stay free.I am forever grateful to Dr Sarno.
69 people found this helpful
Suz –
5.0 out of 5 stars
It’s a miracle – This book changed my life UPDATE
**Update 7/9/16**Since reading the book 6months ago the pain is gone. When it tries to return I must realize something is bothering me emotionally. I actually talk to my Brain – because the goal is to reprogram my thinking not to over react when pain strikes and instead accept my body is acting as a diversion from emotions.- I remind myself by saying I’m no longer scared. I know what my body is doing now. It’s not worse case scenarios all day long anymore. I know I’m ok. I’ve read other books on MindBody and self healing and it’s been an amazing, emotional, and learning experience. I have a new life. My family and friends are amazed at my transformation and others find it hard to believe.This book helped me realize my severe back pain was not a structural problem, but a psychological problem. (Not the same as “mental problems”). It’s an Emotional problem. People are incorrect thinking this book is saying the pain is all in your head. The pain is real. The reason the pain was created was because the mind didn’t want to deal or feel something -so the pain diverts me from thinking emotionally. I was incapacitated to the point I could not carry a plate. My anxiety through the roof and the pain was incredible.I spent 5 days in the hospital this January 2016 getting testing done. Once serious structural problems were ruled out I knew the book had merit. I still was suffering horrible muscle spasms and severe intractable back pain. The pain is REAL, but the cause is unrealized emotions. As soon as I accepted that my pain was caused by my mind to divert my attention away from strong emotions – the pain started to go away. I’m not cured yet, but I know now when the pain starts that something is bothering me. Once I journal about it the pain goes awayUsually goes away.I had gone to chiropractor for 20 years and the pain reached a point where I was given morphein, dilaudid, and Tylenol 4with no relief. I almost got an epidural in back and I’m so glad I didn’t !! I was told I had bulging disk in 3 places. Inflammation. Pinched nerves. Sciatica. Herniated disks. Bursitis in hips. And scoliosis.I found it very interesting that a lot of my other problems like migraine, hay fever, itchy legs, and intestinal problems can all be caused by my mind not wanting to deal with something.The miracle here is since I read the book I haven’t taken any anxiety meds or pain meds. My back pain is gone as well!!! It’s been a month. I am willing to deal with my emotions today and am not scared when my body starts reacting. I know that I’m ok today.This book helped me realize my severe back pain was not a structural problem, but a psychological problem. (Not the same as “mental problems”). It’s an Emotional problem. People are incorrect thinking this book is saying the pain isall in your head. The pain is real. The reason the pain was created was because the mind didn’t want to deal or feel something -so the pain diverts me from thinking emotionally
49 people found this helpful
Ryan Davis –
5.0 out of 5 stars
This book healed my back.
my story is that I started having back pain in High School when playing basketball. Starting then, I went to chiropractors who told me that there were things wrong with my back and that I better be “careful” or I’d hurt myself. Since then (over 20 years) I’ve had pain off and on. Usually I’d have a constant, but mild, pain in my lower back. Sometimes it would move to my hips, sometimes into my upper back and occasionally down my sciatic nerve into my legs. This summer I renovated my house, I ripped off my roof, took out walls, cabinets, carpet and did most of the work to renovate.Before every big project my back would go out. My roof was last and I worked through excruciating pain to rip the shake shingles off. About then chiropractic stopped working for me and I started doing my own research project to figure out what I could do to help my back.I ran into the book above, bought it and read it on the plane to a trade show in Florida. When I got on the plane, I could barely pull my carry-on bag. By the time I was half way through the book my pain had decreased from an 8 to a 2. Since then I’ve been able to keep the pain in the 2-3 category and I feel like every day my back is getting better.The approach in the book is fascinating and to me it makes total sense. The man who wrote the book has seen over 10,000 back pain patients and has a cure rate in the high 98% range for those who can accept his diagnosis. The diagnosis is that that it is very likely that there is nothing wrong with your back, but that there is a mind body process going on that is creating pain – very real pain, but pain that can be cured by simply understanding the mind-body process that is creating the pain. The way he treats his patients is simply by asking them to attend a series of lectures that he gives on what he has learned about the back and its connection to the mind body process.One more thing about the book – The reason I started with this book is it has almost 700 reviews on Amazon and has a rating of higher than 4.5 starts. I haven’t seen many things with that high of reviews on Amazon and I buy a ton of stuff from them. I read like 50 or so of the reviews and many of them said that by simply reading the book their back pain went away. I found the same.After reading “healing back pain” I read another of the author’s books, called “The Mindbody Perscription, Healing the Body Healing the Pain.” I am glad that I read the back pain book first, and then the mind body prescription second. For the first time since I was 17 I feel like I’m finally in control and will not be a crippled old man with a walker.
11 people found this helpful