tms - the mind/body syndrome
(by janey stansbury - updated september 2023)
TMS - the Mindbody Syndrome - also known as too much stress, too much sh-t, temporary mind-body syndrome, and originally known as tension neuro-myositis syndrome - it all means the same thing - the unconscious part of the brain is creating very uncomfortable symptoms in the physical body as a means to protect you or distract you from emotional pain and stress it doesn't think you can handle. It distracts you from thinking about all the things you don't want to think about or feel. Unfelt, deep, unconscious emotions.
TMS is an acronym coined by Dr. John Sarno many decades ago. After ruling out anything dangerous, structural (acute injuries, breaks, fractures, etc.), anything congenital, an infection or anything life threatening, Dr. Sarno said "virtually everything else is considered to be TMS."
All pain comes from the brain - as well as many other symptoms, sensations, and reactions in the body. These can include (but are not limited to) allergies (food and environmental), IBS, headaches and migraines, numbness and tingling, fibromyalgia, rashes/itching, random aches and chronic pain, tension/cramping, twitches, TMJ, sciatica, toothaches, strains, arthritis, tennis elbow, bulging discs, some cases of spinal stenosis, many hormonal symptoms, pelvic pain, anxiety, depression (non structural), bad habits, addictions, nervousness and so much more! The list gets longer and longer every year.
A common indication that you have TMS is your symptoms move around. A symptom could be on one side of your body one week, and on the other a few weeks later. It can move from your upper body to your lower body and from front to back. Or you can wake up with something and it could be gone within the same day (even though you didn't take a pill for it.) In many cases, it could be a condition that has become chronic - for weeks, months or years. And the sensations can change - from pain to aching to itching to numbness, etc. It's as if the brain is playing the shell game with your body.
All pain (and many other annoying symptoms) are real and physical. But the cause is not physical - it is coming from the brain via neuro pathways. It is the brain's reaction to stress and it is trying to help you and protect you by distracting you with something physical.
Once you learn about MRI images, X-rays, placebos and most surgeries, your perspective on your symptoms may change. If you embrace the concepts of TMS and how it works, you can often free yourself of chronic conditions. At the very least, you can feel less stressed by them, understand where they're coming from and get on with your life. Dr. Sarno referred to this as knowledge therapy. "Knowledge has great therapeutic power."
Understanding TMS can be liberating and self empowering and getting a TMS diagnosis should feel like good news. The approach is very simple - talk to the part of your brain that has been setting off false alarms for most of your life. Think of it as an over protective parent or a puppy that needs diligent training. Your brain has learned to be over-protective and you can teach it to turn down the volume, turn off the false alarms and reduce your symptoms without drugs or surgery.
The unconscious part of the brain has two main jobs - to keep you alive and to keep you safe. Once you re-train your brain to believe that you are safe consistently, then that's when the real change begins. You have nothing to lose by applying this approach. If you can rule out anything dangerous or life threatening, talking to your unconscious brain or even just accepting that your brain could be doing this - is one of the simplest and most effective things you can do. It's free and it only takes a moment to practice. You have nothing to lose (accept maybe that ache or pain!)
If you're new to TMS, here are a few references to get you started.
Begin at the beginning - with Dr. John Sarno. He is the foundation of this work and you can find a few older interviews with him on YouTube. He also wrote several books throughout his career based on his findings. A few recommended titles are Healing Back Pain, The Mindbody Prescription and The Divided Mind. A small minority of people recover from years of chronic pain just from reading his books. Something in their conscious mind fully accepts what the unconscious mind is doing.
"Dr. Sarno's most notable (and controversial) achievement is the development, diagnosis and treatment of TMS." He was the professor of rehabilitative medicine at the NY University Rusk Institute for five decades. Dr. Sarno passed away in 2017 but his work carries on and continues to evolve as other physicians and specialists explore and research the mysterious and fascinating mind-body connection.
Dr. Sarno's main focus at that time was lower back pain. In the 5 decades that he saw tens of thousands of patients, back pain was the number one complaint that he heard repeatedly over and over. But now, in current times, you can replace the words 'pain' and 'lower back' with just about any other descriptors, sensations and areas of the body.
If you enjoy watching videos, start with a 1999 episode of 20/20 with Dr. John Sarno. So many important, fundamental points are covered in this video - from cultural beliefs to repressed rage, personality characteristics like perfectionism and do-goodism, gastrointestinal disorders, repetitive strain injuries, and why his lectures in and of themselves were enough to help so many of his patients recover in such a short time. They also discuss why a certain percentage of people have such a hard time embracing Dr. Sarno's concepts in the first place. John Stossel takes you through a day in the life of Dr. Sarno as he treats patients with TMS (including John Stossel himself.) www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qwFjKYlbf4
Another informative video to watch is called All the Rage. This is a documentary based on the work of Dr. John Sarno in 2016. You will hear incredible stories as you follow Dr. Sarno through his day of treating his patients who have suffered with chronic pain for years and decades. You may feel inspired by personal success stories of celebrities as well as other well known physicians (including Dr. Schubiner.) This doc is available to rent ($5.99) or to purchase ($14.99) on Amazon Prime as well as on Vimeo. This isn't for the faint of heart - it's intense and real.
Dr. Howard Schubiner is another mind-body physician who worked directly with Dr. Sarno for personal and professional reasons. He went to spend some time with Dr. Sarno over two decades ago to investigate these mind-body theories because he was intrigued by what he had heard and wanted see if it was possible to eliminate his own chronic pain and potentially help his patients do the same. And that's exactly what he did.
You can find Dr. Schubiner on many podcasts as well as his own YouTube Channel. He has also written several books including Unlearn Your Pain. You can watch six short, animated, science-based videos on his channel explaining how pain comes from the brain. As well as dozens of other interviews and webinars right at your fingertips to educate you on the science behind TMS.
A favorite is with Dr. Howard Schubiner and Dr. John Stracks. This video is loaded with gems about TMS symptoms and other mysterious sensations in the body including long-haul Covid. Many questions are answered by these two doctors who applied the TMS concepts and healed themselves from chronic pain many years ago. 2/21/2023 Q&A With Dr. Howard Schubiner and Dr. John Stracks.
Dr. Schubiner has changed practices (as of January 2023) but you can still reach out to him via email to see what his availability is through tele-med services. Contact him at hschubiner@gmail.com. You can expect to hear back from him within a few weeks.
Another TMS expert is Dan Buglio. Dan uploads videos every single day - no matter where he is in the world. His videos are fairly short and to the point with very helpful reminders to help you on your TMS journey. His approach is refreshing and different than other TMS teachers. He doesn't give homework and he doesn't focus on meditation, journaling, deep breathing or yoga-type exercises to help alleviate pain. He has a very no-nonsense approach that makes things simple and do-able. He has a very laid-back personality and just listening to him can calm an over-active brain and nervous system. He's often outside when filming which is another bonus if you like nature sounds and beautiful scenery.
Dan also provides videos of testimonials with everyday people. In these interviews they discuss their TMS journey and how they 'healed.' (Not a word some TMS teachers use, because ultimately, there is nothing wrong with you. Nothing is broken, damaged or needs to be healed. The symptoms are coming from the brain, not the body. Some prefer the word 'recover'.) You can find these interviews on YouTube and fb at Pain Free You.
If you are not convinced that your symptoms are TMS, you can go to Dan's website and take an assessment to help you find the answers. Go to www.painfreeyou.com/?r_done=1 . You also have the option of participating in Dan's group coaching calls several times a month that provide wonderful support and plenty of time for your personal concerns to be addressed. He won't stop the coaching call until everyone has had a chance to ask their questions. Almost everyone in these groups has been in a similar situation and can provide the support and knowledge you need to help you from where you are on your journey.
Steve Ozanich is the person I first learned about TMS from. It was an interview on Inspire Nation with Michael Sandler on January 21, 2017 on YouTube. The video is titled STEVE OZANICH: Heal Your Back Pain Permanently! The Great pain Deception Based on Dr. Sarno.
Steve's story of how he recovered from decades of chronic back pain is short of miraculous. His books The Great Pain Deception and Back Pain, Permanent Healing: Myths, Lies and Confusion are must reads. You can find him at steveozanich.com. He is known as the TMS Whisperer and also offers consultations if you'd like to reach out to him. Steve has a bit of a spiritual approach - kind of 'zen-like' with a very humble attitude. You can also find more inspirational testimonials on his YouTube Channel called TMS Healing Wall of Victory.
There are hundreds of doctors, psychotherapists and clinicians who implement the TMS teachings into their practices. Almost all of them have used the TMS protocols to 'heal themselves' and have their own personal recovery stories to tell. There is no shortage of them out there. Find the ones that resonate with you on social media, YouTube and TMSWiki.Org.
Disclaimer - Be smart. When concerned about a physical issue, get checked out. Make sure you can rule out anything dangerous, life-threatening, infectious, congenital, or structural. You can always reach out to a TMS physician and still continue to work with your primary care doctor. There are TMS physicians all over the world now and most of them work with patients virtually. Some of the TMS practices may even accept your insurance - be sure to ask.
269-579-Jane (5263)
stansburyjaney@yahoo.com