Back Pain Support Group

I have suffered from lumbar pain for almost 2 years. The same old bulging disc diagnois, sciatica etc etc. In researching I found out about Dr. John Sarno and his theories on TMS - Tension Myositis Syndrome. I read his book "Healing Back Pain, The Mind Body Connection" and it has changed my life. My pain level has gone from a 5-6 to a 1 in just one week after reading the book. I stopped doing the "back strengthening exercises", stopped taking Celebrex and stopped restricting my activitiy. I'm ordering his other books asap. Although not all back pain is a result of TMS, alot of it is, including other chronic pain conditions. Read the book! You've got nothing to lose and everything to gain!

I read this book too, and I agree with Dr. Sarno that bedrest is a bad idea for more than a few days. You really have to fight the pain and get going to get better, a little each day. Where I disagree with him is that he believes that back pain is rooted in a mental problem and I have to say that this is just not my experience. There is a reason for the pain, and just because doctors have not figured it out yet, doesn't mean that its "all in my head". That is just bad medicine, and considering that Dr. Sarno has NO psychological training at ALL it borders on malpractice to even suggest it. Take whatever good advice you can out of the book and leave the rest, mainly to just get moving as soon as you can.