Have you been dealing with chronic pain for quite some time now? Have you tried all the standard treatment protocols, but for some reason, your pain won't go away? Has your doctor begun to say your pain is just in your head and is now medically unexplained?
If you said yes to any of the following above, chances are that you are experiencing neuroplastic pain, or as some call it, tension myositis syndrome (TMS). According to the Psychophysiologic Disorders Association, "30-40% of primary care patients suffer from pain symptoms and chronic conditions that are "medically unexplained."
Just because your pain is "medically unexplained" and body-based treatments are not working doesn't mean it is the end of the road for you, fellow Warrior. However, it can mean that:
1) your pain is neuroplastic
2) your pain is REAL
3) there is a chronic pain cure for you!
What is tension myositis syndrome, and where does chronic pain come from?
Tension myositis syndrome (TMS), also called mind-body syndrome and neuroplastic pain is a psychological condition that causes physical pain. Physical pain is onset as a response to unresolved trauma, childhood adversities, stressful/life-changing events, and other psychological factors depression, anxiety, and OCD.
The build-up of these stressful events causes the brain to become oversensitive to sensations and interpret neutral signals as dangerous. Alan Gordon, the founder of the Pain Psychology Center, terms this a "false alarm." Instead, you may be experiencing a disconnection between the brain and body, causing real yet unnecessary pain.
As stress and anxiety around symptoms occur, the brain will continue to detect danger and misinterpret safe sensations as painful. However, if we can get to the root of the stress-induced pain, we can train the brain to change its interpretation of sensations from dangerous back to neutral.
Is there a tension myositis syndrome test I can take?
TMS or mind-body syndrome can be tested in many ways. There are many success stories, including myself, who read one book based on the mind-body approach and fully believed in the method, which led to a cure for chronic pain. However, as a chronic pain coach, I find it highly beneficial to consult with a physician who is well-versed in the mind-body approach to confirm your diagnosis of TMS. This will not only rule out disease and structural damage as the cause of pain but will also help you fight doubt and fear when working to cure TMS and mind-body symptoms.
Here are three ways to test and confirm a diagnosis for tension myositis syndrome.
2) Read any of the listed TMS books below with self-diagnosis tests and DIY programs
I highly suggest the following TMS books for beginners: Healing Back Pain by Dr. John E. Sarno, The Way Out by Alan Gordon, Unlearn Your Pain by Dr. Howard Schubiner, by Think Away Your Pain by Dr. David Schechter.
Natural chronic pain and tension myositis syndrome treatments nearby:
The newest groundbreaking tension myositis syndrome treatment is Pain Reprocessing Therapy. Pain Reprocessing Therapy was created by psychologist Alan Gordon and has become a proven method to cure chronic pain and other mind-body symptoms based on the Colorado Boulder Back Pain Study. Patients treated with PRT could reduce years of chronic back pain to 1 or 0 out of 10 in just five weeks. The clients included in this study had disc degeneration, disc bulges, and spinal stenosis diagnoses. The difference before and after treatment had nothing to do with the body's structure, and treatment was entirely psychological. Patients cured their pain problems by changing their relationship to sensations, challenging their beliefs about the onset of pain, and getting rid of the fear surrounded by symptoms.
Pain Reprocessing Therapy is a holistic, non-invasive treatment that uses psychological methods to rewire the brain, reset the nervous system and cure chronic pain. The treatment protocol for PRT is to help clients:
Connect pain science education to their personal pain experience to reappraise the cause of pain.
Practice somatic tracking to interpret physical and emotional sensations as neutral.
Address fearful thought patterns.
Return to activity.
Are you interested in Pain Reprocessing Therapy? Body Amor Wellness coach Amari Dior is certified by the Pain Psychology Center and offers a 5-week virtual program for those dealing with mind-body symptoms such as chronic low back pain, pelvic pain, fibromyalgia, migraines, and IBS, and more. Click here to learn more and get started with a complimentary consultation!