| Introduction: | | | | reflects on how various psychological factors such as |
| TMS has to do with the manifestation of emotional | | | | low self-esteem, narcissism, fear, anxiety, anger and |
| and psychological conditions in the soft tissue | | | | unnatural repression of natural traits will at some point |
| surrounding the spine and consequently emerging as | | | | or the other cause the body to retaliate and defend |
| the major cause for pain in the neck, shoulder, back, | | | | itself-consequently manifesting as back pain. |
| buttocks and limbs. Although the painful yet benign | | | | As for the physiology of TMS, the basics are already |
| syndrome is brought on mainly by stress, the cause | | | | pointed out in the first chapter. Although the |
| can be a wide range of latent emotional issues. | | | | explanation is a bit heavy with a lot of medical terms, in |
| Dr Sarno suggests that the acceptance and treatment | | | | a nutshell, the physiology of TMS can be said to be |
| of TMS as a legitimate syndrome may be deemed a | | | | represented by certain emotional states that cause |
| "holistic" approach because unlike conventional | | | | mild oxygen deprivation of the abovementioned soft |
| medicine, TMS is treated not by addressing the | | | | tissues. This dearth of oxygen is the primary cause for |
| symptoms, but by identifying them and then treating | | | | the pain, sensory abnormalities and muscle control |
| the underlying cause rooted in emotional and | | | | deficits. |
| psychological factors. Having faced negative attention | | | | Talk to your brain: |
| from his contemporaries himself, he backs up his claim | | | | The treatment of TMS is as non-linear as the concept |
| with many testimonials at the end of the book, from | | | | itself with the focus being on understanding the nature |
| TMS affected patients that he successfully cured. | | | | of the disorder and training oneself to act on it and |
| The Four W's: | | | | change the brain's behavior. Simply being aware of the |
| Who - TMS is a cradle-to-grave disorder affecting | | | | potential psychological causes of the pain and telling |
| people of all ages. However on a general note, people | | | | one's brain that one is not helpless and intimidated can |
| between 30-60 years of age have been found to be | | | | actually cause the pain to go away. Such is the power |
| the most affected. Since this age group is also the | | | | of volition. |
| "maximum stress" group with most responsibility, stress | | | | Sarno also urges patients to get over fears of the pain |
| is accepted as the most common cause of TMS. | | | | relapses, to resume all kinds of normal physical activity |
| Where - As the name suggests, the most affected | | | | including the more rigorous ones as well as discontinue |
| soft tissue in TMS are muscle (myo) and also | | | | all physical treatment or therapy. However he is very |
| peripheral nerves. In some cases, there can be | | | | careful to mention in various instances throughout, that |
| accompanying pain in tendons or ligaments, which | | | | the book is not meant for self diagnosis but is merely |
| tends to disappear once the back pain is treated. | | | | an introduction to a newly discovered syndrome. He |
| What - TMS usually occurs as a sudden acute attack | | | | clearly states that TMS should be diagnosed and |
| with an excruciating pain most commonly affecting the | | | | treated only after a thorough medical exam of the |
| lower back and buttocks. However many people also | | | | back has been conducted yielding no conclusive |
| report a gradual beginning to the pain, which is usually | | | | evidence of spinal aberrations. As an important part of |
| localized in the neck and shoulders to later move | | | | the treatment, Sarno asks patients to review daily |
| further down the back. | | | | reminders of what TMS actually is and list out possible |
| When - Acute or slow, the timing of the pain can only | | | | causes for the syndrome. |
| be determined by the patients' psychological state at | | | | Overall, the book is a bold venture into a realm which is |
| the time, with a physical incident acting merely as a | | | | still not considered "solid" medicine owing to its subtle |
| trigger. He explains a delayed onset reaction wherein a | | | | nature. However Dr Sarno's reputation as a professor |
| person sails through tough stressful times without a | | | | of Clinical Rehabilitation Medicine at the NYU School of |
| hiccup, but develops TMS later due to the | | | | Medicine, and attending physician at the Howard A |
| accumulated anxiety. | | | | Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine at NYU |
| Psychology and Physiology: | | | | Medical Centre, his many years of research into the |
| In an attempt to stress his point about TMS being a | | | | syndrome and the large number of patients who have |
| psychological phenomenon rather than a structural | | | | benefited from his work, certainly adds credibility to the |
| aberration in the spine or muscle deficiency, Sarno | | | | book. |
| does tend to get rather repetitive. But he gets the point | | | | If you are suffering from any of the symptoms |
| across. Repressed unacceptable emotions which give | | | | mentioned, if you are brave enough to try something |
| rise to tension and physical or emotional stress are | | | | out-of-the-box, if you have an open mind and if you |
| two of the major causes of TMS. Differentiating | | | | wish to heal yourself naturally, this book may serve as |
| between the conscious and unconscious mind and | | | | a potentially explorable avenue for a safe alternative |
| keeping a safe distance from psychiatric jargon, Sarno | | | | remedy to back pain. |