John E. Sarno (1923–2017)

Who reads this? People with chronic pain and they need help. If it's physical, then it can be fixed with drugs and surgery. But often times, the author notes that the pain comes and goes in different areas, at different times of the day and it's hard to diagnose. He notes that its evolved from rage and highly stressful times that may have been there for years and just happens to develop in a form of pain. He says that rather than drugs, the patient needs therapy or a change with their way of thinking when actually the physical body is fine.

It seems complicated but a lot of people have read this book and sometimes overnight the pain that has been with them for years just happens to disappear like one big miracle. He addresses various physical manifestations of mind-body orders in the book and the power of the mind that can change things. It's worth a try anyway to read the book and try to make some sense out of it.

… (més)

So after nearly an entire lifetime of no back issues, bang I was hit with sciatica. Ouch. No pain in the back really but a lot down the leg supposedly caused by the back. So I embarked upon the medical jungle circuit. GP, X-rays, Ortho, pills, PT, MRI, possible injections, next, next, next. The condition, about the same.

So with no discernible help I embarked upon my own research and came across this audiobook from years ago. Dr. Sarno flatly states that all back pain and related issues are 99% from your brain not your back. Really quite a different approach to try and wrap around.

It is quite persuasive in its presentation but quite short on remedy other than heavy counseling to get in touch with the inner demons that cause this pain. Preferably with a doctor or psych that subscribes to Dr. Sarno's ideas.

So I reflected upon this and tried to determine in my mind if I was improperly potty trained and it manifested itself in repressed anger that finally surfaced at age 65. This drew a blank, but I continue to search. Of course I am being a bit facetious here but it is only to illustrate the difficult journey this condition puts you on and the seemingly never ending search for answers.

I continue the search and if I discover my own root cause for the pain somewhere in the inner recesses of my mind I look forward to the relief.… (més)