Healing Back Pain (Reissue Edition): The Mind-Body Connection

I have thought long and hard about writing this review as I know how it feels to spend hours trawling through the internet searching for a cure for crippling pain, and knowing how much information is out there, I have hesitated to add to it. But my sincere wish is that this post will give someone else the courage and confidence to take a chance with this book. My story: I, like many people, have suffered with back problems all my life - I'm now 43 - and had accepted that frequent bouts of pain, my back 'going' and regular trips to a much trusted and respected osteopath were just part of life. And that was fine. Until I had a really bad and prolonged bout of pain that started in Autumn 2013. I'd had 'disc issues' in the past but my pain had ALWAYS been on the left side. One morning I woke up with real soreness in my right lower back. Slightly perplexed but not unduly alarmed I went to see my osteo as usual and expected everything to be fixed in a week or two. However, It didn't get better - in fact it got progressively worse. I started to worry that it would turn into the sort of pain that I had experienced a couple of years earlier. I was told then by my osteopath that I had injured a disc. The pain at the time was excruciating, but after treatments and several weeks of rest it did get better. Well this time my pain got worse and seemed to be evolving. It had started in the back but three months later was moving to my leg and becoming far more intense. Standing and walking became very difficult, making my long commute to work on the tube a nightmare. Losing faith in my osteopath I saw other physiotherapists and tried acupuncture - all to no effect, other than to be told repeatedly that my back 'was a mess' and I could expect pain on and off all my life. Finally in desperation I went to my GP who ordered an MRI. This showed various bulges and degeneration but most worryingly, an extruded disc (where the inner material has leaked out) and this was pressing on a nerve. My GP explained all this with patience and told me that if conventional treatment didn't work, I would have to consider injections or, down the road, surgery. The pain got even worse. Then, one day I stumbled across an article about the comedian Howard Stern and his battle against pain. He seemed to have found a miracle cure in the shape of a treatment by Dr John Sarno. By this time, I was endlessly searching the internet and becoming an expert on all things disc related. Thinking more information could only be good I bought the book. I read it within 48 hours - it was the Easter holiday and I was spending most of my time horizontal anyway. After the initial excitement that I might be one of the blessed ones who start to feel the pain evaporate as they read, I had to confess that although I liked the idea, and wanted it to be true, my pain was still there. Also I had an MRI, a GP and a host of other back pain specialists telling me it was a physical problem. To cut a long story short, I suffered on for another few months, until one day I just suddenly decided that I would suspend my disbelief and - as wholeheartedly as I could manage - do some of the exercises recommended by Sarno. I even wrote the date down in my diary 'first day of TMS'. I didn't by this stage hold out much hope, but I was willing finally to give it a go. So I started writing in a journal and doing the daily reminders. I also saw a therapist to talk about emotional stuff but completely abandoned all back treatments and exercises. Within a week I was 75% better. A few weeks later I was pretty much back to normal - although I was still taking paracetamol regularly - but now at least it made a difference to the pain. A few months later and the pain was basically non-existent and any residual pain would vanish if I simply ignored it. So it did work for me. It wasn't immediate and it took a lot of soul searching to really commit to the idea. But once I did, it worked. Now I read a lot of reviews that say this approach may work for 'unexplained' pain (i.e. you don't have a real, physical problem.) But I had the worst form of slipped disc and I got better pretty damn fast once I got my head around the concept that a slipped disc might not be causing the kind of pain I was in. I have a great deal of respect for those who have tried this book and not found it to be useful, but I do believe that the premise of the book is correct and that, once you have been cleared of any disease or immune disorder etc.. the cause of ongoing and chronic pain is emotional, not physical. So my advice, in a nutshell, would be: Go to a professional and get an opinion, an MRI if necessary, if there is any lingering concern that the pain is caused by disease. Then, once you have the all clear for anything truly serious, buy this book and read it. Not once but many times. Let it sink in. Then practise the exercises and daily reminders religiously. Don't give up after a few days if things aren't improving. Work at it. I cannot guarantee I will never have back pain again, but I'm pretty sure I now know what lies behind it. Like many thousands of other people I am incredibly grateful to John Sarno for this . I wish you luck.

I had a few conversations lately about this book, and thought I'd come back to read my first review from ten years ago, which I've pasted below. I'm glad to say it still stands. I have had a couple of times when this pain has resurfaced, and I've read the book again and it's cleared up again, both times. One of those times was after moving house last year, when the pain came back fairly strongly. I listened to the audiobook whilst hobbling around the house doing bit and bobs and it was sorted within a couple of days, and I haven't thought about it since, other then when in conversation with people about their own back pain. The book is repetitive, and reads/sounds like it's been written by a somewhat hokey 1950s back pain evangelist, but I've come to like that. The main thing is: it works. Buy the book, read it, take it seriously and lightly, hand yourself over to the process, and hopefully you'll enjoy freedom from back issues. Below is my review from 10 years ago. (I don't have any treatments like acupuncture, mentioned below, any more.) . . . A friend of mine recently sent me this book after having totally dealt with his severe back pain (supposedly due to a herniated disc, seen on the MRI scan as a huge thing flopping about from his spine) in a matter of days, with no subsequent relapses despite a lifestyle involving pretty full-on physical activities. I had one of the most intensely painful and all-consuming relapses of my 20 year long chronic back pain on Saturday - I couldn't stand or walk - and read this book over two days. It's now Tuesday and after a significant recovery yesterday after finishing the book I'm now at about 95% back to normal and have just spent the morning clearing my flat out of clutter and generally sorting stuff out round the house ahead of getting back to work. (It should be noted that I also had a short acupuncture session to help things along yesterday and feel that this probably accounted for about 20% of my recovery. I've also taken up yoga for the last 6 months which I think helps with recovery (but was also the cause of this episode). I've never recovered from this level of pain before in less than 10 days - usually 20 - and I generally have a couple of weeks of tightness and 'danger' afterwards. The book works. It's simple, makes sense, Dr Sarno is straight-talking and his results with thousands of former patients speak for themselves. Healing this level of physical discomfort and disability through simply reading and changing my thought seems completely mental, but it works. I notice that 90% of people on here say the same thing, and I'm happy to say I'm one of them. Sounds too good to be true, but after the literally thousands of pounds I've spent over the years trying to get this sorted out, I feel like I might just have spent the best £7 of my life. Will be back to comment on ongoing results with time.

This is an interesting book dealing with TMS/back pain. I found the connection between back pain and emotions an eye opening concept and the book deals with this in a strong almost harsh way. I have found another book "Back in Control" takes a more gentle approach and deals more completely with the recovery aspect. I should just add that I am not the one suffering with this condition but it has greatly helped me to understand the sufferers point of view! I do not regret reading this book and perhaps is a good starting point, it is easy to read and is extremely positive in the approach to back pain something which I have found somewhat lacking in the pain clinic meetings that I have attended.

Let me start by saying this is my first ever book review. Normally I would be too busy or too lazy but this book is so incredible and worked so well for me that I simply had to add more positive comments to those already written here in the hope it will help save other people the suffering and incapacity I have been through. Before starting I should say that I consider myself open-minded enough to listen and consider but need to be convinced. The evidence was so compelling that I was easily convinced. Like others I have been suffering back, neck and shoulder pain and spasms for several years with life becoming a greater worry and loved activities becoming fewer. Investigations with medical professionals, and treatment by physios, chiropractic and osteopathic practitioners all temporarily easing but never curing the problem which was becoming ever more debilitating with spasms leaving me temporarily bed-ridden and unable to plan anything as I couldn't predict my state of health. Hours of prescribed strengthening work in the gym and pilates made no difference either. While reading the book I was able to recognize myself quite quickly. Becoming fully consciously aware of the mind's involvement in my physical problems and applying the recommended straightforward techniques to overcome them has set me free of nearly all aches and pains within just 10 days and I am already back to activities I though I may have to give up. I am still learning because the unconscious mind can be a tricky one and I know it will take time but I feel I have my life back. I would also say to any skeptics that the book only costs a few pounds and a little investment in time to read. Nothing compared to the time and cost with ongoing treatments. In any event, if you are a skeptic you ought to apply the same skepticism to medical diagnoses which cannot always be fully proven and treatments which cannot be guaranteed and regularly fail.

This book is published on cheap paper and is poor quality. Not sure why. The content is comprehensive, interesting, sometimes heavy going. I didn't find anywhere where it actually told you exactly how you get rid of TMS. I understand it is all to do with our mind and an emotional problem that is causing the physical pain, but unless you visit a psychotherapist I am not sure from this book you could heal yourself. A lot of good points made. I really find it difficult to believe all the previous reviews. The book talks about how people recover after listening to one of his lectures. This book is not telling you what he says in his lectures. I sincerely hope it does help but I am a little sceptical.

I read this book 3 years ago - for me it's a miracle! I suffered from bouts of chronic pain for about 15 years. I visited osteo's regularly (at least 3 times a month) had a massage once a week as I was so tense all the time, I went on a pain rehabilitation course through the NHS, had an MRI scan, acupuncture, cortisone injections, I was once wheeled into hospital in a wheelchair not able to move - locked out in hip pain. The pain moved around sometimes a frozen shoulder/clavicle, sometimes a locked neck, severe hip/sciatic pain, my back was always tense and I often felt like I had had a bruise on the back of my head, my jaw even locked out once - I took so many pain killers and the only way I could sleep was to take valium in the night to relax the muscles - it was horrible and quite depressing as no one could figure out what was going on. A friend told me about this book that had helped him.... I didn't hold much hope but for £7 what did I have to lose....... What happened after I read this book was unbelievable - I was suffering hip pain at the time of reading it and whilst I was reading the book, it disappeared ..... infact all my pain disappeared after reading the book - in 3 years I have had 3 short bouts of pain - I got the book back out re read it and now here I am over a year now without any pain at all. I lost a stone in weight almost straight after reading it..... as I can now exercise much more and I have done 2 triathlons in the past two years........It's amazing - my friends and family who watched me suffer think so too..... !!! I can't really explain how it works other than it's mind over matter - it's not spiritual as you might think- our brains are very powerful and that's what it comes down to PAIN is a distraction from all the crap that have on our minds - if you suffer from unexplained pain - then read it.... just read it.... and believe in yourself and keep the book on the shelf as it may take a few reads to get it totally right......I hope it works as well for you as it did for me :)

This is the first book review I've ever done, I'm writing this in the hope that my experience will encourage others to give this book a try!... My 12 year old daughter suffered chronic back pain for a year, we attributed the pain to a fall she'd suffered from a rope swing around the same time that the pain started. Her pain got worse every month, she stopped dancing / gymnastics / cycling / PE etc. due to the pain, she was regularly reduced to tears, at times she couldn't walk upstairs, the constant pain was destroying her life (and putting a huge strain on our family). She had countless doctors appointments, was referred to a hospital 'specialist', was given many sessions of physiotherapy and hydrotherapy all of which did absolutely nothing to alleviate her pain. We also took her for several sessions of 'Bowens Therapy'... nothing worked! She had an MRI scan (which showed nothing), blood tests, and was prescribed stronger and stronger painkillers by the medical 'experts' in an attempt to control the pain. In the end she was taking a cocktail of a high dose of Codeine, Ibuprofen and Paracetamol every few hours, every day of her life. The pain totally controlled her life, and affected the lives of the rest of the family. It became the main topic of discussion and we were going out of our minds trying to find something to help her. The side effects of the painkillers also contributed to her feeling unwell, she was constipated, her face became swollen and she had stomach pains (all as a result of the codeine), she was almost unrecognisable from the girl she had been. Then, I came across this book by Dr John Sarno... the many positive reviews on Amazon convinced me that it was worth trying and I downloaded it one weekend. Upon reading the first part of the book I could immediately identify with much of what was written and could link the onset of my daughters pain with emotional trauma she was experiencing in her life at that time, she has always 'bottled up' her emotions and I believe this made her more susceptible to an illness of this nature. I started to read the book to her each evening and... ...within a few days we had our daughter back, she was off ALL medication (from day 1) and her pain was vastly reduced, she resumed PE at school and re-started dancing classes. That was around 6 weeks ago now and she has continued to improve, she has not complained once of pain in that time and is still on no medication. She even started rowing (with her school) last week and has signed up to the school Cheerleading team. The difference in her is INCREDIBLE! In fact, I still can't quite believe the transformation. I am eternally grateful to Dr Sarno for giving me my happy, smiling daughter back. The hardest thing to understand is that the 'cure' was simply the realisation that there was nothing physically wrong with her back and that the pain she was experiencing (which is real pain by the way) was created by her sub-conscious mind as a defence mechanism to prevent her from dealing with painful emotional issues. I would honestly have spent every penny I had to free my little girl from her world of pain and in the end it cost me less than £5 to download this book. If you or anyone you know is experiencing chronic pain and the medical profession can find no physical cause, give this book a try. It could just be the best £5 you'll ever spend... it certainly was for me :o)

I recommend this book to anyone I meet with chronic pain issues. It was recommended to me as I've had ongoing back pain issues for almost 2 decades and am as "cured" as I'm ever probably going to be. And it's because of information like the stuff Dr Sarno discusses. We create our own pain - which is quite a "weird"'concept. We can control pain, override pain, project pain onto different places (where we think we should hurt) and we become scared of the pain of the pain - memory stuff that then limits our mobility. I got "stuck" at a sort of 1 o'clock position in my mid thirties and was told I may never walk properly again - due to not being able to stand straight. Anyway, studied hypnosis for pain control, went back to uni to study psychology, went on to study an MSc in Transactional Analysis, didn't finish either but did finish a personal training course. How mad is that - the reason I mention all that is because I got good at the wrong thing (managing pain). The point of this book is that you can banish unhelpful pain by talking to yourself continuously until it sinks in. It takes more than one read of the book and there are now lots of people who have wrote similar books or books based on Dr Sarno's work. What Dr Sarno noticed when he was working with people with back injuries and pain issues was that the pain didn't correlate to the injury site - or it moved - or it came and went and this interested him. He stayed interested and initially he also prescribed exercise until he realised it was a miscommunication between the brain and the body, So he began encouraging people to talk the pain - the brain - and the body. And interestingly it works. Yoga does something similar with breathing and stretching patterns. Anyway, if you're in pain please buy the book and keep reading it. PS. The first person that told me I created my own pain I wanted to knock out as I didn't understand he was talking about a non conscious process - I thought he was telling me I was imagining it. Pain "real or imagined" is still sore - and now I realise we imagine everything...

I got this book after watching a YouTube video, I thought let's give a try. I have back pain but hey it's something which comes only when I am stressed. That helped me focus on real issue that is wstress rather than my back. More of a mental issue than physical one. Everyone should have this book.

Loved the info

Lees dit boek, of kijk op google wat de Dr. ontdekte.

Good one