At least that’s the theory behind the condition – Tension Myositis Syndrome. A condition characterized by psychosomatic problems in the nervous and musculoskeletal systems. Usually it manifests as back pain, often as other syndromes such as irritable bowel or fibromyalgia.

According to Dr. John Sarno, the protocol inventor, you can write a list of issues that may lead to repressed emotions. Because you have now exposed these emotional blockages, the psychosomatic cause of your back pain is removed so the back pain goes away.

As usual with non-mainstream therapies, Dr Sarno’s treatment protocol has its critics. And its champions – people such as Howard Stern and Anne Bancroft worked through the program and were “cured”.

Interesting in the diagnosis of TMS is the belief that disc herniation is essentially benign, because the back pain usually isn’t located where the herniation occurs. Other indicators are tender points in the musculature of the back, or a previous history of other psychosomatic disorders.

The way to get rid of back pain according to Dr Sarno is simple – write about your life and why you are the way you are (repressed emotions), and resume living a normal lifestyle as though back pain didn’t exist.

This gets pretty specific of course – for example patients are encouraged to write every day. They are taught about the psychological and physiological reasons for TMS. Suggested areas to examine include childhood trauma (lack of love or abuse), traits in your personality such as a need to be liked by everyone, the vagaries of aging and facing your mortality, life stressors currently and situations where anger that is not expressed may occur.

Patients are asked to actually write an essay on each point they uncover in this examination process, because that forces in depth examination of the issues raised.

Resume a normal lifestyle as though back pain never existed …

The return to a normal lifestyle is more controversial. You are asked to stop physical treatments like chiropractic or other manipulations. The reason is these treatments reinforce the thinking that pain is structurally caused whereas it isn’t, according to TMS theory. People are also encouraged to live a more normal lifestyle as far as activity and movement, sleeping habits etc. are concerned. And to stop indulging in “safety behaviours” which stop or restrict movement that may “cause” back pain.

Trials in controlled conditions have shown that the protocol is successful in up to 54% of cases of chronic undiagnosed back pain – pretty impressive for the people concerned. Of course the critics harp on the fact the trials weren’t “clinical” or that the placebo effect came into play. What is the placebo affect anyway – nothing more than the body curing itself of whatever malady it suffers from. Surely critics would be pleased that 54% of people benefited from the protocol. Or maybe they aren’t happy that their own outrageously priced and often dangerous therapies can be so simply sidestepped.

If simply expressing deep emotions is one way of fixing back pain, just think what other easy protocols (such as due care and attention to diet and some weight loss) could do to treat and eliminate your back pain for good. Now, where is that pen and paper? more about Click Here!