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Summary: This book transformed my life
Review: I've always considered myself the most skeptical of skeptics, but Dr. Sarno has earned my lifelong gratitude. I've suffered from severe, chronic back pain ever since I was attacked by a combative mental patient when I working as an R.N. This book liberated me. Since I read it, I've been Advil and Tylenol free for over a month, I've returned to lifting anything I want, doing vigorous aerobics, jazz dancing, and most important of all, I'm able to sit when I work (I'm now a writer), when I'd been forced to stand and write for months now due to the pain. Yes, the book is a little like Tinkerbell. You have to believe for it to work. But Dr. Sarno's common sense theories had the ring of truth for me from the first time I read them. I realize now that my accident wasn't the "cause" of my pain, it was the "trigger" and that has made all the difference in my life. Give this book a try! It's been an answer to my most fervent prayers for me.
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Summary: Dr. Sarno is a Genius!
Review: If your back hurts, buy this book... now.I have suffered from chronic back pain for the last 13 years, after having pain from powerlifting and being diagnosed with a ruptured L5-S1 disk. I also have a spina bifida occulta in my sacrum. In those 13 years I have tried chiropractic therapy, stretching, exercises, heat, ice, nutritional supplements, Tylenol, Ibuprofen, special chairs and shoes, facet joint injections, physical therapy, anti-depressants, surgery (laminectomy in 1991), scar-removal procedure (2 yrs ago), and even daily high dose narcotic painkiller for over a year. The pain ALWAYS came back. It even started spreading to my hips and right shoulder over the past 2 yrs. I found this book about a month ago when I woke up in pain yet again, even though I had been stretching and exercising every day. There was no logical reason for the pain, and that's when I decided to figure out what was really going on. I found this book by Dr. Sarno and over the past month, the pain has gone away completely. I have never felt better. Once you understand how the brain and nervous system function, you can begin to take control of the situation. For those suffering back (or any other) pain, I cannot recommend this book highly enough. I would recommend reading this book before going on to Sarno's "Mind-Body Prescription". I don't think I would have understood the info. in "MBP" as readily if I haven't read "Healing Back Pain" first. Read them both though. Once you are pain-free, you will again see the world as your oyster.
Rating:
Summary: Makes you think.
Review: Heard about Dr. Sarno and had to check out this book. Will probably work best for people with chronic back pain that struggle with psychosocial issues as well. I seriously doubt it will cure mankind's back pain. It did help me out in that it does teach you to conceptualize your back pain differently and gets you to stop focusing on the pain so much and start thinking about getting better. In the end, strengthening my multifidus muscles seemed to help me out the most so I recommend checking out "The Multifidus Back Pain Solution" as well.
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Summary: Great Book!
Review: Dr. Sarno is a true pioneer in regards to diagnosing and treating back pain and has made a tremendous contribution with his discovery of the mind/body connection for this condition. I did, however, as a number of reviewers have pointed out, after reading Healing Back Pain felt the need for additional steps. At the time I was disabled with back, leg, neck, and hand pain, and quite disappointed and frustrated with the treatments I had recieved. Healing Back Pain answered all my questions about my condition and fit perfectly well with all the crucial research information I had discovered. Although Dr. Sarno's guidelines seemed useful, I felt the need for more concrete steps and a faster recovery time. As a father of two, I wanted to get well as quickly as possible. So I designed an effective nine-step plan for rapid recovery based on techniques used by Olympic athletes. The rapid recovery plan helped me improve immediately and recover shortly after. Those with herniated discs as well as carpal tunnel syndrome have recovered rapidly using these techniques. After my recovery I wanted to share my story and the recovery plan with all those suffering needlessly from back and neck pain. In addition to conducting seminars and workshops I wrote Rapid Recovery from Back and Pain: A Nine-Step Recovery Plan which provides crucial research on back and neck pain and many cases of rapid recovery as well as a section for designing a personal rapid recovery plan. Rapid Recovery from Back and Neck Pain is availabe at Amazon.com.
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Summary: Dr. Sarno's insights are profound!
Review: After 20 years of excrutiating back pain, I'm curred. As I was reading Dr. Sarno's book I found myself identifying with his patients and with his diagnosis. I read the book very closely, trying not to miss any details and applying his recovery techniques as I'm reading and my back pain started subsiding before I finished the book. I still had to work with his suggested techniques another week before I had my pain completely under my conscious control. I also had severe foot pain from plantar facitis and had stopped running three years ago, but thanks to Dr. Sarno's book, I have no more foot pain and have resumed my running program. I have been seen by many medical doctors for years for my problems and none could ever help me. I was on the verge of getting surgury for my feet and am so glad I didn't do that. I now realize that I must deal with the emotional issues as they arise every day in my life no matter how insignificant they may seem, but to continue in the same old attitude of denial and subjugation of my rightful feelings can only bring me more of the same, pain and misery directed at my own body from my subconscious mind. I am a believer in Dr. Sarno's theories. Thanks so much for your wonderful book.
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Summary: Still doing great after five years!
Review: I like to check in every now and then with my progress and I have to say that since reading this book and implementing its suggestions in 1999, I have been free of back pain for five years. I NEVER take it for granted. I biked 35 miles just today without so much as a twinge. I had suffered with back pain for ten years after being attacked by a combative patient at work (I was a psych nurse) so it was pretty much a miracle to stumble on Dr. Sarno's book and his theories. I'm an incredibly practical person who tends to pooh-pooh a lot of holistic medicine, but these theories are based on common sense. If I ever feel even a twinge of discomfort, usually re-reading the Prologue is enough to make me better. Thank you, Dr. Sarno, for changing my life!
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Summary: Look to the emotional and/or spiritual roots
Review: I'm a minister who uses a similar approach. When I work with non-christians, I'll use Sarno's book. I believe "emotional issues" is merely a nice way to say "spiritual issues". Whatever. It works. Also do check out "A More Excellent Way" by Henry Wright. Same ideas, different lingo.
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Summary: Infinity plus one stars
Review: Simply put Dr. Sarno is a genius, all you have to do is read the book, that's it. No special exercise, or ongoing reading etc. I read the book for my father who has terrible back pain, not thinking it would help my neck pain. After reading the book for my father, all MY PAIN Disappeared. If you read this from cover to cover, not skim it, and think you know what he is saying. Then your pain WILL go away!
Rating: 
Summary: Lack of information made this read pointless
Review: I had heard about Dr. Sarno after being featured in a Newsweek article on back pain. I was very disappointed in this book, despite all the hype. The book starts off discussing how Dr. Sarno discovered this "new" concept of mind-body connection and stress causing back pain. He then goes on for several chapters telling us how smart he is, and how so many people want to take him down. The rest of the book is testimonials about his program.
I didn't buy the book to read how wonderful Sarno is. I bought it to learn about his program to relieve back pain. There's not one thing about his program. I certainly wouldn't have purchased it if I knew this wasn't his actual program, just a sales pitch for it.
This was a waste of money.
Rating:
Summary: This book saved my back!
Review: I buy this book for people who are at the desperate level of back pain. I was once there myself. I was only 19 years old and felt like I had the back of a 90 year old. Yoga, therapy, medication-- nothing worked. Facing the possibility of surgery, I saw a review of the book on Larry King Live. It turned out that Larry had read the book himself. I got it and within ONE MONTH (after 15 months of pain) my pain had gone away. Now, I buy it for people who are willing to accept the possibility that their back pain is related to their thinking. Thank you Dr. Sarno!
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