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Summary: This book has helped me and others I have loaned it to.
Review: While there is no one magic solution for all people, there will always be people that cannot accept the state that they are in or want to discount information just because they don't want to believe it. This book will deliver the goods, if you are willing to accept it for what it is, a tool, a piece of information to be used for your benefit. Dr. Sarno's information may be obvious to some (I see a few comments above), but for most it isn't and even if it is, having someone tell it to you in this form seems to work for many people. My father and Aunt have read this book and it helped them get rid of their chronic back pain and this is how I first heard of it. I then gave this book to a friend who would at odd times experience excruciating lower back pain that would incapacitate her, after reading the book the pain went away and has not returned. After helping my friend I never expected to need the book myself, but one day I realized that the shoulder pain that I would occasionally experience might be related to what the book talks about, so I decided to read it. My pain gradually went away over a period of a week and while I occasionally get a twinge now and then I never experience these symptoms for very long or with the intensity that I used to have them. This is not the miracle cure-all, go to your doctor first. It has worked for me, my friends, and my family. END
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Summary: Thank you DR. Sarno!
Review: So far so good! I have had several occasions that would have taken me down with a bad back and I mean down, in bed, in pain for a week or so and have,thanks to this book been able to talk myself out of the normal experience of allowing it to happen.I fought(mentally)the idea that I was causing the occurances,but know now it is the mugger in my head thats the culprit.So far so good
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Summary: 30 YEARS OF BACK PAIN GONE
Review: IN PAIN ONE DAY, I DECIDED TO CHECK OUT THE NEWEST BACK PAIN BOOKS. CHECKED THEM ALL OUT AND IN A SORTA "SO WHAT, I CAN RETURN IT" MODE, I PURCHASED THIS BOOK. I EXPECTED NOTHING - ACTUALLY WAS CURIOUS HOW SUCH A BOOK COULD BE SOLD. HAPPILY, AFTER ONE READING I LOST 30 YEARS OF BACK PAIN. I'M STILL CROOKED AND MY X-RAYS LOOK AWFUL, BUT I AM NO LONGER IN PAIN - TWO YEARS LATER. FOR ME, IT WAS WORTH THE TRY....
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Summary: tere may be another answer for you....
Review: Some of you may have what I have and it's called PYRIFORMIS SYNDROM. The muscle is trapping the sciatic nerve. A test can be done to diagnose this painful problem. Dr. Sarno discounts this information completely. His methods did work for me, but never more than a few hours at a time. I had no life,just pain down my left leg and it never moved anywhere else for four full months, 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week.
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Summary: If there ever was a Book of The Century....this is it!
Review: After suffering from debilitating back pain for over 12 years my wife convinced me to read Dr. Sarno's book (She had heard about it while reading one of Andrew Weil's books). It has now been nearly two years since I've read and studied the book (5 times to date) and two years that I've been pain-free. I'm now back to doing all the things I thought I'd forever have to give up. If you have any kind of back pain.....READ THIS BOOK!!!! It seems a bit far fetched, but what Dr. Sarno says is absolutely, with out a doubt, TRUE!!! I wish someday I could meet him in person to say thank you from the bottom of my heart!
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Summary: Don't Be Fooled
Review: I should have been more skeptical when I picked up this book -- The argument is circular -- Time and again he states that the reader must believe in the information provided in the book and just the information will heal you. He gives examples of those who didn't trust his methods and went to Doctors who told them they had something wrong which made them feel worse. So if his method doesn't work -- it's not his fault -- the fault lies in the reader. they didn't trust him. The perfect fall guy. Almost all of the other material I have read says that 65 - 80% of all back pain goes away on it's own whether you read this book or not! Yet he takes the credit. And doesn't it seem skeptical that the author spends so much time explaining why other professionals don't take him seriously. "The Lady doth protest, too much". Yes, stress can cause chronic back pain as can other small factors like bad shoes etc. but don't rely soley on this book get more information and get your life "back" on track by being a well-educated consumer and patient. If you want to read the book go ahead but there are better books with better quality information out there if you want to look!
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Summary: so simple, yet it works
Review: Like the rest of you, I was enduring chronic or nearly chronic back pain when I happened upon this book (recommended to me by an acupuncturist). I am young (20s) and athletic (typical, that athletes always ascribe back pain to "an injury", like Sarno says!). I was a textbook case. I read the book a few months ago, and my pain receded over the span of a few days. I am writing today because it came back this morning, and I'm trying to do what Sarno says (consider emotional causes for anger, etc.). Unfortunately, I lent my book to someone else who needed it! In any case, I have total faith that this too will recede. Many of his cases had subsequent outbreaks that then tapered off. Good luck to all of you.
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Summary: I was healed after reading this book!
Review: In October 1996 my car was hit from behind by another car and the next day I had excruciating back pain. Within a month the pain had spread to my neck and jaw (TMJ). I tried to live my life as before but couldn't. Everything I did made the pain worse. I had to quit my teaching job. I couldn't play guitar or sing or swim or lift things. I tried an osteopath, chiropractor, dental splint, biofeedback, and almost a year of physical therapy. Physical therapy would relieve the symptoms temporarily but they would return after a day or so. I began to realize physical therapy could help me but never HEAL me. I was so depressed by the pain and all the limitations on my life and I prayed desperately for healing. I believe this book, which I stumbled upon in a bookstore the next day, was an answer to my prayer. After about two weeks my pain was gone. Occasionally it comes back and then I just have to keep from fearing it again and just re-read the book and renew my thinking according to what the book says. I've been healed since February 1998. In order to get better you must read and understand how the brain works as Dr Sarno describes. Then you must be aware that there are things in your life making you angry and fearful. This is hard to do when you'd rather ignore these things in your life. Emotional pain is hard to face but it sure beats constant back, neck, and jaw pain and the physical and emotional misery this kind of pain brings.
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Summary: Changed My Life Forever
Review: I suffered from severe and chronic low back pain and was treated by a chiropractor and general doctor for 8 years prior to two discs rupturing in my back in 1989. I went through unsuccessful disc surgery in 1990 which left me in more pain. In May 1995 I began praying for information and a source to cure the pain and was led solely by what I believe was divine intervention to this author's book "Healing Back Pain" . I read the book and was instantly relieved of my pain. This was difficult to explain to my friends and family. I ordered a dozen books and sent them to everyone I knew that suffered from back pain. I have always known the brain was extremely powerful, but this creativity of the brain in avoiding painful repressed emotions of anger by causing a body part to hurt tops all. I now know that our emotional health is far more important in maintaining our physical health than any other element of our existance. Perhaps that is why I was led directly to the answer through my prayer.
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Summary: This book has made a huge, positive difference in my life.
Review: I was always glancing through the self-help back cure section of the bookstores hoping to find a miracle and I stumbled on this book. I had been suffering with chronic backpain for over a year at the time and was willing to try just about anything. I had already exhausted traditional medicine, chinese medicine and acupuncture. I was constantly applying ice to my lower back to numb it. It was having a decidely negative effect on my home life - my husband and children were suffering right along with me . For the first weeks after reading the book I continued to have spells of terrible pain but refused to resort to using ice, etc. I took the back pillow out of my car, I resumed all regular activities including cross country skiing which I had blamed for the pain in the first place. It has now been four months since I read the book and I am 90% free of pain and expect to be 100% free. It is a tough journey - I had learned to expect pain during certain activities and had to retrain my thinking. It also wasn't any fun thinking of all the ways anger was affecting me. In other words, it took some time, work and soul searching on my part to apply his theories but the payoff has been a complete return to my old life. I even went downhill skiing this spring. Please read the book and see for yourself. It could work for you too!
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