Rating: 
Summary: is it all in your head?
Review: Too bad people are drawn to a book that tells them phyical pain is a result of a deep mental issues. While real pain does cause a person to become depressed, I have seen too many ruptered disc in my office to say it was all in thier heads.Find a good exercise book instead.
Rating: 
Summary: Simply Put - It Works.
Review: When my back went, it went all the way. I lost the ability to walk. I could not lift my left foot off the ground and had to drag my left leg behind me. I had to sleep on the floor. It hurt to stand, sit, walk, sneeze, cough - my life was not a happy place. AN MRI revealed a badly herniated L5/S1 disk and the surgeon told me surgery needed to be performed within a week. The risks and potential complications were beyond my belief so I sought alternative methods.I tried physical therapy, pain medicine, acupuncture, sports medicine, deep tissue massage and chiropractic. I went through procedures I never heard of and never dreamed of participating in. I was only 34 years old and had been extremely active and now it looked like life as I knew it was over. A friend with a similar injury turned me on to this book. It worked for him so I read it - over and over and over. The ideas finally worked their way into my stubborn brain and within a couple months I was walking normally. One year later I am back in the gym full force, running at full speed, and almost completely pain free. My life is back to normal and I directly attribute my miraculous recovery to this book. It works on the principle that if you believe, you will achieve. Good luck and take back your life!
Rating:
Summary: Recovery after 2 years of pain
Review: Dr. Sarno's TMS (Tension Myositis Syndrome) theory is based on the interaction between mind and body: lack of oxygen to the body's tissues creates the pain, but the mind is controlling the flow of oxygen. After 2 years of pain, I read this book. The theory fitted my observations and it worked. Since than I have had 2 years of normal function and feeling. For those that are thinking "placebo", please note that placebos don't last, whereas this solution does. A small point: I suggest not reading the preface, or reading it after the rest of the book, as I found it gave an off-putting introduction to the ideas. I strongly recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: Invaluable
Review: Dr. John Sarno's book "The MindBody Prescription: Healing the Body, Healing the Pain" is invaluable. I first bought Sarno's book titled "Healing Back Pain" for my mother in South Africa and learned that stress, tension and psychological factors can cause back pain and migraines. Since I have chronic migraines I bought his later book "The MindBody Prescription: Healing the Body, Healing the Pain." His thinking is of course outside mainstream medicine. Sarno found that strong emotions generated in the unconscious mind, particularly rage, cause the mind to create a more socially acceptable physical distraction. The brain does this by reducing the blood flow and thus the proper amount of oxygen to the tissues involved. He says the change in the muscles, nerves and tendons account for 90% of the pain. He calls it TMS-Tension Myositis Syndrome as it is a physical disorder caused by tension in muscles, nerves, tendons and ligaments. The pain from the TMS takes our attention away from the emotional trauma and instead of dealing with our repressed feelings we focus on our body.
Treatment involves looking at what was going on in our life when the pain started and identifying repressed feelings from the past.
An experience I had makes me think what Sarno says is true. When my half sister and her husband, from South Africa, lived with me for five months they bought a car that had engine problems that only got seven miles to the gallon to tour America. I was concerned about their car purchase but did not say anything. I developed severe neck and back pain and could not turn my head for a week. I shared my concern about their car at a Co-Dependency group meeting and to my surprise I became very tearful. As I spoke the ache in my neck evaporated like vapor. I later joked with them and said, "You're a pain in the neck!"
I fit perfectly with the personality characteristics common in people with TMS-conscientious, responsible, perfectionistic with a strong need to please and to be helpful and good. And as Sarno says these tendencies have lead to tension and anxiety and physical problems.
When I looked for repressed anger when the migraines started I discovered that I felt extremely rejected, betrayed and used by my sister and brother-in-law at that time. Once I identified the repressed anger and sadness I started to grieve. It was like going through a divorce. Now I see we had different expectations for our relationship back then. I thought of us as a family. They wanted to immigrate to America and saw me as their ticket to get established.
When my stepfather heard I was angry he said, "Why don't you float your negative feelings in a paper boat down your creek? I thought I had! Now I see that Sarno's views are more helpful. Sarno says, "We are frail beings with brains strongly influenced by childish, illogical, reactions and dependency needs. Most of us carry feelings of inadequacy, helplessness, humiliation, shame and anger at ourselves for not living up to our own expectations and rage at others for perceived hurt and betrayals. The brain-mind is a conglomeration of thoughts and feelings that are often at odds with each other. It is not the neat, well organized, logical organ we would like it to be." Thanks to Sarno I've decided it's all right to be illogical and childish. It's part of being human and it is universal and if it means getting rid of my migraines and rage and becoming a better person in the end, then so much the better.
To help people recognize that their mind, rather than a physical abnormality is the source their pain Sarno's treatment program involves lectures, group meeting and psychotherapy, if necessary. Patients are encouraged to discontinue all physical therapy, resume all physical activity, and review the 10 daily reminders: I have no structural abnormality only mild oxygen deprivation;-I have a harmless condition caused by repressed emotion (mostly anger);-TMS exists to distract me from emotions;-I have nothing to fear;-my physical aching is not dangerous;-I will not be concerned or intimidated by pain;-I will shift my attention from pain to emotional issues;-I intend to be in control-not my subconscious mind;-I must think psychological, not physical.
Sarno has treated more than 11,000 patients with chronic pain-many of whom have suffered for years. He estimates he's cured more than 90% of them and has helped thousands of patients overcome pain without drugs or surgery.
I've been studying the principles in Sarno's book for two months now and, unfortunately, still have the migraines. If the migraines are caused by TMS I may be among the 5% Sarno talks about who will need to actually experience my grief and rage with a therapist to get relief. However, Sarno's book has been invaluable as I feel happier and more at peace. He has helped me realize that I need to spend more time with people that leave me feeling loved, empowered, and inspired....
Rating:
Summary: This book is priceless
Review: The effects of the employing the concepts in this book have been a dream come true for me. I had suffered from chronic pain problems for over 15 years. It started out as lower back pain, which then spread to become chronic shoulder tendinitis, upper back and neck pain, and then elbow and wrist pain as well. Over the years, my lifestyle gradually changed from being very active and in great shape to being unable to walk in one mile without extreme pain. The lower back pain was diagnosed as a degenerated disc for which I had two fusion surgeries in 1998 and 2001. My shoulder problems were supposedly caused by excess laxity in the ligaments and led me to have surgery on both of my shoulders. As is apparently common with TMS, the surgeries would help for a while, and then the pain would return, worse than ever. I tried everything: physical therapy (more sessions than I can possibly remember), chiropractic, VAX-D disc decompression therapy, acupuncture, rolfing, trigger point therapy, McKenzie, Egosque, steroid injections etc. Some of these techniques helped for a while, but the pain would always return as viscious as ever. I came to conclude I suffered from chronic myofascial pain syndrome and was told by "medical professionals" that the best I could hope for was to control it and would never be fully functional again. Thank God I was unwilling to accept these dire assessments. I actually read Dr. Sarno's book 4 or 5 years ago and dismissed it without giving it a real chance. It was only when I was truly desperate that I picked it up again in December, 2002 with an open mind. Within one week or so I noticed the pain was diminished. Amazingly, within 4-5 weeks, the pain was nearly gone. So then I started to exercise again and initially the pain came back, but I assured myself the pain had nothing to do with any kind of muscle inflammation or joint problem, and was only being caused by my subconscious. Sure enough, I continued to expand my workouts and now four months after applying the technique, I am in great shape, working out nearly every day, and in virtually no pain. If you are in chronic pain, read this book, it is all true. Do not allow "medical professionals" to tell you you have chronic myofascial pain syndrome or some other crock of nonsense. Dr. Sarno is right that they have created an army of partially disabled people that in fact have nothing wrong with them.
I know of two other people who have had similarly amazing results. Read it and spend time every day to pound it into your subconscious. The truth will set you free, as it did me. Dr. Sarno, you improved the quality of my life more than i can say. Thank You.
Rating:
Summary: Mindbody Prescription & Healing Back Pain
Review: I have suffered from allergies, sinus infections, bladder infections, dematitis, migraine headaches...and I could go on forever, for years. In the last 10 years or so I have had low back pain, sciatica, plantar facilitis, and recently peripheral neuropathy. I have had several episodes of PT, many chiropracter adjustments, seen the Dr., the Orthopedist, the Neurologist, had every test and xray possible, took many meds, had epidural injections, even went to an Allergist recently that told me I "just perceived the terrible numbness, tingling and nerve pain in my feet and legs". I happened to see John Stossel on 20/20 a few years ago and sent for Dr. Sarno's book "Healing Back Pain". I read it and highlighted several passages, etc. But didn't follow through cause my pain was too severe and I was too afraid. But...when the Allergist said I just "perceived" my pain, and every test said that I was "normal"...I GOT MAD! I picked up Healing Back Pain again and bought The MindBody Prescription. I am reading and rereading it every day now for the past 3 weeks. So far I am off pain meds, I put away my vibrator and my heating pad. I am trying new things every day. I couldn't sleep on my right side for 5 years or more and now each night I'm sleeping on that side more and more. I have a husband that is always trying to "help" me, and I am trying to get him to let me step out and do things. I still have pain and it gets worse when I am "uptight", but little by little I can feel the victory. I have extoled these books to several people I know that are suffering. I look forward to a "painfree" life. I lost a younger sister last year who had fibromyalgia. She was on so many meds that she didn't even know she had an infection and she died from Sepsis. I don't want that to happen again to anyone I know and love. Thank you, Dr. Sarno. I am grateful.
Rating:
Summary: This book saved my life!
Review: I suffered from chronic back pain that left my unable to do any kind of athletic activity other than really low-impact aerobic stuff and unable to sit at my desk (I am a software developer) for more than 15 or 20 minutes at a time. I would go home from work and lie down with heat/ice until dinner, eat, and then take a muscle relaxant (on bad weeks) so I could sleep. Needless to say, I was completely miserable. This went on for over 2 years during which time I was prescribed progressively stronger medication and went through several physical therapy routines. Nothing worked so finally someone recommended this book to me. I got the book and committed to it (it is very important to approach this book with an open mind - if you can't accept Sarno's ideas, this book will not help you) and within a month I was completely better. I hadn't even read the 3rd section of the book yet! It has been a little over a year and a half and I have had no trouble with my back. I'm back to playing basketball, ultimate frisbee, tennis, and skiing like I was never injured. If you are suffering from chronic pain, you owe it to yourself to give this book a try - for 12 bucks (less than the cost of one prescription) how can you not?
Rating:
Summary: This book will change your life
Review: My internist, who is very open to alternative treatments himself, recommended that I read The Mindbody Prescription a few years ago. He had had considerable back pain which he was able to eliminate from his life with the help of Dr. Sarno's books. I was feeling anxiety over health issues and was open to the idea of the mind body connection because I had seen the direct relationship between stress and migraine headaches, TMJ, and sinus infections at different times in my life. During my first reading of the book I was amazed to learn about what the mind is able to do that we are not aware of: it has a huge impact on our physical health. I began to learn how to control my anxiety, and have since read Dr. Sarno's book again a couple of times when problems came up. Almost immediately upon reading the book, the problems go away. I am completely convinced that stress causes at least 90% of all pain and illness. Dr. Sarno has begun a revolution and sooner or later the rest of the medical establishment will come on board. Perhaps one day doctors will be trained to treat the whole person, and not just the symptoms of illness. Until then, this book will change your life!
Rating: 
Summary: So very true!
Review: I read Dr. Sarno's first book and it changed my life. I saw a special about it on 20/20. Until then, I had been suffering with lower back pain. Within 2 weeks of buying the book and do the mental exercises, it was gone. The pain moved to my left hamstring! I knew it was my body's attempt to house my stress somewhere else. More mental exercises and I have been pain free since 1998.
Rating:
Summary: It saved me lot of agony and pain. I highly recommend it
Review: I have been meaning to write this review for a long time but was waiting to see if my pain returns back. I have had severe back pain in the February 2002 and I went to all kinds of doctors. I read Dr. Sarno's both books (this and Healing Back pain) in April 2002 and applied his techniques. The back pain has been better ever since. The pain kind of shifted in different bidy places but finally I am pain free (99% of time). This book is incredible and Dr. Sarno is doing a lot of good for chronic pain sufferers. He is a saint. I highly recommend this book to any one with chronic pain.
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