Healing Back Pain

By Dr. John E. Sarno

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (4.4)

The Mind-Body Connection

Discover the hidden psychology behind back pain.

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Why This Book?

"Healing Back Pain" by Dr. John E. Sarno is the fascinating and frequently misunderstood relationship of the mind to the body concerning chronic back pain. This book shakes the conventional beliefs about back disorders and provides a new paradigm for those suffering from pain.

About the Author

Dr. John E. Sarno is a renowned pioneer physician at the New York University School of Medicine and a respected leader in the field of mind-body medicine. His work life has been characterized by the goal of understanding and curing chronic pain, through psychological and educational methods. He has published several influential books on this topic, including "The Mindbody Prescription" and "The Divided Mind," which have empowered thousands to reclaim their lives from chronic pain.

Book Overview

Publication Details	Published in 1991 by Warner Books
Focus area	The book discusses Dr. Sarno's theory that most non-specific chronic back pain stems from repressed emotions and psychological stress rather than physical abnormalities.

Publication Details

Published in 1991 by Warner Books

Focus area

The book discusses Dr. Sarno's theory that most non-specific chronic back pain stems from repressed emotions and psychological stress rather than physical abnormalities.

Key Themes and Insights

It's basically about how there's this interconnection of mind and body. Key themes and insights of "Healing Back Pain" include:

Mind-Body Connection: The book thoroughly explores how suppressed emotions and psychic stress can be expressed in the form of physical pain, especially chronic back pain.

Tension Myositis Syndrome (TMS): Dr. Sarno introduces TMS, a condition he proposes as the primary cause behind most cases of chronic back pain, which he argues is a psychosomatic illness caused by repressed emotions.

Criticism of Traditional Therapies: Dr. Sarno is highly critical of the medical industry's quick reliance on surgery and medications that often fail to address the underlying psychological contributors to pain.

Self-Treatment Through Education: The book highlights the fact that knowledge of the cause of pain and self-education are essential steps in the effective treatment of back pain. Dr. Sarno shows readers how to reassess the causes of their pain and how to approach healing holistically.

These insights challenge conventional medical diagnoses and treatments, offering an alternative approach that has helped many achieve relief from chronic back pain.

Practical Applications

While being highly informative on the psychogenic aspects of chronic pain, "Healing Back Pain" by Dr. John E. Sarno is very practical in nature as well. Below are some of the actional techniques recommended by the author in his book, through which the reader may learn how to overcome their back pain fully or manage it to the highest level:

Identify and Accept Suppressed Emotions: Dr. Sarno insists that understanding and accepting feelings of anger, anxiety, and frustration, among other suppressed emotions, lies at the very heart of acquiring TMS or Tension Myositis Syndrome.

Daily Journal: Suggests the development of a daily journal to uncover emotional causations. Getting thoughts and emotions down on paper helps bring to light unconscious thought processes and potentially reduce their consequences on physical states.

Educational Therapy: Propose to indulge in 'knowledge therapy', wherein a person is educated about the TMS diagnosis and the psychological nature of pain. It may even be therapeutic just knowing that the pain is not structurally based but psychologically created.

Mindfulness and Meditation: Practices like mindfulness meditation reduce stress and allow emotional processing. Stress management reduces the physiological responses to chronic pain.

Resuming Physical Activity: Encourages gradually resuming physical activities that were avoided because of pain. According to Dr. Sarno, normal physical activity is important because it helps the mind reaffirm the fact that the body is not physically damaged.

Seek Psychological Therapy: If the individual cannot handle his emotions and resolve them, then seeking a psychologist who is aware of psychosomatic disorders may be helpful. Therapy will help the person deal with the emotional causes of pain in a structured manner.

These practical applications are designed to empower individuals by providing them with the tools to address the root causes of their back pain directly. Many of Dr. Sarno's patients have reported significant reductions in pain and, in many cases, complete recoveries after implementing these strategies.

Strengths of the Book

"Healing Back Pain" by Dr. John E. Sarno boasts several important strengths that make this book effective and popular:

Pioneering Perspective: The approach adopted by Dr. Sarno is innovative insofar as it challenges traditional medical thinking and its inclination towards purely physical causes for back pain. This perspective opens new avenues for treatment that are liberating for many.

Empirical Support: The book is empirically strengthened through decades of successful treatment of patients who have found little relief in conventional methods, thereby lending credibility to Dr. Sarno's approaches.

Practical Help: This book translates complex medical and psychological concepts into practical, understandable advice that patients can immediately apply to their daily lives.

Comprehensive Approach: He doesn't merely describe the problem; he gives an all-inclusive, step-by-step plan on how to overcome it by finding emotional triggers and exercises in managing pain.

Inspirational Success Stories: There are hundreds of anecdotes from patients, with real-life examples of how embracing the principles outlined in the book has changed people's lives and brought hope and motivation to the reader.

Critique and Limitations

Conservative Purists' Cynicism: Some doctors will be cynical of the psychological rationale for pain and prefer their traditional, concrete cause and consequence.

Minimal Data from Large-Scale Studies: The anecdotes for success are endless, but the book lacks extensive, empirical research to validate all that is said fully.

What Made This Book Popular?

Breaking Concepts: Brought forth concepts that were revolutionary when the book was first published and are still a driving force today in the realm of pain management.

High Success Rate: Many readers write in with remarkably successful recoveries after embracing the principles set down in the book, leading to excellent word-of-mouth recommendations.

Endorsements: It has positive recommendations from some health care providers or patients who are pleading for a better approach to handling pain.

Comparison with Similar Books

Unlike more traditionally oriented health books, such as "The Back Mechanic" by Stuart McGill, which focuses on biomechanics and exercise, "Healing Back Pain" focuses more on the psychologic underpinnings of pain.

Who Should Read This Book?

Chronic Pain Sufferers: Especially those for whom conventional treatments have failed.
Healthcare Professionals: Open-minded practitioners interested in exploring additional, psychological dimensions of pain treatment.
Psychologists and Counselors: Professionals looking to understand the connections between the mind and body health.

Memorable Quotes or Excerpts

"The pain is not due to herniated discs, arthritis, stenosis, degeneration, or fibromyalgia. The pain is due to an autonomic process initiated by the brain to serve a psychological purpose."

Conclusion

A "must-read" for anyone fascinated by the intersections of health and psychology, "Healing Back Pain" by Dr. John E. Sarno takes the reader on a new journey of understanding. This insightful, provocative book turns upside down our long-held concepts about pain and treatment, thereby leading millions of those suffering from chronic back pain down the path of healing. Overall, it deserves a 4.5 out of 5 stars, making it an invaluable source in the search to understand and overcome chronic pain.