Back Pain Suffering

Back pain suffering is something I know a lot about. Actually, I would (in all modesty) call myself an expert on suffering after the 18 long years I spent battling acute and chronic back pain. The reasons for my suffering were particularly cruel. Cruel, both because they were never accurately diagnosed by dozens of medical doctors and therapists and even crueler that I could have cured the pain at any time, if I had simply recognized its true cause.

Causes of Back Pain Suffering

There are traditionally 3 main reasons on which to blame back ache:

* Back Injury

* Congenital Condition

* Degenerative Process

These BIG 3 reasons for back pain are diagnosed in 99% of all patients worldwide. These conditions can cause pain, but all three added together still do not cause more chronic unresolved back pain than the #1 reason…

* Psychological Back Pain

The overwhelming majority of patients who suffer from long term treatment resistant pain syndromes have been misdiagnosed with one of the BIG 3 when their pain is actually due to some psychological and emotional causation.

Diagnosis of Back Pain Suffering

Doctors are brilliant individuals. They are certainly not naïve. Doctors know that many cases of back pain do not make sense. The symptoms do not correspond with the clinical profile of the diagnosis. Often the symptoms do not make any anatomical sense at all and defy even the most open minded logic. The diagnosis is made regardless, since something has to be the cause of the pain and there is often a scapegoat condition available. Spinal abnormalities caused by any of the BIG 3 are often not the real reason for long term pain conditions, although they are almost always blamed for them. Many doctors obviously see the inconsistencies of their diagnoses, but continue to make them regardless. This diagnostic practice is irresponsible and bordering on criminal…

Suffering from Psychosomatic Back Pain

If psychological back pain is so prevalent, then why is the diagnosis almost never made?

THIS IS THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION.

The diagnosis is rarely made since the medical education system does not accept the fact that a psychological process can cause a physical symptom. It sounds ridiculous, but it is unfortunately true.

Medicine has no problem with the fact that psychological processes are responsible for such physical reactions such as:

* Blushing when embarrassed.
* Sweating when nervous.
* Sexual Arousal in men and women.
* Dilation of the pupils when scared.
* Increased heart rate and blood pressure during fight or flight.
* Placebo cures and Nocebo reactions.

These are just a few of hundreds of documentable physical reactions enacted completely through psychological means.

Solution to Back Pain Suffering

Medical educators need to WAKE UP to the realities of mind/body interaction. The epidemic of psychosomatic pain syndromes is a mystery to medical science since they do not credit the mind for causing any physical symptoms. It is no surprise that medicine’s treatment results for back pain, fibromyalgia and other psychological conditions are abysmal. As soon as medical schools begin to teach the importance of mind/body medicine, the back pain epidemic will finally be OVER.

Recommendation on Back Pain Suffering

You must be responsible for your own health. This includes helping to recognize any health problems that have been neglected by the inaccurate diagnosis and poorly directed treatments of medical science. I have met hundreds of patients that claim to be searching for a solution to their chronic back pain. They have tried all sorts of therapy options, and some have even resorted to surgery, but they still have pain. One would think that upon hearing that their pain might be psychological, the patient would be ecstatic. Instead of enduring more torturous and unsuccessful treatments, they can simply read some knowledge therapy books and recover.

Sounds great to me!!! However, the reality is that most patients will simply not accept this diagnosis. They might not understand the concept of mind/body interaction or they might be influenced by the societal stigma of psychosomatic conditions. Regardless, these patients have proven that they would rather go on suffering with tremendous pain than get better. It is that simple and that sad.

When I found out that my pain might be from an alternate source than had been previously diagnosed, I welcomed the paradigm shift in thinking. After all, if the doctors had been right, than why was I not getting any better? In fact, the more I received treatment, the progressively worse I got!!! Well, despite the protests of my care providers, I managed to prove the psychological nature of my pain by curing it MYSELF in a matter of weeks. I managed to do what dozens of doctors and therapists could not achieve given 18 years of trying. It just goes to prove that one individual can make a big difference. In the fight against my back pain, I was carried for miles by the medical army and remained wounded. When I learned to fight for myself, I became a fearless army of one who defeated back pain and went on to claim my spoils of victory…a PAIN FREE LIFE and a bright future.

Back Pain Suffering to Home page 10/26/07 Revised 5/6/08