Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection by John E. Sarno
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Book Reviews of Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection
Book Review: Exceedingly insightful - at last, the truth!
Summary: 5 Stars
He is, as it were, a voice crying in the wilderness, but Dr. Sarno has written an extraordinarily truthful account of psychosomatic back pain - which is almost invariably poorly understood in pop. culture. Upon months of reflection, I am convinced that he has made a major contribution by helping to clarify the modus operandi of the human psyche. After two years of horrendous neck discomfort, I am, finally, approaching a metaphorical clearing in the woods, and the pain is lifting.The most frequently heard criticism of Sarno, it seems, is that he relies on certain elements of Freudian psychology - namely, the unconscious and conversion symptoms. Regrettably, the mere mention of Freud - who, though surely not correct about everything, was nonetheless on the right track, so to speak, about many things - is enough to frighten and/or to turn away some people. This phenomenon is certainly regrettable, because deprecating Sarno's truthful - I emphasize, truthful - exposition because of his reliance on the psycho-analytical tradition not only prohibits these too hasteful critics from obtaining a better understanding of the psyche but also prolongs their pain.
It is doubtless important to note that Sarno's method is not an over-the-counter remedy and, moreover, that it requires considerable thought on the patient's part. But, the rewards are astounding. While instant, drugstore remedies are rarely more than temporarily effective - and, crucially, often serve to muffle symptoms which, rather than be muffled, should be listened to, as they are the mind's way of communicating important messages - Sarno's treatment lasts a lifetime and is an excellent introduction to psychosomatic medicine and psychodynamics.
I conclude by reiterating my high praise for Dr. Sarno and by restating that his tack does work, if the reader is authentically open to and receptive of what he is trying to say.
Book Review: The Bible For Back Pain Sufferers
Summary: 5 Stars
I first read this book in 1996 and continue to believe that it is the most important tool anyone with back pain can use.
Rather than directly reviewing the book, here is an email I just sent to Dr. Sarno to thank him for his work.
I know you must get thousands of emails thanking you Dr. Sarno but I had to join the chorus.I`ll keep this brief.
I am a 53 year old male who grew up in a family of chronic back pain sufferers.
I watched my father be tortured over 35 years of having to go to work in a physical job while losing sleep fearing his back might "go out" on the job the next day.
As that was all I knew I fell into the same issues by the time I was in my 20s.
I went through all the traditional treatments with no success until back in 1995 or 96` I read your book "Healing Back Pain."
I read it once, I read it twice I read it a third time and I kept it by my bed almost as my bible.
I have had absolutely no recurrence of any major back issues right up until 4 days ago (not surprisingly right after I lost my cat, was going for a medical procedure this week and was worrying about financial matters.)
I quickly got out the book, kept up my exercise schedule and within a few days I am back to normal and not fearing any back issues at all !
All I can say is thank you thank you thank you. I only wish I could convince my friends (who I hear complaining that their back went out) to read your book and let it sink in.
PS, my brother is a physician and as of this year he finally got on board with your program. He too was a chronic back pain sufferer and so far is now a believer in your theories about the mind-body connection which is not an easy thing for some in the medical profession.
Thank you Dr. Sarno
Book Review: Great Book!
Summary: 5 Stars
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.
Medical community is still resistant to Dr. Sarno's approach, but there are signs that more and more doctors, in search of a cure for their own back pain, have come to realize the valuable contribution Dr. Sarno has made and are embracing it. Let's hope that eventually his approach will become the norm rather than the exception.
Book Review: Amazing, It Really Works!
Summary: 5 Stars
I first heard about Dr. John Sarno and this book on The Howard Stern Show. Howard Stern had talked about really bad and consistent back pain and said that this book saved his life. Several callers called in and made similar statements.
I had been suffering from back spasms (debilitating) and general lower back pain for almost 2 years and decided to read this book. I'm usually very skeptical about "heal yourself" type books, but I figured I'd give it a read since it seemed to have worked for so many.
While starting the book I was admittedly very skeptical, but sure enough, all the symptoms he described were exactly what I was having. I continued to read about the cause and some potential treatments. Dr. Sarno mentioned that once patients understood the cause of the pain, most began to realize their back pain was subsiding and going away. Sure enough, it was true. As freaky and goofy as it sounds, my back pain was diminishing.
Dr. Sarno explains all the various skepticisms and did a great job at addressing everything I was thinking (being the incurable cynic that I am). Everything his research shows is sound and seems to be complete. This wasn't just some half-baked self-help guru trying to sell magic beans, it all made sense and seemed well researched and thought out.
It's been about two weeks after starting the book and I no longer have back pain. One may call it a placebo affect, but I don't think that's the case (Dr. Sarno talks about this too).
If you have back pain that doesn't seem to go away (no matter what your age), give this book a read. At the very least you'll have more information to talk to your doctor about. But don't be surprised if you find yourself free of back pain without even a visit to the doctor.
Book Review: It worked for me, because I was ready to apply the info.
Summary: 5 Stars
I had a lot of problems, like depression, along with the back pain (ruptured disc). I was working on the depression for a long time (10 years) and had read a lot of books that helped. The pivotal one was The Power of Your Subconscious Mind by Dr. Murphy, so I was ready to understand and accept the information provided by Dr. Sarno. I needed to make a big change in my life, but it required my taking a long trip, which I was afraid to do because of my back. I saw an orthopedic surgeon and had the steroid shot, but not until I first read Sarno's book. I left on the trip four weeks after reading the book, and three weeks after the shot. I know it was the book, not the shot, that did the trick. After suffering with back pain and depression that controlled my life for 10 years, I am free of the pain enough to no longer announce that I have a back problem. It changed my whole life. I am able to do what he says and stop blaming the back problem on physical problems, and I am able to realize that the pain was part of the depression, which is now getting under control as well. My back still hurts when I sit for extended periods, but it's no big deal, and I know it's because I still have issues to work on. I have just recently stopped taking St. John's Wort, which I took for about a year after weaning myself off of pharmaceuticals. I no longer need to be a sick person, either mentally or physically. When you are ready for this information, you will be able to understand it and to apply it, even without specific guidelines. If this review makes sense to you, you are probably ready. If not, I strongly urge you to read the Murphy book, as well as Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabat-Zinn. I apply his meditative techniques in my exercise programs, and this information has also changed my life. Good luck.