A good point, very badly made. ( )

ugh...that was terrible.
( )

In The divided mind John Sarno has further expanded on his earlier work with TMS (tension myositis syndrome), a psychosomatic illness that can involve pain in neck, back and legs, carpal tunnel syndrome, fibromyalgia, headaches, reflux, irritable bowel and bladder, neurasthenia, high blood pressure, allergies and asthma, skin problems, and sleep disorders. Only after ruling out true medical problems and normal changes due to aging, can one consider TMS. In studies, Sarno has discovered that oxygen does not get to the muscles in the body in sufficient amount, thereby causing these symptoms. And when surgery or other treatment fixes one of the problems, the mind shifts the pain, discomfort or problem to another part of the body. Most prevalent are the fashionable diseases like carpal tunnel. Sarno then lists the treatment options, from a lecture and work with journaling among others to therapy with a qualified therapist to discover the childhood rage that may underlie the symptoms. The book finishes with various chapters, varying in quality, written by medical colleagues who embrace the concept of TMS. The best chapter is one by Marc Sopher, a family practice doctor who offers this technique to his patients as an alternative.

With this book, it is possible to help one’s medical condition but only by opening to the possibility that these illnesses are connected to the mind. And, even then, you might need professional help to get beyond the acceptance. The mind is such a powerful tool in illness that the material is not as far-fetched as it first sounds. And for those with chronic pain or other life-changing illness, it just might be worth the try. ( )