While many healthcare providers claim to be TMS doctors, very few actually qualify for the title. Many back doctors who embrace TMS theory still do not make an adequate effort to explain the concept of mindbody medicine to their patients. Unfortunately, some tension myositis syndrome care providers basically follow traditional medical treatment regimens with an after thought of mindbody philosophy added to the mix. This half-hearted approach to curing the condition often strands their patients in a barren wasteland halfway between suffering and a nearly attainable cure. Real TMS care providers will actively direct patients to purely psychological therapies whenever possible, since these are the most effective methods of care for tension myoneural conditions.
While Dr. John Sarno used to be the exclusive physician associated with TMS treatment, there are now many doctors who recognize tension myositis as a legitimate health condition and offer qualified treatment which can resolve the emotional imperative driving the symptoms. Many of the best TMS doctors and care providers are listed in our doctor directory.
TMS Doctors / John E. Sarno, MD
Dr. John Sarno is not only the champion of TMS treatment; he is also one of the few purists in the field. I enjoyed the experience of being treated by Dr. Sarno and was impressed with the certainty he has in his mindbody treatment approach for seemingly structurally-induced back pain. Dr. Sarno also had no problem dismissing the mistaken diagnoses of other care providers in my past. This was something I had never actually witnessed from any other doctor or therapist.
Most medical and complementary medical providers would rather be caught in an outright lie than contradict the word of a fellow healthcare worker. Regardless, the confident demeanor used by Dr. Sarno during his diagnostic process really helps to inspire faith in his treatment methods for virtually all of his patients. Hopefully, the other TMS doctors who have taken up his crusade of treating mindbody symptoms will pick up on this logical and straight forward approach to diagnosis.
Even better, hopefully these new doctors will go many steps further, by offering many more universal and personal treatment options which are actually available and affordable. This has always been a weakness of Sarno’s program, particularly for those who did not find lasting cures from his basic lecture.
The addition of the internet into the mix will serve new TMS caregivers well. There is no substitute for the reach and ease of the world wide web. Dr. Sarno is notoriously famous for not utilizing this most valuable tool for the propagation of his theories. I feel this has been one of his greatest failures in an otherwise brilliant career.
Other TMS Doctors
While some other doctors have enjoyed a considerable referral business from their tension myositis syndrome affiliation, I have been less impressed by the fickle nature of a few caregivers with whom I have met or corresponded with. Many patients have reported a quick talk concerning the mind’s ability to influence the body, followed by more of the same old tired and ineffective physical treatments. It is a sad state of affairs.
Some of these doctors are obviously not straying far from their traditional medical roots and are simply using the TMS moniker to pick up new patients who in turn become new customers. While I think it is easy for some doctors to agree with TMS theory, it seems very difficult for many to get 100% on board with non-physical treatment modalities. However, there are many excellent doctors who do embrace mindbody diagnostics and are likely to take their version of a treatment program to heights never seen by Dr. Sarno’s methods. At least I hope this to be the case…
I would love to live in a future filled with enlightened doctors as the rule, rather than the exception. A place where a patient can find relief from health crises regardless of the causative mechanism.
Finding a Doctor to Treat TMS
If you are seeking help from one of the lesser known TMS care providers, do your best to interview them concerning their real beliefs prior to treatment. This way, you will know if they are the real deal or just a hungry scavenger trying to exploit Dr Sarno’s brilliant work. If you are a TMS care provider who stands behind the mindbody approach 100%, then good for you. It is refreshing to find one of very few health professionals who are willing to stand up for what they know to be right.
Personally, I believe the original TMS books are so well written that many patients can cure themselves using these powerful resources alone. Professional treatment is rarely actually even needed. Just remember… The TMS treatment process takes time and patience. Reading the books over and over is a good way to ensure success. Do not expect to read a few pages and suddenly be cured. If it were that simple, TMS would no longer exist. Instead, the condition continues to grow.
As I have said before, I have never met anyone who did not suffer from some type of psychosomatic symptoms as a direct result of painful emotional anguish. It might be tension headaches, a sensitive stomach, back pain, OCD or anxiety. The only thing for sure is that it is there in some form, be it hidden or obvious.
