Tension Myositis Syndrome

An alternative view pioneered mainly by Dr John E. Sarno hypothesizes that repetitive strain injuries and other pain syndromes are entirely psychosomatic in nature and not caused by underlying musculoskeletal injuries. According to Sarno, emotional stress eventually manifests itself as physical pain through tensed, oxygen constricted muscles. Sarno calls this condition Tension Myositis Syndrome (TMS).  The muscle pain in TMS is similar to what athletes might feel after strenuous workouts. The difference is that for athletes pain relief usually occurs within moments of completing the workout whereas RSI sufferers have constant, lingering pain. TMS says that the brain latches onto tension to divert attention from underlying negative emotions.  By doing this, the brain manages to suppress the negative emotions deeper into the unconscious levels. This can lead to a disastrous cycle where negative emotions cause RSI pain, which end causing more stress and negative emotions and transitively more pain. Sarno boasts very high rates of treatment success (85% - 95%) with his approach, and many RSI sufferers have claimed complete recoveries from adopting this regime.

If you have had RSI lingering for longer than a few months, it is recommended that you pay attention to this section.

In the context of computer related RSI, the physiological output of TMS is reduced blood flow to the hands resulting in mild ischemia and a buildup of waste materials (the toxin output of hand muscle movements). This causes varying degrees of pain and sometimes muscle spasms. Before making a self-diagnosis of TMS, it is recommended that you consult a medical professional to rule out much more serious problems (like tumors).

Symptoms of TMS

• No conventional treatment seems to bring lasting results, you’ve tried everything and nothing works.
• You’re a “Type T” personality. Common personality traits include: Perfectionist, self-motivated, ambitious, neat and organized, in control, responsible, self-critical, tendency to feel guilty.
• Pain plays a large role in your life. You think about it and/or experience it frequently.
• You have a history of psychosomatic conditions, not necessarily clinically diagnosed. Earlier trauma or eating disorder for example.
• The pain coincides with or started at a stressful periods of your life.

This page summarizes TMS in the following sections:

• Unconscious fear and anger
• Physiological changes
• Physical symptoms
• Psychological and social factors add to the symptoms, creating a full-blown syndrome that practically rules your life.
• How to get better

 NEXT: Unconscious fear and anger

Stop computer-related repetetive strain injury with RSI Warrior, an award-winning ergonomics software package. Download it now!