PMR Pain Management

I have done a lot.. well working on it. Lorimer Mosley and Dr. Sheubin ...like the work of Sarno... however. I have not been able to do it for PMR . One of the problems I see is that even if I can get the pain lessened... as I can with my arthritis in hands etc.. reducing the inflammation caused by PMR without prednisone is pretty tough. Eating right ...perfectly is a tough option for me..but I am sure it helps. and meditation which I do.. to lower the inflammation but without the prednisone I think inflammation can cause a lot of damage in the body. Of cousre so can prednisone. But I find so much relief with the prednisone. When I get close to 1.5mg. everything flares again. I've been at this for 7 years!!! Also find that tap dancing.. or any heel banging helps with the osteoporosis . a bit.. I am 77 years old.

I’ve done a lot (though not necessarily John Sarno). I have central sensitization and I’m a patient at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab (the leading rehabilitation hospital in the country) in Chicago.

I also have an inflammatory arthritis (it’s my dad who has PMR).
It’s hard to pick things apart, but we have to use the appropriate medication to address the inflammatory pain.

For the pain caused by central sensitivity getting triggered by an overactive nervous system, treatment for inflammatory pain alone doesn’t work because the disconnect is with how the central nervous system is processing pain. So that’s where other strategies come in—either to address central sensitivity (which not everyone has) or to help manage pain because these approaches can alter pain perception. I’m not super familiar with John Sarno, though I’ve heard the name. These concepts are more reflective of the approach we’ve used in PT: https://peterabaci.com/2012/12/07/a-radical-shift-to-better-pain-relief/

Before I was properly diagnosed with central pain syndrome, I stumbled on his book: “Conquer Your Chronic Pain,” (cheesy name, I know) which was helpful as I started learning more about pain neuroscience.

I have formal PT for this, whereas with my dad I passed on some to him. We use an approach called Graded Motor Imagery (GMI) as one piece of the larger puzzle.

I am going to check out DrSarno. I am 3 1/2 years prednisone 11 mg once got to 6. PMR 3 1/2 years

You might also check out the work of Dr Howard Schubiner and his website http://www.unlearnyourpain.com. He is a scientific advisor on the Curable app. I just downloaded the app yesterday and already found it helpful. Let me know if this mindbody practice works for you.

I have been following the Curable app for 3 days. Like anything parts of it will resonate with the participants and parts of it will not. It has made a difference in my mindset about PMR, and I have been getting out of bed without morning stiffness. I'll take that as a win!

I have been following the Curable app and Pain Reprocessing Therapy for a couple weeks. It has made a difference in my mindset about PMR. In just a couple days I have been able to use the techniques and have learned to; take a deep breath and breathe energy into the area of pain, then, as I call it “put the horse, whom I call Trixie, back in the barn (aka brain)”, and then reframe my thoughts to something I am grateful for and the pain dissipates. I know - hard to believe! Also, the morning stiffness and pain has subsided. Plus, pain which awakens me in the middle of the night is dissipating. I am also doing the work of identifying stressors in my life and becoming aware of other factors in my personality that contribute to some of those stressors. Let me be clear…I am still on Prednisone 11mg, but have been able to reduce it by 1 mg per week without problems, so far.
Has anyone else had success with pain reprocessing therapy?

Thank you for your post. I think we can benefit by all sorts of coping techniques. I'm open to methods of coping. Changing the pain dynamic is a dramatic method that helps healing, I'll try the Curable app and use it with my 10.5mg Prednisone, Yoga, swimming, and acupuncture!

I just read a great article about chronic pain in my latest edition of AARP newspaper. If you don't subscribe, it may be available online or at your library.

The methods of coping and new research were inspiring.

My husband has PMR but years ago I had non specific pain in many parts of my body, it was debilitating. My neurologist referred me to Dr. Schubiner( I lived in Detroit at the time and he had his clinic close by). I went to his workshops and worked his program. It took months of journalling and visualizing but eventually I was freed of all that pain. I never got a "diagnosis" but the connection between mind and body is not to be underestimated.

I had to go to dexamethasone 3 mg Qd. Stopped prednisone. In 3 + years now. So far doing great