Mind-body symptoms go by many different names including:
- neural circuit pain
- primary pain
- psycho-physiologic disorders, and
- symptoms of central sensitization
No matter what the name, these symptoms are generated by an overactive nervous system, and are generally not indicative of active disease process in the body. The curious thing is: even though they aren't caused by the body, mind-body symptoms show up in the body and are every bit as painful, and real as if they were structurally-caused (such as with accidents, infections, and sports injuries).
In the past, the term "psychosomatic" was popular. That term is no longer used as it infers that sensations in the body are fabricated or merely imagined. Mind-body symptoms are NOT imagined. To resolve them, however, a different approach is needed than for treating purely structural issues - one that lowers overall anxiety related to the medical symptoms and diagnoses themselves. Much of what appears on scans like MRIs and x-rays are simply "normal abnormalities" (stenosis, arthritis, etc.) which indicate appropriate physical wear and tear over time. Modern research shows these findings are rarely anything to worry about as most pain-free individuals have them as well.
I help my clients practice the scientifically-verified tools to diminish their unique mind-body symptoms by going directly to the source of the difficulty - the brain!
Tell-tale signs of a mind-body condition are
1) It doesn't heal in a reasonable period of time (generally a few weeks to a few months)
2) It doesn't respond to conventional medical treatments (such as physical therapy, surgery, medications or injections)
3) It lacks a clear beginning point (such as after a fall or accident)
4) It comes and goes rather than being constant
5) It improves or goes away when the person is doing an enjoyable activity, and increases when they are stressed or exhausted
6) The degree of symptoms far outweighs the severity of physical findings on medical scans
Some of the most common mind-body symptoms include:
chronic neck and back pain
pelvic pain
migraines
tension headaches
plantarfascitis
carpal tunnel syndrome
frozen shoulder
painful menses
insomnia
tinnitus
dizziness/ vertigo
Meniere's disease
sciatica
irritable bowel disorder and other chronic digestive disturbances
chronic nausea
depression & anxiety
trigeminal neuralgia
chronic fatigue syndrome
fibromyalgia and other autoimmune disorders