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John E. Sarno

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John E. Sarno, MD, (1923-) is Professor of Clinical Rehabilitation Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, and attending physician at the Howard A. Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, New York University Medical Center. He graduated from The Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1950. In 1965 he became the Director of the Outpatient Department at the Rusk Institute. He is also the originator of the controversial psychosomatic condition, tension myositis syndrome (TMS), which has not received serious study from mainstream medicine.

Tension myositis syndrome

Main article: Tension myositis syndrome

Sarno's most notable (and controversial) achievement is the development, diagnosis and treatment of TMS, which is not recognized by mainstream medical science. According to Sarno, TMS is a psychosomatic illness causing chronic back, neck, and limb pain which is not relieved by standard medical treatments. He includes other ailments, such as GI problems and repetitive-strain injuries as TMS related. Sarno claims to have successfully treated over ten thousand patients at the Rusk Institute by educating them on his beliefs of a psychological and emotional basis to their pain and symptoms.[1] Sarno's theory is, in part, that the pain or GI symptoms are a subconscious "distraction" from the deep emotional issues. Sarno believes that when patients recognize that it is only a distraction, the symptoms then serve no purpose, and they go away. Supporters of Sarno's work hypothesize an inherent difficulty in performing the clinical trials needed to prove or disprove the diagnosis, since it is difficult to use clinical trials with psychosomatic illnesses.[2]

Sarno wrote about his experience in this area in his first book on TMS, Mind Over Back Pain.[3] His second book, Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection,[4] has sold over 150,000 copies.[5] Sarno's most recent book featured chapters by six other doctors and addressing the entire spectrum of psychosomatic disorders and the history of psychosomatic medicine.[6]

Notable patients

Notable patients of Sarno include radio personality Howard Stern, the late actress Anne Bancroft[5], 20/20 co-anchor John Stossel[7][8] and television writer Janette Barber.[7] All four have praised Sarno and his work highly.[9][10] Stern dedicated his first book in part to Sarno.[11]

Bibliography

  • Sarno, John E. (1982). Mind Over Back Pain. Berkley Trade. ISBN 0-425-08741-7.
  • Sarno, John E. (1991). Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection. Grand Central Publishing. ISBN 0-446-39230-8.
  • Sarno, John E. (1998). The Mindbody Prescription: Healing the Body, Healing the Pain. Warner Books. ISBN 0-446-67515-6.
  • Sarno, John E. (2006). The Divided Mind: The Epidemic of Mindbody Disorders. Harper Paperbacks. ISBN 0-06-085178-3.

Footnotes

  1. ^ "At the Root of Back Pain". WholeHealthMD.
  2. ^ Leonard-Segal, Dr. Andrea (2006). "A Rheumatologist's Experience With Psychosomatic Disorders". The Divided Mind: The Epidemic of Mindbody Disorders. ReganBooks. ISBN 0-06-085178-3.
  3. ^ Sarno, John E. Mind Over Back Pain. Berkley Trade. ISBN 0425175235.
  4. ^ Sarno, John E. (1991). Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection. Grand Central Publishing. ISBN 0-446-39230-8.
  5. ^ a b Neporent, Liz (17 Feb 1999), "Straightening Out Back Pain", The New York Times, retrieved 2007-12-21
  6. ^ Sarno, John E. (2007-03-27). The Divided Mind: The Epidemic of Mindbody Disorders. Harper Paperbacks. ISBN 0-06-085178-3.
  7. ^ a b "Dr. Sarno's Cure". 20/20. 1999-07-25. ABC. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ McGrath, Mike (2004-11-03). "When Back Pain Starts in Your Head: Is repressed anger is causing your back pain?". Prevention.com. Rodale Inc. Retrieved 2008-01-29.
  9. ^ Sarno, John E. (1998). The Mindbody Prescription: Healing the Body, Healing the Pain. Warner Books. p. back cover. ISBN 0-446-52076-4.
  10. ^ Kalb, Claudia (26 Apr 2004). "The Great Back Debate - Page 3: Alternative and Complementary Therapies Offer New Hope". Newsweek.
  11. ^ Stern, H. Private Parts (Mass Market paperback ed.). Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-0671009441. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
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