- John E. Sarno
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John E. Sarno Born 1923 Residence USA Citizenship USA Nationality 
United StatesFields Rehabilitation medicine Institutions Rusk Institute at New York University Medical Center Alma mater Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons Known for Tension myositis syndrome John E. Sarno (born 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 diagnosis of the controversial psychosomatic condition, tension myositis syndrome (TMS).
Contents
Tension myositis syndrome
Main article: Tension myositis syndromeSarno's most notable (and controversial) achievement is the development, diagnosis and treatment of TMS, which is not accepted by mainstream medicine.[1] 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 gastrointestinal problems, dermatological disorders and repetitive-strain injuries as TMS related. Sarno states that he has 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.[2] Sarno's theory is, in part, that the pain or GI symptoms are an unconscious "distraction" to aid in the repression of deep unconscious emotional issues. Sarno believes that when patients think about what may be upsetting them in their unconscious they can defeat their minds strategy to repress these powerful emotions in this manner, the symptoms are seen for what they are and 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.[3]
Sarno wrote about his experience in this area in his first book on TMS, Mind Over Back Pain.[4] His second book, Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection,[5] has sold over 150,000 copies.[6] Sarno's most recent book, The Divided Mind: The Epidemic of Mindbody Disorders,[7] featured chapters by six other doctors and addressing the entire spectrum of psychosomatic disorders and the history of psychosomatic medicine.
Statistical studies of TMS treatment
Sarno's books describe two follow-up surveys of his TMS patients. The first in 1982 interviewed 177 patients selected randomly from those Sarno treated in the preceding three years. 76% stated that they were leading normal and effectively pain-free lives. A second follow-up study in 1987 restricted the population surveyed to those with herniated discs identified on CT-scans, and 88% of the 109 randomly selected patients stated that they were free of pain one to three years after TMS treatment.[8]
In 2007, David Schechter (a medical doctor and former student and research assistant of Sarno) published a peer-reviewed[9] study of TMS treatment showing a 54% success rate for chronic back pain. The average pain duration for the study's patients was 9 years. In terms of statistical significance and success rate, the study outperformed similar studies of other psychological interventions for chronic back pain.[10]
Notable patients
Notable patients of Sarno include radio personality Howard Stern, actress Anne Bancroft,[6] 20/20 co-anchor John Stossel[1][11] and television writer Janette Barber.[1] All four have praised Sarno and his work highly.[1][12] Stern dedicated his first book in part to Sarno.[13]
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
- ^ a b c d "Dr. Sarno's Cure". 20/20. ABC. 1999-07-25.
- ^ "At the Root of Back Pain". WholeHealthMD. http://www.wholehealthmd.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?type=AWHN_News&tier=3&id=7F2A6797C49E454DB0E9DF1EB33AF1AB.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Sarno, John E. (1999). Mind Over Back Pain. Berkley Trade. ISBN 0425175235.
- ^ Sarno, John E. (1991). Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection. Grand Central Publishing. ISBN 0-446-39230-8.
- ^ a b Neporent, Liz (17 February 1999). "Straightening Out Back Pain". The New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=9B05E3DF1E3AF934A25751C0A96F958260. Retrieved 2007-12-21
- ^ Sarno, John E. (2007-03-27). The Divided Mind: The Epidemic of Mindbody Disorders. Harper Paperbacks. ISBN 0-06-085178-3.
- ^ Sarno, John E. (1998). The Mindbody Prescription: Healing the Body, Healing the Pain. Warner Books. ISBN 0-446-52076-4.
- ^ "Info for Authors". Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine. InnoVision Communications, LLC. http://www.alternative-therapies.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/Content.Main/id/45. Retrieved 2010-01-30.
- ^ Schechter D, Smith AP, Beck J, Roach J, Karim R, Azen S (2007). "Outcomes of a Mind-Body Treatment Program for Chronic Back Pain with No Distinct Structural Pathology-A Case Series of Patients Diagnosed and Treated as Tension Myositis Syndrome". Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine 13 (5): 26–35. PMID 17900039.
- ^ McGrath, Mike (2004-11-03). "When Back Pain Starts in Your Head: Is repressed anger is causing your back pain?". Prevention.com. Rodale Inc.. http://www.prevention.com/health/health/health-concerns/when-back-pain-starts-in-your-head/article/727b7e643f803110VgnVCM10000013281eac____. Retrieved 2008-01-29.
- ^ Sarno, John E. (1998). The Mindbody Prescription: Healing the Body, Healing the Pain. Warner Books. back cover. ISBN 0-446-52076-4.
- ^ Stern, H; Sloman, L (1993). Private Parts (Mass Market paperback ed.). Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-0671009441.
External links
- "ABC 20/20 segment and interview with Dr. Sarno". 1999. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6660313127569317147.
- "Interview with Dr. Sarno on "Health Talk"". 2007-04-10. http://podcast.wor710.com/wor/384249.mp3.
- "Sarno's publications". 2006-11-09. http://www.med.nyu.edu/pubs/sarnoj01.html. Retrieved 2007-09-10.
- "Sarno's website". http://www.med.nyu.edu/people/J.Sarno.html.
- "Web community and resources on TMS". http://tmswiki.wetpaint.com/.
- "Personal website of former RSI sufferer with discussion on medical evidence and success stories". http://www.rsi-backpain.co.uk/index.html.
Categories:- 1923 births
- Living people
- American medical writers
- American health and wellness writers
- American physicians
- Columbia Medical School alumni
- New York University faculty
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