The brain causes physical pain.
Learn how to relieve it.
What is TMS?
We focus on TMS, or Tension Myoneural Syndrome. TMS is a diagnosis for back and other types of chronic pain with no clear physical cause. Patients with TMS have a brain-based cause for their physical pain. The treatment for TMS focuses on psychology and education.
How do I heal from chronic pain?
Healing comes from learning to shift focus from physical to psychological causes, break dysfunctional neural pathways, and process emotions differently. The symptoms are very real, but the cause is different than expected and typically overlooked by most doctors.
Education is the "penicillin" for TMS.
Part of treating TMS is learning how the brain causes physical pain and how you can break the cycle. We offer several educational resources:
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A new online video program to help you navigate your healing journey. Learn more about the course patients' experience.
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A catalog of books and interactive workbooks about TMS.
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A free educational video library.
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A selection of patient stories about their experience with TMS.
Other Names for TMS
TMS, PPD (Psycho-Physiologic Disorder), Central Pain Syndrome, Distraction Pain Syndrome, Pain Amplification Syndrome, Tension Myoneural Syndrome, Tension Myositis Syndrome, The MindBody Syndrome, Learned Neural Pathways, Neuroplastic Pain and Disorders, Nociplastic Pain, Neural Circuit Pain. You may have heard the term PRT or pain reprocessing therapy, a name for one of the elements of treatment for this condition. Our national non-profit is now the Assoc. for Treatment of Neuroplastic Symptoms. (ATNS, formerly PPDA)
Is There Science Behind This Method?
Actually, quite a lot. More science than for many surgical and other approaches to chronic pain.
Three types of research: 1) Research I've participated in about TMS and chronic pain.
2) Recent and Specific Research on this approach by colleagues (controlled studies, major journals)
3) Large amounts of related research summarized in a bibliography of over 200 articles supporting the mind-body link; psycho-physiologic conditions, journaling, neuroscience, and economics of pain.
Dr. David Schechter
Dr. David Schechter is a Board Certified Sports Medicine/Family Medicine Physician with a credential in Pain Medicine practicing in Los Angeles, California.
Dr. Schechter has over thirty years of experience with the TMS diagnosis, has treated thousands of patients and published original research.
While a medical student at NYU, he was a successful patient of Dr. John Sarno and Dr. Sarno's research assistant for a follow-up study.
The Mind-Body Workbook
Educational materials developed by Dr. Schechter include:
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The MindBody Workbook (Volume 1, 2)
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Think Away Your Pain
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The MindBody Healing Journey course
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The MindBody Workbook for teens
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Understanding and Healing from TMS
Some of these were essential elements of the home treatment program for his 2007 published study in Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine showing the effectiveness of this treatment program for chronic pain (especially low back pain).
Think Away Your Pain
Dr. Schechter's book, published in 2014, brings together his clinical experience, research findings, new scientific evidence and emotional wisdom to teach the reader the mind/brain and mind-body linkages needed to relieve pain.
He presents an updated model of pain, The Seven Lessons of Pain, detailed treatment methods and The Twelve Stages of Healing.
This book has been called "the most 'user-friendly' book in this field." It's also been reviewed as "the clearest description of mindbody pain treatment yet written."
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