Rating: 
Summary: Start here...period
Review: If you're like me and thousands (millions?) of others who suffer from back pain and other ailments (e.g., sciatica, "tennis elbow", even frequent urination and skin rashes), this book is a literal lifesaver.I first learned about Tension Myositis Syndrome (TMS), the name Dr. Sarno gave to this condition, in 1999 when Dr. Sarno appeared on Larry King Live. At that time, I had been suffering from chronic low back pain for a decade. I first developed it my junior year in college and had back pain off and on since. Because I was a military officer at the time when it was most severe, I was afforded exceptional healthcare and offered every possible treatment at the U.S. government's expense. However, no amount of treatment - physical therapy, chiropractic care, exercising/stretching, acupuncture, etc. - could free me of my debilitating pain. That is, until I discovered Dr. Sarno's diagnosis. By the time I read Dr. Sarno's book, I had every known type of imagery done to determine the root of my low back pain - MRI, CT, X-ray, etc. Still, nothing was conclusive, so once I learned through Dr. Sarno's book the pain could simply be a phyiscal reaction to emotional pain, the diagnosis made perfect sense to me and was easy to believe. Within days of reading the book, I was cured. Amazing. Unfortunately, I still have bouts with TMS, sometimes severe bouts. As such, I continue to seek out a permanent cure for my problem. Dr. Sarno's book helped me put the pain in perspective and regain control of my life. However, it has not been able to rid me of TMS all together. He suggests psychotherapy if TMS persists, but I live in South Korea and do not have that as an option. Nonetheless, I am at least relieved to know I haven't caused any real injury to my back. I can thus go about my business and simply manage the pain as it arrives. Thank you, Dr. Sarno, thank you. Incidentally, before I close, I should mention many people rave about Fred Amir's book "Rapid Recovery from Back Pain". I too have that book, but I have not found it that helpful (see my review). Regardless, whatever answers you seek beyond this book, don't do so until you've started here. Dr. Sarno's book is the foundation for any further help you may seek. REVIEW UPDATE: 15 JANUARY 2004 I am writing to reaffirm how wonderful this book truly is. I am very happy to report I have had literally no back pain in nearly two years now. None. My treatment? Nothing other than reading Dr. Sarno's book. That's it. Please, folks, do yourself a favor. Give this book a try. I exaggerate not when I say that reading this paperback alone can free you of pain forever. I'm living proof.
Rating:
Summary: Hallelujah, I Can Walk Again!
Review: In the eighties I had several rounds of debilitating back pain. Then I read Sarno's "Mind Over Back Pain." Ever since then--and we're talking seventeen years--not once have I been put out of commission. Based on that, I would recommend this newer Sarno book to anyone with back trouble. I'm not the kind of guy who's susceptible to "miracle cures." How can a book possibly cure illness? Never mind. This one does.
Rating:
Summary: If you have an open mind, this book will cure you.
Review: I've had a mysterious back problem for over a year. I was diagnosed with sciatica and sacro-iliac joint dysfunction. After too many trips to the Chiropractor only to be relieved temporarily, I decided to take the issue into my own hands and research it. I came across many materials and decided on Dr. Sarno's book and within 6 hours started to feel an easing of the pain. Within two days I was cured and have not had one problem since. He gives you the courage to believe that your back is strong and healthy and can endure much more than medical professionals lead you to believe. Now when I get stressed, I talk to myself and recognize the problem...before it becomes a physical issue and manifests itself in my lower back. If you are open-minded and truly want to live life to it's fullest and eliminate the limitations that back pain cause, get this book, read it and put it to work for you! It has changed my life.
Rating:
Summary: I was a skeptic too
Review: I was completely skeptical when I heard about this book. But I'm serious - it really, honestly worked for me! To persuade all of you back sufferers out there that I know whereof I speak, I had episodes of back pain bad enough to keep me bedridden on and off for 7 years. At one point I spent most of 2 months laying flat on my back on the floor and at the age of 27 I had to walk with a cane for weeks because the pain of trying to hold up my upper body was so excruciating I couldn't do it. In those 7 years I had physical therapy, took muscle relaxants and serious painkillers, tried acupuncture, and nothing helped for long. In May 2000 I had surgery for 2 herniated discs, with no particular improvement. A passing mention of Dr. Sarno's book led me to look it up on Amazon.com. All of the comments from people who said they cured their back problems by reading this book amazed me. I didn't see how it was remotely possible. But it seemed worth $(...) or so to see what they were talking about so I read this book over a year ago, and while it took months to recover fully, I have that "new lease on life" you hear about. I started running again. I can rollerblade. I can do yoga. I can lift weights. I can kickbox. I can sit in any position I want. Please, just read the book (and his other book, the Mind-Body Prescription) with an open mind, no matter how crazy you think the theory is at first. It drastically improved the quality of my life.
Rating: 
Summary: Didn't help!!!
Review: This book may help some people as I see it did in the customer
reviews. As for me reading this book didn't help me at all.
I wouldn't recommend it to a person that has been diagnosed with
a herniated disc plus degenerative disc that I have especially if
you have any pain down your leg!!!
Rating:
Summary: This book has no useful information
Review: This book's basic premise that the pain is all in your mind is insulting and not helpful. If you are in crippling pain and it is due to a real condition such as a herniated disk then wishing the pain away is not going to work. My advice, bypass this book.
Rating:
Summary: Genius of our Century
Review: Dr. Sarno is a genius, this is the first book that I have ever read, that actually does what it say's. All you have to do is read the book, and your pain WILL disappear. By reading his book and understanding medically why it is impossible to have ongoing back pain, it disappears. Dr. Sarno should win the Noble Prize for this, but because the medical community doesn't like quick inexpensive fixes, he won't. Any and I mean anyone with back pain should read this book.
Rating:
Summary: less pain more gain
Review: The more people there are that read this book, the less back problems there will be.
Rating:
Summary: Unmask your back pain!
Review: I strained my back at work in July, 1996. Prior to reading John Sarno's book, I even carried my purse on a wheeled luggage cart because the strain of carrying it over my shoulder was unbearable. I used a headset to answer the phone to spare my neck. My arm and leg were often numb. My hip ached constantly. I visited a chiropracter weekly. I carried a mental list of hundreds of things I couldn't do/attempt "because I have a bad back." These included lifting anything over 5 pounds, moving furniture, painting, golfing. Since I read Healing Back Pain two years ago, I have been pain-free. My strong, healthy back no longer limits my approach to an active, physical lifestyle. It seems like a miracle cure after so many years of pain and I recommend this book to everyone I know. If stress threatens, I re-read several key passages to remind myself to unmask back pain.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic Book!
Review: This book is fantastic. Dr. Sarno is a genious. I am completely cured from my back pain. I also recommend two other books: Back Sense and Rapid Recovery from Back and Neck Pain.
| 
