Posted by Anon Chick

In Reply to: Mindbody Prescription by Dr. John E Sarno - His patients include: John Stossel of 20/20, Anne Bancroft and Howard Stern posted by sburbncwby

October 6, 2000

Diversions

'Have I Got a Cure for You!'

How many doctors does it take to cure a common ailment?

By LISA GUBERNICK
Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

My back aches. Never enough to miss a day of work, though sufficient to
interrupt a night's sleep, make long flights miserable and cause me to
think twice about lifting my six-year-old. But recently I thought I
finally might be able to find a cure.

At a time when patients, politicians
and doctors everywhere are
complaining about restrictions on
health coverage, my boss offered me
what seemed like an extraordinary
luxury: She would pick up the tab for
as many specialists as necessary to
nail down a diagnosis and, with any
luck, a remedy. In all, I went to eight
specialists of all stripes, including
some of the best in their fields, from
a psychoanalyst to the celebrity
doctor that shock-radio host Howard Stern swears by.

Celebrity Doctor

My final visit was to Dr. John Sarno, professor of Clinical
Rehabilitation Medicine at New York University. His book "The
Mindbody Prescription" boasts a testimonial from talk radio's Mr.
Stern, who dedicated his own book, "Private Parts," to Dr. Sarno "for
ridding me of back pain and obsessive-compulsive disorder."

Trained as a physiatrist, Dr. Sarno eschews traditional treatments. He
believes virtually all back problems come from what he calls tension
myositis syndrome, the result of a mild reduction in oxygen to the
muscles, tendons or nerves. The trigger for TMS, he says, is a
"mindbody" problem, caused by unexpressed emotions.

Dr. Sarno's secretary asked about my medical history -- and whether I
had read the doctor's book. I answered yes. When the doctor himself
called later, he, too, wanted to know if I had read his book -- and
about the nature of my pain. "I'm almost certain you have TMS, which
is what I describe in my book," he said. "This is psychologically
induced. You must accept that diagnosis in order to get better." He
added that by coming to see him, I was committing to going to his
seminars and teaching sessions. (It's all included in a single $800
fee.)"

I set up an appointment, where he asked about my family history and the
sources of stress in my life. During the physical exam, he put pressure
on the side of my thigh. I yelped with pain. "That tenderness is
typical," the doctor said. "There is nothing structurally wrong with
you."

Treatment began with two lectures, followed by six weeks of 45-minute
homework sessions. His pitch: how specious many diagnoses and
treatments of back pain were. In one study, 98 people who had never
had back pain were given MRIs; more than half had structural
abnormalities involving their disks.

"It all makes sense," said a tall man with a grizzled beard as we
walked out. "I just wish I could say I felt better." I couldn't have
agreed with him more.

Write to Lisa Gubernick at lisa.gubernick@wsj.com1

The Dow Jones 'Whine' Index

I went to eight different medical specialists to deal with my backache.
Here's what they said I had -- and how much it would cost to fix it.
(Each doctor was given a chance to comment on his diagnosis or
treatment before the story went to press.)

Celebrity Doctor John Sarno

Diagnosis: Tension myositis syndrome (very common, according to Dr.
Sarno, a psychosomatic condition in which a mild reduction of oxygen
to muscles, nerves or tendons triggers pain).

Treatment: Two lectures, six weeks of daily 45-minute homework
sessions linked to Dr. Sarno's book, "The Mindbody Prescription."

Cost of Visit: $800 (includes initial consult, lectures, follow-up
teaching sessions)

Comments: Howard Stern swears by him. After two lectures and a
consultation, I'm somewhat agnostic. "I want people who are receptive
to my diagnosis," Dr. Sarno says. (He and his secretary both asked,
prior to my appointment, if I had read his book.)

URL for this Article:
http://interactive.wsj.com/archive/retrieve.cgi?id=SB970798347921216775.djm

Follow Ups:

• Re: Dr. Sarno's $800 treatment - Howard Stern swears by him. Diane.booth
• Re: Dr. Sarno's $800 treatment - Howard Stern swears by him. dick wicks
  • Re: Dr. Sarno's $800 treatment - Howard Stern swears by him. greg

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