Pains

[4048robert]

Afternoon Everyone.
I have had back pains for 6 months after my stomach issues started, dr thinks I have IBS, probably true as I only get pain a few hours after eating. I have had a colonoscopy all clear. I'm just wondering do you think us with health anxiety make pains worse by always prodding and pushing in the area where we have lumps and pains. I have a long cord like lump on my spine which the doctors and muskaletal team said it is nothing to worry about. I keep pressing around my spine and I feel my spinal prosses with smooth painless bump and I can't leave it alone. You have to press really hard to feel it. I thinks it is just part of my spine but it's just the not knowing 100%.

 

[matisworried]

i think people with health anxiety tend to be hyper-focused on their symptoms so pains and sensations tend to be exaggerated or seem worse than they actually are. when you combine that with the fact that our HA-riddled brains can actually create physical symptoms, you've got a recipe for disaster.

in the case of people like yourself that *feel* something "abnormal" yes, it stands to reason if you're constantly pushing, poking and prodding at something that it'll eventually get irritated... especially if you need to push or poke hard to feel it. i mean... if you went to a random spot on your body and pressed and poked around constantly, it would eventually start to bother you.

in your case, you've been cleared by several doctors and other medical professionals, correct? i think it's 100% reasonable to trust the diagnosis you've been given.