John E. Sarno Quotes

There's nothing like a little physical pain to keep your mind off your emotional problems.

A knowledgeable physical therapist can slowly build up patients' confidence by reassuring them that there is no structural problem and reminding them of the physiologic reason for the pain.

It is perfectly acceptable to have a physical problem in our culture, but people tend to shy away from anything that has to do with the emotions.

... it is highly unlikely that a structural derangement could produce pain equal in severity to acute muscle spasm.

... surgery is a powerful placebo, perhaps the ultimate placebo. The effectiveness of a placebo is directly proportional to the impression it makes on the patient's subconscious mind.

Most doctors are uncomfortable with medical conditions that have a psychological basis.

It is my impression that 'pain-killing' drugs improve the patient's mood rather than take away the pain.

Acknowledging the important role of the emotions in health and illness, medicine must reexamine its concepts of disease causation.