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If the low back pain is accompanied by pain in the leg, or sciatica, there is even greater concern and apprehension, for this raises the possibility of the herniated disc and the possibility of surgery. In this media-dominated age, very few people have not heard of herniated discs, and the idea arouses great anxiety, resulting in greater pain. If, in the course of medical investigation, imaging studies show a herniation, the apprehension is multiplied even further. And if there should be feelings of numbness or tingling in the leg or foot and/or weakness, all of which can occur with TMS, because of burgeoning fear, the conditions for a very protracted episode of pain are defined. As will be discussed later, herniated discs are rarely the cause of the pain (see here). There is not a great deal one can do to speed the resolution of such an episode. If the person is fortunate enough to know what is going on, that this is only a muscle spasm and there is nothing structurally wrong, the attack will be short-lived.
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John E. Sarno (Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection)