I recently received this thoughtful update from Rita that I wanted to share with you:
“I had a post a few months ago about losing 25 lbs over the past year without trying. I had no symptoms, blood work was always good so my doctor ordered all kinds of tests. I felt scanned, x-rayed and poked everywhere but hopeful there was finally an answer. But nothing, all came back clear, negative to anything at all. Doctor said I had clean bill of health and just to watch weight and if I lost anything more to call. I really wasn’t satisfied as I wanted to know why. I started to think it might be nerves. I started finding out a lot of women in my family seem to suffer from a nervous stomach whenever there is stress involved. There were some things going on that could be the culprit! The funny thing is I’m now at the perfect weight for my height and have been holding steady at same weight for 4 months now, that’s a positive thing. I was so happy to see Support Your Body Mystery Illness in the App, seems I’m not alone with not knowing why something is happening. I have been doing it for the past few days and last night I couldn’t stop yawning as I tried to finish it, I think that’s a good sign. Tapping helped me through so much of this journey, I am now trying to be more consistent to reduce any stress, this App always seems to come up with the right ones at the right time. Thank you”
Rita’s experience touches on a frustration that countless people face: the limbo of unexplained symptoms.
You know something isn’t quite right in your body, but all the tests come back “normal,” leaving you with more questions than answers. Let’s explore this challenging territory and how Tapping can offer support when conventional approaches leave us wondering.
The Peculiar Relief and Lingering Questions of “Normal” Test Results
When Rita shared that her tests “all came back clear, negative to anything at all,” I recognized that mixed emotional state that so many people experience. There’s relief, of course—no one wants to receive difficult health news. But there’s also that lingering question: “Then what IS causing this?”
Medical science, for all its remarkable advances, still has limitations when it comes to explaining every bodily change. Weight loss without trying, mysterious pain, fatigue, digestive issues—these symptoms can sometimes fall through the cracks of conventional testing.
This leaves many people in an uncomfortable position:
- Relieved that nothing “serious” was found
- Frustrated by the lack of explanation
- Sometimes questioning if they’re being taken seriously
- Concerned that something might have been missed
- Unsure how to address a problem that supposedly doesn’t exist
When doctors say “just watch and wait,” it can feel like being sent back into the unknown without a map.
The Mind-Body Connection: When Stress Speaks Through Your Body
Rita’s intuition that “it might be nerves” reflects a deep wisdom about the mind-body connection that science increasingly validates. Her observation about women in her family experiencing a “nervous stomach” during stressful times points to something important: our bodies often express what our conscious minds haven’t fully processed.
The connection between stress and unexplained physical symptoms is well-documented:
- Chronic stress alters digestive function and metabolism
- Stress hormones can affect appetite and how our bodies process nutrients
- The nervous system’s response to ongoing pressure can trigger various physical manifestations
- Family patterns around stress responses are often shared—both through genetics and learned behavior
What’s fascinating about Rita’s story is that once she connected the dots between family patterns, personal stress, and her physical symptoms, her weight stabilized at what she describes as “the perfect weight for my height.” This outcome suggests her body may have been processing something that needed attention, and once acknowledged, found its natural balance.
Beyond “It’s All in Your Head”: The Complexity of Mystery Symptoms
For decades, patients with unexplained symptoms were often dismissed with some version of “it’s all in your head.” Thankfully, medical understanding has evolved significantly, with growing recognition that:
- The division between “physical” and “psychological” health is largely artificial
- Stress responses create very real physiological changes
- The nervous system, immune system, and endocrine system are in constant communication
- Emotional experiences can manifest in the body in complex ways
Rita’s experience perfectly illustrates this complexity. Her weight loss was very real—25 pounds is significant—yet couldn’t be explained by conventional testing. The connection to family patterns and stress doesn’t make her experience “just psychological”—it makes it a comprehensive mind-body response.
Why Tapping Works for Mystery Symptoms
When Rita mentions that she found the “Support Your Body Mystery Illness” meditation and that “tapping helped me through so much of this journey,” she touches on why Tapping can be uniquely effective for unexplained health issues.
Here’s why Tapping offers special benefits for mystery symptoms:
1. It Addresses Both Physical and Emotional Components Simultaneously
Unlike approaches that treat either the body OR the emotions, Tapping engages both simultaneously. This is crucial for conditions where the division between physical and emotional factors isn’t clear-cut.
2. It Creates Safety for Exploration
When facing unexplained symptoms, there’s often fear about what might be happening. Tapping reduces this fear response, creating a safe space to explore possible connections without becoming overwhelmed.
3. It Honors the Wisdom of Your Body’s Signals
Rather than dismissing unexplained symptoms, Tapping approaches them with curiosity and respect. The very act of paying mindful attention to these signals while tapping through the points can reveal insights that clinical tests might miss.
4. It Reduces the Stress of Medical Uncertainty
The process of medical testing, waiting for results, and receiving inconclusive answers is itself stressful. Tapping helps manage this meta-stress, preventing it from compounding the original issue.
5. It Supports Nervous System Regulation
Many mystery symptoms involve dysregulation in the autonomic nervous system. Tapping has been shown to help restore balance between the sympathetic (“fight-or-flight”) and parasympathetic (“rest-and-digest”) branches of this system.
The Powerful Sign of Yawning
I had to smile when Rita mentioned, “last night I couldn’t stop yawning as I tried to finish it, I think that’s a good sign.” Her intuition is spot on! Yawning during Tapping is often a sign that:
- The nervous system is shifting from a stress state to a relaxation state
- Emotional processing is occurring
- Energy blockages are releasing
- The body is moving into a healing state
This physiological response suggests that the Tapping session was addressing something her system needed to process. It’s one of those beautiful confirmations that something meaningful is happening beneath the surface.
When Symptoms Serve a Purpose
Sometimes—not always, but sometimes—unexplained physical symptoms serve as messengers, bringing our attention to aspects of our lives that need care. This isn’t about “blame” or suggesting symptoms are “made up”—it’s about recognizing the profound intelligence of our bodies.
In Rita’s case, her unexplained weight loss may have been her body’s way of processing stress that hadn’t been fully acknowledged. Once she made this connection and began addressing it through Tapping, her weight stabilized naturally.
This perspective offers a different way of relating to unexplained symptoms—not as random malfunctions, but as potentially meaningful signals worth listening to with compassion.
Finding Peace with Medical Uncertainty
One of the most challenging aspects of unexplained symptoms is learning to live with a certain degree of uncertainty. Rita’s journey illustrates a beautiful middle path:
- She did all the right medical investigations
- She remained curious when tests didn’t provide answers
- She looked for patterns and made personal connections
- She used Tapping to support her body through the process
- She found peace with the outcome, even without complete explanations
This approach combines medical responsibility with personal empowerment—a powerful combination for navigating health mysteries.
Your Turn: Supporting Your Body Through Mystery Symptoms
If Rita’s experience resonates with you, here are some suggestions for your own journey with unexplained symptoms:
1. Follow Through with Medical Care
Always start with appropriate medical evaluation. Unexplained symptoms should be taken seriously and properly assessed by healthcare providers.
2. Notice Patterns and Connections
Pay attention to when symptoms appear or intensify. Are there situational, emotional, or temporal patterns? Family patterns, as Rita discovered, can also provide clues.
3. Use Targeted Tapping
The “Support Your Body: Mystery Illness” meditation in The Tapping Solution App that helped Rita is designed specifically for the unique challenges of unexplained symptoms. Its language acknowledges both the physical reality of your experience and the emotional components that might be involved.
4. Create a Dialogue with Your Symptoms
Rather than seeing symptoms as enemies to be eliminated, try approaching them with curiosity. While tapping, you might ask:
- “What might this symptom be trying to tell me?”
- “When did this first begin, and what else was happening in my life?”
- “If this symptom had a message, what might it be?”
5. Be Patient with the Process
As Rita’s experience shows, healing often unfolds in its own timing. Her weight stabilized after about a year, and she’s maintained that stability for four months now. Trust your body’s wisdom and healing timeline.
The Gift of Self-Understanding
Perhaps the most beautiful aspect of Rita’s story is how it illustrates the journey from confusion to understanding. Even without a clear medical diagnosis, she found her way to greater self-knowledge:
- She connected family patterns to her personal experience
- She identified stress as a potential factor
- She discovered tapping as a tool that worked for her
- She committed to consistency with stress reduction
- She found peace with her body’s natural weight
This journey of self-understanding is valuable regardless of whether we ever get complete explanations for our symptoms. Sometimes, the process of listening deeply to our bodies is itself the healing we need.
For Those in the Medical Mystery Limbo
If you’re currently navigating unexplained symptoms, please know that you’re not alone. The experience of having something real happening in your body that defies medical explanation is incredibly common.
Your symptoms are real. Your experience matters. And tools like Tapping can offer meaningful support while you navigate this territory.
Looking for Support with Unexplained Symptoms?
If you’re inspired by Rita’s experience and want to explore Tapping for your own mystery symptoms, these resources can help you address both the physical symptoms and emotional components:
- The Tapping Solution App – Our app features numerous meditations specifically designed to support physical healing and the emotions and stress we may have about our health. Try using the search function in the app for any specific symptoms you’re experiencing — we have a vast library to support you (from headaches to IBS, to Autoimmune, and beyond). Sometimes, as Rita so beautifully put it, the app “comes up with the right ones at the right time.” Meanwhile, here are some more general sessions I recommend:
- Support Your Body: Mystery Illness – This is the session Rita talked about. It’s designed to help you acknowledge the uncertainty and stress about not knowing what’s going on with your body so you can better support it as you continue on your healing journey.
- I’m Stressed About My Health – By addressing the stress related to your symptoms, you can help quiet the noise which helps bring greater clarity and insight about how to support your body (and can help alleviate the symptoms, too!).
- I Support My Body Through Loving Thoughts and Actions – This super short (2 min) Quick Tap is a wonderful way to give yourself a dose of kindness and relief, and it’s a wonderful reminder of how to best care for your body.
- Find a Certified EFT Practitioner – For personalized support, especially for complex or recurring respiratory issues that might benefit from deeper emotional exploration.
- The Tapping Solution for Autoimmune Disorders – While focused on autoimmune conditions, this program contains valuable insights for anyone looking to understand the mind-body connection in healing.
Note: You can access the meditations listed by clicking the links above using your mobile device, or type the name of the meditation into The Tapping Solution App’s search function.
I’d love to hear about your experiences with unexplained symptoms and Tapping. Have you found connections between stress and physical manifestations? Has Tapping helped you navigate medical uncertainties? Share your story in the comments below!
Wishing you well on your healing journey!
Until next time… Keep Tapping!
Nick Ortner