View the Back in Control blog posts by type.
- Stage 1 – Lay the Foundation
- Stage 2 – Forgive and Play
- Stage 3 – Move Forward
- Stage 4 – Expand Your Consciousness
- Stage 5 – Decision-making
- Stage 6 – Procedures
- Stories of Hope
- Expressive Arts Gallery
- Stories of Surgical Despair
- The blog index.
Recent Posts
The Impact of Stress on Pain and Decision-Making
A person’s stress level has a marked effect on both your central and peripheral nervous systems. The central nervous system (CNS) consists of your brain and spinal cord. The peripheral nervous system (PNS) includes all... Read More
Verbal “Expressive Writing”
Freely writing your thoughts and immediately destroying them has been the starting point for almost every person I have seen heal. My concept of why it is effective is because humans cannot escape their thoughts,... Read More
How Many More Neck Surgeries?
One middle-aged patient sought me out in Seattle from the East Coast for a second opinion regarding his neck. He had been disabled since 2001 with chronic pain over most of his body. He had... Read More
Understanding the “Curse of Consciousness”
RUTs (repetitive unpleasant thoughts) are driven by our unconscious brain Here is the essence of the problem with RUTs and the human condition. The sequence begins with your unconscious brain that is constantly on alert... Read More
How healing happens
It really appears insurmountable, & the process stops and starts, but when you begin to take this course, to move in a different way with the psychology & the physiology finally finding ‘right relation’ to... Read More
Threat Physiology Can’t be Controlled with Behavioral Approaches
Objectives Many people are focused on controlling anger and anxiety with behavioural approaches. These powerful reactions are not controllable and suppressing them increases threat physiology. We all need to be heard, supported, and taught methods... Read More
Spastic Bladder Resolved – Being with Anger
This is a letter I recently received from a young woman with interstitial cystitis or spastic bladder. It is a common condition that creates a lot of misery. I don’t have much experience treating patients... Read More
AI and the Cumulative Effects of Trauma
Objectives AI and the human brain both are blank slates whose functionality depends on what is loaded into them. Your capacity to navigate life depends on the quality of data and the “algorithm” loaded into... Read More
Important Posts
Do You Really Need Spine Surgery?
Do You Really Need Spine Surgery? Take Control with Advice from a Surgeon considers all factors affecting your perception of pain and organizes them into a treatment grid that allows you to make a good... Read More
David Hanscom’s Mission and Resources
My mission falls into two broad categories. Connect mainstream medicine with existing science – most symptoms, illness and disease are created by the body’s physiology (how it functions), and not structures. Establish the necessity of... Read More
The Healing “C”quence
Living creatures have two basic biological imperatives. The first is to survive and the second is to pass their genetic material to the next generation. Threat physiology is a necessary component to maximize chances of... Read More
Anger Academy
Objectives Processing anger is more doable if it is broken down into its components. Anger is a powerful, necessary, and hard wired survival reflex. You cannot tame it with the conscious brain. It is an... Read More
Dynamic Healing
A new, data-based dynamic approach is needed for medicine to successfully deal with our epidemic of chronic disease. It must acknowledge the interaction between circumstances and your body’s capacity to process them, which determines the... Read More
Plan A–Lowering Inflammation Lengthens Life
The COVID-19 virus is a member of the Corona virus family that usually just causes the common cold. The problem is that we now have a strain that is potentially fatal. However, there are some... Read More
Essence of Illness
The burden of chronic disease is crushing us while we have the answers right in front of us. A recent summary reported that the total cost of chronic disease in the US is 3.7 trillion... Read More
Navigating the Entire Circle of Your Life
The DOC (Direct your Own Care) Journey is a collection of resources that reflect the ones many people have used to escape from the grip of chronic mental and physical pain, It includes: A guided... Read More
Expressive Arts Gallery
Fierce Pain – Medically Explainable Symptoms (MES)
This is a piece sent to me through the expressive arts gallery. My arms reach upward as the mind and hair are disintegrating, reaching through burning into the light. Grounded in the earth, I dance.... Read More
“MdDS: She is a Beautiful Flower” (acrylic on black watercolor paper, Feb 2017)
Julie Graber, 2017: July 2016, a Mal de Debarquement. Rocking, Bobbing, Swaying … 24×7 … circling in a counter-clockwise direction. Painted in the middle of one night when something under my rib cage felt like... Read More
“Mystic Fragmentation … a medicine painting” (acrylic paint and collaged feet on 48×60″ canvas, 2021)
Julie Graber, 2016: a chronic neurological disorder after 8-day river cruise Prague to Budapest, Mal de Debarquement Syndrome (MdDS), for which “there is no cure”; rocking, bobbing, swaying like on a paddle board in the... Read More
Shadows Dancing in the Fire
Dancing through the ring of fire. Dancing through the ring of fire. Related posts: “The Cup Song” Spastic Bladder Resolved... Read More
Emotional Turmoil
A great life isn’t just about waiting for the storm to pass, It’s about learning to dance in the rain. Related posts: When I Dance – Omega 2019 Anger and Anxiety–Highway to Hell Staying in... Read More
Somatic energy
I am a Registered Art Therapist in Victoria, BC. My husband is your big fan and introduced me to your website. I wanted to send this image that I created using colors and symbols to... Read More
With or Without
Without or With Without desire I die Without touch I die Without conversation I die Without inspiration I die Without passion I die Without worthiness I die Without listening I die Without song I die... Read More
“Compassion”
As I grow through my journey of coming to peace with chronic pain, I see the need for deep self compassion. So this painting depicts a woman connecting her belly to her heart, bringing awareness... Read More
Autumn Leaves
I find such tranquility in nature & creating these hidden lid gourd containers helps me feel that I am in harmony with my universe. Gourds are a living medium, and when I am touching &... Read More
A selection from my mask project
The range of expressions tell the story. The wall in the studio is from 1972-72. They are collage friends. The found objects are photographed uncleaned or retouched just as they “spoke” to me. The blue... Read More
The Lone Ranger
My Mask project is part of my fie art practice that began around 1970 and continues today. The series includes found objects that “speak to me” and numerous collage works. They are friends, protectors, moods,... Read More
Six Feet Apart
“Six Feet Apart” Oil 9×12″ Currently in literal terms, this is the kind of mask that has center stage right now. When the pandemic began I hadn’t painted for quite a while. But through expressive... Read More
Wear A Mask!
We have protected all our outside art as a reminder … This is serious! No related posts. Read More
The Cellist
When I saw this man playing on the street so he could make some money, I saw the expression on his face. He was in his own world and not only enjoying his music, but... Read More
Lost and Found
I keep coming back to this idea that there are two sides to every coin. In this time of global pandemic, masks hold a duality of both safety and fear. I’m now used to wearing a... Read More
Caught in a Swirl of Change
This mask represents the feeling of being separated from normal life. The Coronavirus has caused the government to close my studio/gallery in Pt Reyes. I now find my life cast adrift, in a constant state... Read More
Florentine Mosaic
Mosaico Fiorentino Fragments like colored glass Segmented memories Names of streets Distant ricordi In a flash my thoughts translate into Florentine tongue Connecting chards of glass like dots on a page my memory comes into... Read More
Stories of Hope
Spastic Bladder Resolved – Being with Anger
This is a letter I recently received from a young woman with interstitial cystitis or spastic bladder. It is a common condition that creates a lot of misery. I don’t have much experience treating patients... Read More
Optimizing (Avoiding) Spine Surgery
About three years ago, my staff noticed that our surgical patients who participated in The DOC Journey principles were doing much better. The outcomes were more consistent, and we were seeing fewer failures. The postoperative... Read More
How to Heal – A Patient’s Story
Essentially every person that has experienced deep healing has learned to process anger and nurture joy. It is much more than an intellectual exercise and deeper than “acceptance.” You don’t have to like the person... Read More
No More Back Pain – A Story of Healing
When I discuss the idea that you can reprogram or shift your brain circuits around away from pain, there is always a certain sense of disbelief. However, this story is a typical one with the... Read More
Positive Thinking vs. Real-time Reprogramming
You can heal by connecting to your own body’s capacity to heal. But that means connecting with every aspect of your being – including your “dark” side. It is the reason why The DOC Journey... Read More
The Pain of Social Isolation
Many people suffering from chronic pain are socially isolated. When you are trapped in pain you have a difficult time reaching out. Others do not necessarily want to interact with angry people. The problem becomes... Read More
Charley’s Story: Pain Free After 17 Doctors
This is a story of a middle-aged gentleman who became pain free using DOC Process principles. Although, he saw me primarily for back pain, it turned out that lack of sleep and anxiety were the... Read More
No More Being a Victim – Pay it Forward and Heal
Being a victim is universal because we are victims. Life is challenging for all living creatures, including humans. We are competing for resources and a lot of behaviours are less than pleasant. Humans have an... Read More
“My Way Out” (of “The Abyss”) – One Patient’s Story
This is one of many stories of hope that I hear frequently. Her story is a classic illustration of how the body can heal itself if we can get out of the way. There are... Read More
“Ritalins”
I want to introduce you to Rita who holds the record in my practice for the longest time being in pain and breaking free. She had been suffering for 55 years and was still able... Read More
Solving Tinnitus – The Ringing in My Ears
The old saying, “Youth is wasted on the young,” is true—especially in my case. Many of the physical issues of my adulthood resulted from a perceived invincibility during my teenage years, combined with my refusal... Read More
“Physician, Heal Thyself” – and She Did
The solutions to breaking free from the grip of chronic pain have become increasingly clear. The answers are coming from several different sources that include the research on patterns of brain activity, the role of... Read More
Freed by Persistence and Play
I first met Mark at our 2017 three-day “Rewiring Your Brain” workshop at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY. He had flown in from the Netherlands. His main problem was chronic low back pain that... Read More
28 Surgeries–”I elected to not be in pain”
For many years, I thought that for many patients there was a point of no return because the sheer magnitude of both physical and emotional trauma. I particularly felt this way with people who had... Read More
Never Too Late for Hope
This letter was sent to me by a woman that I have corresponded with a few times but I have never met or worked with. One of most powerful aspects of the DOC process is... Read More
What Makes Your Book Different?
This is a followup letter from a woman who emailed me about four years ago. I had never met her and she shared a remarkable story of recovery. Her story is one that has led... Read More
Moving Forward by Being with her Anxiety
Lisa is a 58 year old high-level professional who developed chronic neck pain about 5 years ago. It began around the time she was facing some major career challenges. The pain became severe enough that... Read More
Meditation versus Medicating for Life
This is a letter from someone who I have never met. I would encourage you to read it carefully for several reasons. The first being that this is a person who was been beaten up... Read More
“Un-screwed”–Yoga Healing Back Pain
This is a piece submitted by a reader, who has done well. It illustrates several aspects of the healing journey. The structure presented by the DOC process is a framework that organizes your thinking so... Read More
A Couple Re-united
During the last few years of practice, our team became extremely aware of the effect of chronic pain on the family and the family dynamics around pain. When a patient is in a survival mode,... Read More
Avoided a 12-hour Spine Fusion and is Free from Chronic Pain
Mark Owens’ Story This is a video that we shot of Mark Owens, who wrote the Forward of my book. I’d like to give you some additional background to his story, both from his and... Read More
How I Cured my Migraine Headaches
Migraine headaches are brutal and often incapacitating. They are also one of the symptoms of a chronically stressed nervous system. Adrenaline decreases the blood supply to the frontal lobe of the brain and when you... Read More
Chronic Neck Pain Gone – DOC Prevents Relapse
This story is from a woman, who I met at our first Omega workshop in 2013. I was holding the workshop with Dr. Fred Luskin, who is a Stanford psychologist and author of Forgive for Good and... Read More
Using New Tools to Reclaim My Life
Beginning in 2003, I suffered low back pain in the L4-5 region. I saw a chiropractor from time to time but in 2009 my treatments began to be on a regular basis and... Read More
A Little Merrier Christmas – Letting Go of Blame
People trigger each other and the closer the relationship, the stronger the reactions. When you become anxious or frustrated, you’re in a survival mode that’s impossible to control. It’s ironic that our most important relationships... Read More
Life Sentence
After my fourth L3-L4 surgery the neurosurgeon sat me down and said “…you are not going to get better but rather worse as you grow older. You have a life sentence of pain.” I’ve... Read More
Chronic Pain is Solvable -Take Back Your Life
It has been my observation that suffering from chronic pain affects almost every aspect of your life, especially trying to enjoy yourself. Every enjoyable experience is lessened in the context of pain. You may be... Read More
My Story of Hope
I had a rough start living in a chaotic household with an angry mother who suffered from chronic pain. I did not figure out for 50 years that the migraine headache I suffered at age... Read More
Healing With Support from her Community
Hi Dr. Hanscom, It’s Donna, a former patient. I just wanted to write and tell you some good news regarding my back situation. You were right about forgiveness as well as the emotional aspects of... Read More
Out of the Valley, with Dolls
When I first met Sarah, she was close to 75 and had been experiencing debilitating pain for decades. But, since her spine x-rays revealed only normal degeneration consistent with her age, I set her to... Read More
Out of the Abyss After 25 Years
I received this email from someone that I had never met. I’ve now gotten to know her and she is delightful. A physician had recommended my book and here is her story. A rough road... Read More
Remarkable Healing Stories – Dr. Bernie Siegel
I have had the distinct privilege of getting to know Dr. Bernie Siegel, who is a retired pediatric general surgeon and author of several books, including Love, Medicine and Miracles. He has looked extensively at... Read More
The Enlightenment Light and Judgment Mirror
I had a patient come into my office many years ago who represents one of the most remarkable turnarounds I have witnessed. She definitely holds the record of being in pain for the longest time... Read More
The Power of Love – Anthony
Anthony was a patient who I saw just a couple of times in his early 20’s. He was experiencing low back pain that was significantly impacting his quality of life. His MRI scan showed... Read More
The Gift of Pain – Thanksgiving 2013
Pain, The Gift That Nobody Wants is a book written by an orthopedic hand surgeon, Paul Brand. Through his work in India with lepers he discovered that the reason why they had such severe hand,... Read More
Never Give Up – Breaking Through After Six Years
Terry was a middle-aged mother of two children whom I met many years ago. For reasons that are unclear, her spine just tipped forward in her lumbar area. She came into my office severely bent... Read More
To Become Strong – “ILOHLA”
My creative artist friend, Ernesto, endured a rough couple of years and for a while he “disappeared”. The details are not important. What is important is that he is back and thriving. This piece is... Read More
My Migraines
Fourth of July fireworks I was 5 years old and lived in a small town in New Hampshire. Our house was right across the street from the town common. I was so excited in that... Read More
Can Your Body Language Change Chronic Pain?
Dr. Gordon Irving was in charge of Swedish Medical Center Chronic Pain Program for many years. His group has embraced the treatment principles of the Neurophysiologic Disorder (NPD. Although each of us have different tools... Read More
Leg Pain Gone with NPD Principles-Carol’s Story
Carol is one of my favorite patients and success stories. It is one that surprised both of us. Her turnaround occurred a while back but I wanted to make sure she was stable and ready... Read More
“Finding Health by Letting Go of Hate”
The common thread of those who successfully heal from chronic pain and other symptoms of Neurophysiologic Disorder (NPD) is letting go of anger through deep forgiveness. Anger and pain are inextricably linked. For many of... Read More
My Feet on Fire
I began my orthopedic surgery residency in 1981. I had an unusual path into this specialty in that I had completed two years of internal medicine residency in Spokane, WA prior to moving to Hawaii.... Read More
“I Am Not Letting Yesterday Ruin Today”
I had been working with Anne for a while and she had been experiencing chronic pain throughout her body for a many years. Her once productive life had fallen apart and she now depended on... Read More
Ron Salvages His Own Spine Surgery
A letter from a case manager Dear Dr. Hanscom: You may not receive these kinds of letters from nurse case managers very often. I thought I would advise you of the above captioned patient that... Read More
A New Life at 72
Crystal is a woman from the southern part of Washington. When I first met her, she was over 70 years-old and lived on her own. She had severe spinal stenosis in her lumbar vertebrae at... Read More
Depression Masking as Pain
Patient’s Letter Hi Dr Hanscom, I have been meaning to check in with you for a while now and let you know that the DOC program seems to have worked for me. My lower back... Read More
Motivated by “The Talent Code”
Dear Dr Hanscom, Having read (devoured actually) The Talent Code by Daniel Coyle, I can now share with others the benefits I received through reading this book. The author demystified that very mysterious quality of... Read More
Bipolar Disorder Broken
Debbie was a 45 y/o woman who I had been working with for about four years. She was diagnosed with a severe bipolar disorder at age twelve. Unsuccessful Surgeries About 10 years ago, she had... Read More