Back in Control with David Hanscom, MD

Within each of us is a powerful capacity for self-healing. This is especially true when it comes to our experience of chronic pain. Our brains turn sensory inputs and thoughts into chemical processes that can either diminish or amplify our experience of pain. In this episode, spine surgeon Dr. David Hanscom talks with world renowned surgeon Bernie Siegel, best-selling author of Love, Medicine & Miracles. Bernie shares insights and stories from his decades long work with cancer patients. He reveals his personal discovery of our incredible capacity for healing. For more information, visit http://www.backincontrol.com and http://www.berniesiegelmd.com.

Part of the journey to healing chronic pain is creating new pain pathways that minimize the production of the stress hormones that trigger anxiety and pain. The old pain pathways do not go away, however, and can still be triggered from time to time. This may cause individuals who have freed themselves from chronic pain to feel they have "failed" in some way.

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom explains that it is natural (and probable) to re-experience pain. It is OK to have the negative thoughts and emotions as long as you recognize what you are doing to yourself. This awareness and acting on it (i.e., "failing well") can help establish the resilience you need whenever pain is triggered. For more information, visit: http://www.backincontrol.com/the-4-stages/stage-4-expanding-your-consciousness/fail-well

 

Anxiety is the body’s neurochemical reaction to a mental or physical threat. Without it you can’t survive. It’s the sensation created by elevated levels of stress chemicals. Because the unconscious brain is over a million times stronger than the conscious brain, anxiety is not subject to rational psychological interventions.

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom shows that your capacity to enjoy your life depends on your skills in minimizing your levels of stress hormones and stimulating your “play” chemicals. In essence, modern neuroscience has documented why “Laughter is the best medicine.” For more information, visit: http://www.backincontrol.com/anxiety-basics-2

The definitive step of your healing journey is giving back. Your attention is focused away from you and your troubles, and you’ll move a long ways from your pain circuits. The reason that many people dealing with chronic pain seem self-centered and self-serving is that they have been disconnected from themselves by anxiety and anger. It’s impossible to reach out to others if you are just trying to survive emotionally.

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom explains that healing doesn’t entail “seeking happiness” at every step of the way. Life isn’t that way and challenges will never stop coming at you. The key is connecting to what is, and understanding that some days are much better than others. Overcoming adversity also becomes part of your core. As you learn to “be with your pain," you’ll be able to more easily pass through “The Ring of Fire." For more information, visit: http://www.backincontrol.com/the-4-stages/stage-4-expanding-your-consciousness/give-back

We all want to become better, happier people, and we work pretty hard at it. The marketing world keeps reminding us that we are not even close to our potential and holds up endless images of perfection that reinforce that idea. We are programmed into being defined by external factors. What we really mean when we say that we want to be happy is that we would like to experience less anxiety.

When we stop trying to "fix" ourselves, we have more energy to experience the moment and enjoy life. In this episode, spine surgeon Dr. David Hanscom talks about how he works with chronic pain patients to use this approach to support their own healing. For more information, go to: http://www.backincontrol.com/enjoy-your-day-today

The solution to the opioid epidemic is to solve chronic pain. Eighty-seven percent of patients on opioids have chronic pain, which is both driven by and results in severe anxiety. The second aspect of dealing with the opioid crisis involves recognizing that what drives most people to use opioids is mental pain and secondarily the physical pain. Unrelenting anxiety is intolerable. Environmental factors, especially family dynamics, may be the single greatest factor exacerbating chronic pain. Allowing physicians to take the time to listen focuses on the real problem rather than just randomly treating symptoms. Finally, since the problem is so pervasive, the answers must be widely available and able to be implemented by anyone.

In this episode, spine surgeon Dr. David Hanscom offers a completely new approach to solving the national opioid epidemic that has captured headlines recently. He shares his unique perspective, based on his work with patients and his observations of the incentives that currently drive our healthcare system. For more information, go to:

http://www.backincontrol.com/a-viable-solution-for-the-opioid-epidemic

 

Chronic pain develops in a series of steps from our first experience of pain. In this episode, spine surgeon Dr. David Hanscom talks about the four stages of chronic pain and details the physical and emotional characteristics of each stage. For more information, visit: http://www.backincontrol.com/four-steps-in-the-evolution-of-chronic-pain

Chronic pain is a family issue. Your deepest human interactions happen at home and family members trigger each other. These powerful reactions have severe consequences. Partners and parents often end up acting in ways that they would not tolerate in their children.

In this episode, spine surgeon Dr. David Hanscom discusses how each of us has patterns of behavior, embedded in our nervous systems, that are a result of witnessing the actions of our parents. Whether you adopt or reject these patterns, they are still running your life. The behaviors play out the most strongly in new families regardless of their makeup. They originate in the unconscious part of your brain and are not solvable – especially when you are not aware of their magnitude or existence. Dr. Hanscom offers suggestions for family healing that also heal chronic pain. For more information, visit: http://www.backincontrol.com/begin-your-healing-journey-at-home

 

When you’re frustrated about any situation or relationship that you have no control over, you are wasting your time and destroying your quality of life. You might wish things were different, but this won't make things better. Fred Luskin, author of Forgive for Good, has called these situations the "unenforceable rules." Trying  to "fix" them generally only worsens the situation and causes more problems. Instead it is better to find strategies to move on from situaitons or relationships which you cannot control.

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom, explains how unenforceable rules affect chronic pain sufferers, and offers suggestions for becoming aware of those situations and taking steps to handle situations over which you have little or no control. For more information, go to: http://www.backincontrol.com/the-unenforceable-rules

Chronic pain takes a terrible toll on families. People in pain often have forgotten what it’s like to have fun. They tend to become socially isolated and withdrawn, even within their own home. Much of the conversation centers around pain and medical care. It becomes tedious and frustrating because there is little that can be done to solve the problem. Additionally, it’s common for patients to lash out with their family being the closest target.

In this episode, spine surgeon Dr. David Hanscom explores this chronic pain family dynamic and discusses strategies for how to break the cycle of rage and create a family environment that supports healing. For more information, go to:

http://www.backincontrol.com/do-you-like-your-family-listen