Evolution of the DOCC project:

  • I am an orthopedic spinal deformity surgeon practicing in Seattle since 1985.
  • Much of my practice is salvaging patients who have had multiple failed surgeries on their backs.
  • For many the original operation that led to the cascade of failed surgeries should never have been performed. Video: “Get it Right the First Time”
  • 1993 I stopped doing fusions for low back pain—there were too many failures in my own patients.
  • From 1999 to 2003 I lived in Sun Valley, Idaho.
  • In addition to performing complex spine surgery, I also cared for many patients with acute low back pain.
  • I took a “surgical mindset” into non-operative spine care and the current DOCC protocol evolved.
  • I became committed to providing a viable alternative to surgeries that have a higher downside risk than an upside benefit.

The DOCC project is a framework that breaks pain into two parts: 1) the source 2) the receptor.

The source may be:

  • Structural—an identifiable lesion with matching symptoms
  • Soft tissues—the supporting muscles, tendons, discs, and ligaments have an abundance of pain fibers that can remain chronically inflamed
  • The central nervous system may “short circuit” and can cause pain without an identifiable source—the “Mind Body Syndrome”

The only receptor of course is your brain.  The perception of your pain is affected by:

  • Sleep
  • Stress
  • Medications
  • Life outlook—chronic pain destroys your ability to look out and up
  • Education—by not having enough knowledge and a plan you feel trapped

I am a surgeon who gets paid very well for performing surgery.  When a spine surgeon says, “don’t do this operation–listen!”

Video: Understanding Pain: What to do About it in Less Than Five Minutes

Although David Hanscom works closely with Swedish Medical Center, the views expressed on this website are solely his opinions.