I was in pain for twenty-seven years until I discovered that my pain wasn't coming from my body's structure. Since then, I've been helping thousands of people become pain-free by teaching them how pain comes from tension — not a failing body. Almost every one of those people was told by a physician that they needed immediate surgery, steroid injections, therapy, rest, or this and that — but not one of them did. They all healed with new knowledge. But they had to accept the fact that their bodies were okay and resume all normal physical activity without fear. The truth set them free, and it began with understanding certain basic things.

1. Get a Physical Exam. Make sure there is no pathological process occurring. Take responsibility for your health.
2. Take Your Physical Exam Results with a Grain of Salt. If your exam shows only herniated discs, arthritis as seen on the x-ray, spurs, a crooked spine, spinal narrowing (stenosis), or any other normal change, be of great cheer! These things do not cause back pain. No matter how much doctors confuse people in this area, experience has shown that these things are simply there; most people have these anatomical changes with or without pain. Pain comes from oxygen loss. Whether the pain is in the limbs, spine, or any other area, it rarely ever comes from the body's structure. It's almost always the effect of tension or tension myoneural syndrome (TMS).
3. Reject the Multidisciplinary Approach. This approach basically says, "We don't have a clue what to do for your pain, so let's try everything and hope one works." This includes acupuncture, spinal manipulations, surgery, injections, core strengthening, losing weight, and so forth. These are almost always placebo treatments and can paradoxically keep you in pain. If they worked for a sufferer, it's because that person believed it worked. But the relief never lasts, and the approach normally must be continued in perpetuity because the pain is not coming from a "failing spine." The multidisciplinary approach is a major reason for ongoing pain epidemics. Never manage pain. Eliminate it!
4. Beware of Faulty Diagnoses. Herniated discs do not cause back pain. That myth was exposed decades ago with the seminal work of pioneering pain physician John E. Sarno, MD, who coined the acronym TMS. Spinal surgeons are just now beginning to realize that Sarno was correct. You cannot pinch a nerve, or paralysis will quickly follow, and the pain will stop. A dead nerve cannot transmit pain signals.

You cannot "throw your back out," either. Spinal discs are firmly attached on both sides of the spine; they cannot slip in and out of place. Furthermore, you don't have to strengthen your body's core to heal, and scoliosis does not cause pain.