Clear & Trusted Explanations for People in Pain
Pain Simplified with Dr. Tom
Clear & Trusted Explanations for People in Pain
Pain care is confusing.
Pain Simplified is here to make it clearer.
Pain Simplified helps people living with pain and their families understand symptoms, medications, procedures, imaging, and doctor conversations in plain English.
Clear & Trusted Explanations for People in Pain
How Pain Simplified Started
Pain medicine can be confusing. Patients are often trying to understand a new diagnosis, MRI finding, medication, or procedure while they are hurting, worried, and being asked to make decisions.
Many people say yes or no to a treatment plan before they fully understand why it was recommended, what it is meant to do, or what questions they should ask.
Pain Simplified wants to make that process less overwhelming. There are many voices online giving pain advice, and it can be hard to know what information is reliable. The goal of Pain Simplified is to provide clear, honest, plain-English explanations from an ACGME fellowship-trained, ABMS board-certified Pain Medicine physician.
Pain Simplified is not here to replace your doctor. It is here to help you better understand pain care, feel more prepared, and make more informed decisions with the clinicians who know your specific situation.
Clear & Trusted Explanations for People in Pain
Meet Dr. Tom
I’m David Tom, MD, known here as Dr. Tom. I began my medical education at the UCLA School of Medicine and am now an interventional spine and pain physician. I trained in Internal Medicine and Anesthesiology before completing an ACGME-accredited fellowship in Pain Medicine. I am ABMS board-certified in Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine.
Throughout my career, one of the things patients appreciated most was my ability to explain complex pain problems and treatment options in a way that made sense. I always tried to make confusing topics clearer, because understanding the “why” behind a treatment plan helps patients feel more prepared and involved in their care.
Pain Simplified grew from that same patient-centered approach: clear explanations, honest guidance, and a belief that people make better decisions when they understand their care.
Note: The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accredits physician training programs, while the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) boards certify physicians in medical specialties.
Clear & Trusted Explanations for People in Pain
What Patients Have Said About Dr. Tom
Before Pain Simplified, Dr. Tom spent years caring for people with spine, joint, muscle, and nerve pain. Many past patients shared that they appreciated his clear explanations, thoughtful approach, and effort to help them understand their condition and treatment options.
Common themes from public patient feedback include:
He explains things clearly - Patients often appreciated that complex pain problems and treatment options were explained in a way that made sense.
He takes time to listen - Many people described feeling heard, respected, and having their questions answered.
He is kind, thoughtful, and knowledgeable - Feedback often reflected trust in both his clinical experience and his communication style.
Patients trusted his recommendations - Many reviews reflected confidence in Dr. Tom’s experience, recommendations, and approach to care.
These themes reflect past public patient reviews of Dr. Tom’s clinical practice. Pain Simplified is an educational media project. It is not a medical practice, is not used to schedule or direct patient appointments, and does not create a doctor-patient relationship.
Clear & Trusted Explanations for People in Pain
What We Help Explain
When pain symptoms are confusing - Why pain may feel burning, tingling, shooting, aching, stiff, numb, or “different than normal soreness.”
When your MRI sounds scary - What words like disc bulge, arthritis, stenosis, degeneration, or narrowing may mean — and why they do not always tell the whole story.
When you are prescribed a medication - Why your doctor may choose a nerve pain medicine, anti-inflammatory, muscle relaxer, or other medication — and what expectations matter.
When a procedure is recommended - What injections and pain procedures are usually trying to treat, test, or clarify.
When doctors give different answers - Why a surgeon, pain doctor, neurologist, chiropractor, or physical therapist may explain your pain differently.
When chronic pain keeps coming back - Why pain can flare, settle down, return, affect sleep, mood, movement, and daily life — and how to think through the process without panic.
*When you are not sure what to ask - How to describe your pain more clearly and have better conversations with your own clinician.
Clear & Trusted Explanations for People in Pain
Follow Pain Simplified
Join the Pain Simplified community.Pain Simplified with Dr. Tom shares short, clear videos to help people better understand pain symptoms, medications, procedures, imaging results, and doctor visit questions.Follow along for practical explanations, common patient questions, treatment concepts, and simple takeaways you can use when talking with your own clinician.Pain care can feel confusing and overwhelming. Pain Simplified is here to make it easier to understand — one clear explanation at a time.
New videos and helpful updates are shared regularly.
Clear & Trusted Explanations for People in Pain
Would you like a free guide to help with your next pain visit?
Free Patient Guidebook: 5 Things Your Pain Doctor Wants You to Know
I created this free guide to help you feel more prepared before your next pain appointment.
Learn what to bring, how to describe your pain, how to use the pain scale, and what to track after injections.
You’ll also receive occasional high-value Pain Simplified content and updates. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Clear & Trusted Explanations for People in Pain
FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions
Clear & Trusted Explanations for People in Pain
Disclaimers & Disclosures
Pain Simplified provides educational information only. The content on this website, in our videos, guides, emails, downloads, and other materials is not personal medical advice and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Pain Simplified does not diagnose, treat, or recommend care for any individual. The content is not meant to be complete or exhaustive, and it may not apply to your specific medical condition.
Using this website, watching our videos, downloading a guide, joining the email list, submitting a question, or contacting Pain Simplified does not create a doctor-patient relationship with Dr. Tom or Pain Simplified.
Talk with your own doctor or qualified health care provider about your specific situation before starting, stopping, or changing any medication, treatment, procedure, exercise program, supplement, product, or care plan. Do not start, stop, or change medications, treatments, exercises, procedures, or care plans based on Pain Simplified content. Do not disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking care because of something you read, watched, downloaded, or received from Pain Simplified.
Do not send personal medical information, urgent symptoms, imaging, medical records, medication lists, or private health details through comments, direct messages, website forms, or email. Pain Simplified cannot review personal medical information or provide individualized responses about your condition.
Mentioning a medication, product, test, procedure, clinician, or treatment option does not mean Pain Simplified recommends or endorses it for any individual.
Medical information can change over time, and Pain Simplified content may not reflect the most current research, guidelines, or standards. Pain Simplified does not guarantee any result or outcome from using its content, guides, books, downloads, products, or other materials. If Pain Simplified mentions or links to a product, service, book, guide, sponsor, affiliate, or third-party resource, any material relationship will be disclosed when applicable.
Do not use Pain Simplified for emergencies. If symptoms are severe, sudden, worsening, or concerning, seek urgent medical care or call 911.