Unfortunately, often we are not given the time we need to feel heard and understood by health care professionals about our aches and pains. I often hear how people are not taken seriously or given a solution. We feel we aren't getting the help we are craving. 

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My appointments are long enough to allow you to tell your story and help me understand where your problems lie, what your concerns are and what you are hoping to gain from seeing me. I aim to make you feel comfortable and safe, especially when pain has a tendency to make us feel uncomfortable and unsafe.

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I believe that understanding pain and how it behaves helps us treat and manage it. 

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Why do we have pain in the first place?

 

Ultimately, it is our brain and body's way of protecting us from more serious harm.

 

It changes our behaviour and prompts us to do something about it. If this didn't happen, an injury would only get worse. (Think sprained ankle)

 

Our brain and body also takes many other factors into account when knowing when to produce pain or not. If there are enough indicators that you are in danger, pain will be a produced to protect you. And this isn't just physical factors.

 

This is why a biopsychosocial approach is a fundamental part of how I practice. 

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In essence, taking into account your psychological and emotional status, your current beliefs, worries and fears (psycho), the influence of social circles (i.e. family, friends, colleagues) as well as the physical element (bio). All and more which can drastically influence how you experience pain.

 

Pain can persist for a long time (persistent/chronic pain). Sometimes months even years for some people. In these cases, I believe this is when a biopsychosocial approach is even more important and can help explain and understand why, despite horrendous pain, X-rays, MRIs and blood tests come back clear. 

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By taking into account the environment you live in (family, friends, work, activity, life in general), the experiences you've had (fears, near-misses, stoicism, your beliefs) and your psychological state (anxiety, depression, worries, stress, mood, energy) together we can be far more successful in addressing your pain than if we were to purely focus on the physical.