Chronic pain:
a common problem for many people
Chronic pain is very common in Australia. Around 1 in 5 people over the age of 45 live with persistent, ongoing pain that interferes with their daily life. Chronic pain can vary from mild to severe and may result from injury, surgery, musculoskeletal issues or other medical conditions.
Unfortunately, chronic pain is a complex condition caused by biological, psychological and social factors. That means effective chronic pain management needs to address all these factors and requires a multidisciplinary approach. This is where psychotherapy comes in.
The benefits of Physiotherapy and Psychotherapy
Many people with pain initially seek the help of a physiotherapist. While physiotherapists are trained in relieving pain associated with musculoskeletal conditions, the causes of chronic pain are more than just physical.
Research shows that psychotherapy is one of the most effective tools in chronic pain management. Learning about pain, understanding thoughts and emotions, and learning how to manage these can help people cope more effectively with their pain, and may also reduce the intensity of pain.
Evidence shows that those who use psychological treatments as part of their pain management plan experience a reduction in their pain, along with improvements in their physical functioning and emotional wellbeing. Psychological treatment also reduces the need for opioid medications which are often prescribed by practitioners, despite evidence that they provide little long-term benefit.
The Chronic Pain Method is a treatment model where physiotherapists and psychotherapists work together to develop a seamless, individual treatment plan, designed to effectively manage chronic pain.
Why choose The Chronic Pain Method?
We take pain seriously
We believe that all pain is real, even if no health condition can be diagnosed. We are here to help and support you.
Science-based treatment
All our treatments are based on the latest scientific evidence in chronic pain management.
Experienced, accredited practitioners
All our practitioners are highly experienced in the area of chronic pain and are fully accredited and registered with AHPRA (Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency).
Streamlined treatment
Physiotherapists and psychotherapists work closely together to manage each case, ensuring that treatment for patients is streamlined.
Ongoing support
The Chronic Pain Method provides ongoing support for practitioners, and supports patients through their treatment.
Integrated system
A complete system that helps patients get the treatment they need, and allows practitioners to grow their business.
What’s the difference between Psychology and Psychotherapy
Psychology is the scientific study of how people behave, think and feel. Psychologists use this knowledge so they can assess and diagnose different mental health issues such as anxiety or depression. They also use their training to develop strategies and offer guidance and support to people who may be going through particular challenges. Psychology is sometimes called ‘talk therapy’.
Psychotherapy is an umbrella term for a group of therapies that are designed to help people change their ways of thinking and their coping ability. Depending upon a practitioner’s area of expertise, therapies may include Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, art therapy or movement therapy. Psychotherapy is often a ‘deeper’ process that explores patterns of thinking and beliefs that a patient may not be aware of. Changing thoughts, beliefs and responses to chronic pain is an important part of ongoing chronic pain management.
It’s important to know that some psychologists are trained in psychotherapy, but not all of them are.
For Patients
We know that living with chronic pain can be hard. It can impact your ability to do daily activities, your work, sleep, personal relationships and social life. Chronic pain can also lead to other physical problems and increase your risk for mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression.
But with the right treatment and support from a team of health practitioners who understand chronic pain you can learn to manage it effectively.
For Physiotherapists
While you’re probably great at treating musculoskeletal pain, you may find it difficult to treat chronic pain. This can result in these patients leaving your practice because they aren’t seeing any results, and you’re left feeling frustrated because you can’t help them.
But The Chronic Pain Method changes all that. We focus on training you in chronic pain management, so you can combine this knowledge with your physiotherapy skills. We then connect you with psychotherapists so you can work together to provide better, more effective treatments for your chronic pain patients.
Chronic pain is real
At The Chronic Pain Method, we understand that chronic pain is real, even if there is no obvious cause for pain.
We take pain seriously and are committed to delivering chronic pain management solutions that help practitioners and patients.
Testimonials
Both my Physiotherapist and the Psychotherapist at the clinic have made me feel incredibly supported and heard.
This is different from many of the practitioners I have visited in the past, who did not make me feel heard or like my symptoms/feelings/experiences were valid. The practitioners at CPM have been nothing but supportive and show genuine care and consideration to what you have to say.
I was nervous but also excited to commit to something that felt real. Up until that point I had managed fibromyalgia and chronic pain in a very isolated and haphazard way. I was looking forward to working with a team of people who I could lean on for their expertise and guidance.
The biggest benefit I have received is a combination of feeling understood and feeling like I have support around me. That has allowed me to feel safe, to open up to both practitioners and become curious about my health and mindset. Prior to the program, exploring how I felt both physically and mentally felt terrifying and “too much”. But with their support and patience, I feel empowered to be more aware of my body and how I feel.
Ella, 28 years
CPM is a complete program which has had considerable effort, structure and refinement put into it.
It encompasses not just the core modals of treatment but also relates them to one another, creating a more complimentary treatment. It looks at the underlying factors, deep inside the mind and nervous system that underpins everything that we are, rather than addressing symptoms or physical/mechanical elements.
Knowing that programs such as this exist is a form of relief just by itself. Chronic pain can be debilitating, it impedes your life and so often reduces you to feeling and living like a subset of your true self.
Since engaging in the program, I have shifted from a life of fear, pain, and limitation to a life of hope, adventure and fun. I am enjoying weekends away camping and hiking and have an overall improved sense of peace and happiness. I saw my body before as being a restriction whereas I now see it as an enabler; a tool which (provided I honor and provide what it needs) can do more than I believed it could.
Mike, 47 years
Get in touch
To find out more about the Chronic Pain Method and how we can help you, please get in touch
References:
Pain Australia, Chronic pain and the working population, https://www.painaustralia.org.au/about-pain/painaustralia-painful-facts
Statista Research Department, Number of people with chronic pain Australia 2018 – 2050, April 2, 2022, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1065971/australia-number-of-people-with-chronic-pain/
Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. Chronic Pain Management. Nih.gov. Published 2019. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92054/
Mittinty MM, Vanlint S, Stocks N, Mittinty MN, Moseley GL. Exploring effect of pain education on chronic pain patients' expectation of recovery and pain intensity.Scand J Pain. 2018;18(2):211-219. doi:10.1515/sjpain-2018-0023
Lane E, Fritz JM, Greene T, Maddox D. The effectiveness of training physical therapists in pain neuroscience education on patient reported outcomes for patients with chronic spinal pain: a study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2018;19(1):386. Published 2018 Oct 25. doi:10.1186/s12891-018-2269-2
Williams ACC, Fisher E, Hearn L, Eccleston C. Psychological therapies for the management of chronic pain (excluding headache) in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020;8(8):CD007407. Published 2020 Aug 12. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD007407.pub4
Pain Australia, National Strategic Action Plan for Pain Management Evidence Base – Companion Document – 2019, https://www.painaustralia.org.au/policy-research/painaustralia-national-action-plan