Evidence-based, psychologically informed care for persistent back pain
A flexible, person centred and psychologically informed approach to back pain and other chronic pain conditions.
Empowering, educating and guiding you to restore a sense of safety and control in your body.
Testimonials
Duncan
For the majority of my adult life (l'm 53), l've endured persistent back pain and tried numerous treatments without finding lasting relief.
Conor's fresh approach has initiated a transformative journey of re-educating both my mind and body and has instilled in me a newfound sense of optimism that I won't be burdened by back pain indefinitely. I found Conor's interpersonal skills second to none.
His professionalism and genuine concern for my well-being have made all the difference, and I'm incredibly grateful for his contribution to my treatment.
Lucy
As someone who has struggled with two separate episodes of chronic pain/injury, I had lost hope when it came to a fix for my long-term shin splint pain until I saw Conor. I had tried everything recommended to me and didn’t know what else I could do to get better.
With the Cognitive Functional Therapy approach, he explained all the ways in which pain can present itself and how much your nervous system can play a part in physical pain.
Following my consultations with Conor and his reassurance, I have been able to get back to my sport pain free and am confident I have the right mindset for if things do flare up and that I can manage it more positively.
Kari
I have suffered from a bad back for almost 40 years and it has had a major impact on my life at times.
The 4 appointments have been nothing short of revolutionary for me; I am pain free most of the day now with only a little stiffness when I first wake up. I can bend over and lift things up and a range of other things that I would have found difficult in the past.
It has changed my life, thank you.
Why won't it get better?
If you suffer from persistent back pain, it is very likely you've already tried the normal things we are told to do to get rid of the pain.
"Sit up straight, work on your posture, strengthen your core, make sure you're lifting properly, protect your spine!".
We now know that these assertions are based on theory, not science.
These theories, amongst others, have heavily coloured the way we approach back pain, leading to a sense of vulnerability and unsafety in the strongest part of our body.
Occam's Scanner
If you've got persistent back pain, the likelihood is you've had some medical imaging.
Due to large scale imaging studies, we know now that 80% of people by the age of 50 without a history of back pain have degenerative discs, a further 60% have disc bulges.
It is now widely agreed that only 5-10% of back pain can be put down to a specific structural cause.
This is worth repeating.
The majority of pain free people have degenerative disc on MRI. But only 5-10% of back pain can accurately be attributed to a structural cause.
This means that many people, in pain, who have changes on MRI, have had their pain incorrectly correlated with damage to their spine.
The pain has been blamed on changes that may well have been there before the pain started.
Two things happen
The association with pain and damage ramps up our nervous system, making pain worse.
The myopic focus on structure means we often fail to address what is actually causing the pain.
We get pain wrong
On top of this, we get pain wrong. Huge advancements in neuroscience over the last couple of decades have changed our understanding of pain dramatically.
Despite the evidence, much of the medical approach is still grounded in outdated theory, as change takes a long time to reach practice.
When it comes to persistent pain, we now know that pain involves processing at a brain and spinal cord level. It is not just a report from damaged tissues in the body.
This is great news. The nervous system has an incredible capacity to rewire over time, with the right help.
There is a huge body of evidence that shows we can do better.
Combining careful and conventional medical knowledge with psychologically informed theory, my approach is based on neuroscience education, Cognitive Functional Therapy and Lifestyle Medicine.
Understanding your pain and restoring a sense of safety and confidence in your body is a non-negotiable part of recovery.
Services
Online Consultations (OLC)
OLC's involve a detailed history taking and assessment, where we try to make sense of your pain together. This often involves neuroscience education specifically in the context of your story, along with practical tools and strategies for you to implement straight away.
Follow ups, as required, involve further exploration of theory and progression of the exercises we will set for your specific problems.
Back Pain Education
I provide back pain education in both a medical and corporate setting.
I believe strongly that sharing the up-to-date science around back pain can massively impact the way we care for our backs.
Fees
Initial Online Consultation
£60
Follow Up Online Consultation
£40
Speaker Fee
£120
Get in touch
E-mail: conorcreedonphysio@gmail.com
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