Persistent Pain

I noticed the WHC when visiting the Glass Yard. I looked on the website and found that Paul Winter an advanced physiotherapist offered mindfulness as a treatment for persistent pain and not merely physical treatments which I had already received. I decided to make an appointment with Paul. In the initial appointment he took a detailed assessment of my condition from a whole person approach before advising that the mindfulness program would be helpful. Paul is very knowledgeable about musculoskeletal conditions and also the role of the mind in recovery from symptoms. I found Paul to be a very personable and positive practitioner with whom I felt comfortable discussing any concerns about my problem. I looked forward to my appointments with Paul and always left feeling that he had given me tools and strategies that I could implement to improve my day to day life. He helped me recognise my emotions and reduce the fear that I was feeling regarding my symptoms. I am now able to engage in enjoyable activities without fear of increasing the intensity of symptoms or causing any damage to tissues in the body.

My top tips for people suffering from persistent pain would be:

Do not underestimate the power of the mind in either increasing or decreasing pain and the suffering that can go with it. Practice daily mindfulness and meditation exercises to calm the nervous system and therefore relieve symptoms. Incorporate mindfulness throughout day to day life. Find a practitioner like Paul who has the scientifically proven knowledge about mindfulness to assist in recovery rather than googling the internet and trying to navigate going through the process alone.