Defining acute versus chronic pain

In this episode of Stay at the Top, I’m joined by Claire Richardson, an Advanced Pain Management Osteopath and pain clinician with more than 15 years of experience. Claire leads a team of seven practitioners across two private practices in Melbourne and runs Wayfinder Pain Consulting, her online clinic dedicated to helping people improve their quality of life while living with chronic pain.

We explore why chronic pain is different from acute pain and why it requires a completely different approach. Claire breaks down the science behind pain processing and the role of the nervous system, explains why “resting it out” or “pushing through” both backfire, and shares practical strategies to help people find their Goldilocks zone for movement, recovery, and everyday life.

With one in five Australians experiencing chronic pain at some point in their lives, this is a powerful conversation that will benefit you directly or someone you know.

In this episode, we cover:

- The difference between acute and chronic pain, and why the terms are often misunderstood

- Why chronic pain is primarily a nervous system issue and how that changes treatment

- The boom-bust cycle and why neither extreme rest nor overexertion works

- Practical examples of finding the “Goldilocks zone” to stay active safely

- How the brain decides how much pain to produce, and why context matters

- The concept of “pain pizza” and how everyone’s contributors are unique

- Simple, evidence-based strategies to support neuroplasticity and reduce nervous system load

- Why social connection, sleep, and daily habits play a bigger role than most people realise

Key Quotes:

“You can’t rest your way out of chronic pain, and you can’t push through it either.”

“Pain doesn’t exist until the brain decides it exists.”

“Everyone’s pain pizza looks different. You need to figure out what your biggest slices are.”

“Small, consistent behaviours are what support nervous system change.”

More About Clare:

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/claire-richardson1

Website: www.wayfinderpain.com.au

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