Health Report - Separate stories podcast Referred to a psychologist for pain?
Nov 7, 2025
In this episode, Clinical Psychologist Michael Nicholas, a seasoned expert in pain management, dives into the psychological dimensions of chronic pain. He discusses how pain is both a sensory and emotional experience, emphasizing the brain's vital role. Michael highlights the significance of personal context in pain perception and critiques over-reliance on imaging. He advocates for cognitive-behavioral strategies to combat disability fears and stresses the need for better pain education among clinicians. Ultimately, he champions improved functionality over total pain elimination.
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Pain Is Sensory And Emotional
- Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience, not a thing you can x‑ray.
- The brain actively interprets and gives meaning to pain, so imaging alone often misses the experience.
Scans Don't Tell The Whole Story
- Normal scans don't rule out severe chronic pain because the brain interprets sensations through context and memory.
- Pain impact depends on significance to the person, not just visible tissue damage.
Tissue Damage And Pain Often Don’t Match
- There's a poor relationship between tissue damage and pain intensity.
- Two people with similar injuries can have very different pain and disability because of context and beliefs.