Morten Hoegh - Course: Applied Neuroscience For The Paining Person

About this Event

Who is this course for?

Therapists and doctors who work with chronic pain, from Low Back Pain to pain syndromes such as Fibromyalgia.

Course Overview

Participants learn the most common theories of pain as well as the basic mechanisms believed to link pain and nociception.

Part 1: Pain in a historical context and theory of science in a clinical context.

Part 2: Basic mechanisms of

• neuronal transduction and transmission
• peripheral sensitisation
• central sensitisation
• descending modulation

Part 3: Applying science, theory and evidence into the clinical encounter; how science helps us explain pain independently of tissue damage.

Learning outcomes:

After the course, participants will be able to:

• Understand the concept of a theory as opposed to a scientific explanation in relation to pain
• Understand and apply mechanism-based assessment to evaluate primary and secondary hyperalgesia in patients with acute and chronic pain
• Apply current knowledge about the descending pain modulatory system to clinical practice
• Understand best evidence for treating non-specific chronic low back pain and wide-spread pain (fibromyalgia)
• Use science to help patients create a helpful narrative that explains why they feel pain and what can be done to help them (psychoeducation)

How will it help me become a better clinician?

Being able to understand the difference between tissue damage, pain and suffering is essential to understanding, assessing and managing chronic pain. Or put more simply; we cannot "manage" what we don't understand, so in order to help people with chronic pain we need to make it understandable. This course will give you the necessary knowledge to start putting the puzzle together with your patients.

Why should I attend this course?

It has a unique blend of academia/science and clinical experience/theories to support the clinician in allowing their patients to be experts on the lived-experience of pain.

Course Outline

Session 1: Pain in Context

Wednesday 12 May 2021: 17.30 - 21.30 GMT

• Pain in context: History, Science and Society
• Paradigms and theories of pain

Session 2: Essential neuroscience in relation to acute and chronic pain

Wednesday 19 may 2021: 17.30 - 21.30 GMT

• Transduction, transmission and modulation of nociception; a necessary part of physiological pain?
• Peripheral sensitization; is this present in all acute musculoskeletal injuries
• Central sensitization; is this an essential mechanism in non-specific pain?

Session 3: Views on assessment

Wednesday 26 may 2021: 17.30 - 21.30 GMT

• A mechanism-based approach: Putting the pieces together into a general theory of "pain neuroscience"
• Serious pathology; what role does inflammation play?
• Neuropathic or not? What does nerve damage add to the clinical picture?
• What does it mean to be Paining?

Session 4: Views on management/treatment

Wednesday 2 June 2021: 17.30 - 21.30 GMT

• The descending modulatory system; explaining treatment-effects with neuroscience?
• Exercise and pain
• Non-specific treatment effects (placebo and nocebo effects)
• Creating a narrative about pain; communication and psychoeducation in clinical practice
• Creating a narrative about pain; communication and psychoeducation in clinical practice

Course Objectives

After the course, participants will be able to:

• Understand the concept of a theory as opposed to a scientific explanation in relation to pain
• Understand and apply mechanism-based assessment to evaluate primary and secondary hyperalgesia in patients with acute and chronic pain
• Apply current knowledge about the descending pain modulatory system to clinical practice
• Understand best evidence for treating non-specific chronic low back pain and wide-spread pain (fibromyalgia)
• Use science to help patients create a helpful narrative that explains why they feel pain and what can be done to help them (psychoeducation)

Timings

Session1: Wednesday 12 May 2021: 17.30 - 21.30 GMT

Session 2: Wednesday 19 may 2021: 17.30 - 21.30 GMT

Session 3: Wednesday 26 may 2021: 17.30 - 21.30 GMT

Session 4: Wednesday 2 June 2021: 17.30 - 21.30 GMT

Dr. Morten Hoegh

After qualifying as a clinical physiotherapist (1999) and completing several clinical exams, Morten was granted the title of specialist physiotherapist in musculoskeletal physiotherapy (2005) and sports physiotherapy (2006). But it was not until 2010-12 he made an entry to academia when he joined the multidisciplinary Master-of-Science in Pain: Science & Society at King's College London (UK). From 2015-19 Morten completed his PhD in Medicine/pain at Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain (CNAP), Aalborg University. He is still employed as external lecturer at Aalborg University.

Having spent more than a decade as clinician, teacher and business developer he decided to focus on improving national and international pain education based on the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP). Most recently, he was appointed vice-chair of the European Pain Federation’s Educational Committee and has been involved in the development of the Diploma in Pain Physiotherapy and underlying curriculum. Currently he is overseeing the developments of similar programs in nursing and psychology. At a national level Morten has been appointed to several chairs and committees including the Danish Medicine and Health Authorities and the Danish Council of Ethics. He has co-authored a textbook on pain, and written several book chapters, clinical commentaries and peer-reviewed basic science articles on pain and pain modulation.

Morten is regarded as a skilled and inspiring speaker and he has been invited to present in Europe and on the american continent. He is also a prolific debater and advocate of evidence-based and patient-centered approaches to treatment in general. Morten is motivated by his desire to improve management of chronic pain, reduce stigmatisation of people with ‘invisible diseases’ and to bridge the gap between clinical practice and neuroscience research in relation to pain.