Nigel Peek, MSc Chiro (SA) | DIANM, Chiropractic Orthopaedist | PGDip HealSc Pain & Pain Management – Dist. (Otago) — Peek Practice, Grey Lynn, Auckland Pain is not a signal that travels from damaged tissue to a passive brain. That model — intuitive, persistent, and wrong — has been substantially revised over the last three decades. Understanding what replaced it changes how pain is assessed, explained, and treated. This is not a fringe position. It is the consensus view of c

The Short Answer Contemporary pain neuroscience tells us that pain is the brain's protective output — not a direct readout of tissue damage. The two are related, but they are not the same thing. You can have severe structural damage with no pain. Conversely, you can experience severe, disabling pain with no identifiable structural cause. In 2020, the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) formally revised its definition to reflect this, acknowledging pain as

Persistent musculoskeletal pain presents a complex clinical challenge, particularly when standard interventions fall short. At Peek Practice, we recognize the frustration of navigating chronic pain without lasting relief. Our approach to care is anchored in clinical evidence, recognising that persistent pain is a complex experience. This discussion outlines how advanced clinical training and a specific skill set provides a more effective framework to tackle these issues.nced

Chronic Back Pain, Neck Pain and Headaches – Our Specialty at Peek Practice Chronic pain is a major global health burden, affecting about 1 in 6 New Zealanders and 20.4% of U.S. adults, with higher prevalence in women, older adults, and those with lower socioeconomic status. Back pain, neck pain, and headache account for the most common and most disabling forms of persistent pain. Unlike many other human health problems, persistent pain remains poorly managed. Despite much em