Episode 3: Chapter 3 - Trevor Barker - Recovery from chronic/persistent back pain (Chronic pain) - Trevor's main learnings and advice.

In this third episode we meet Trevor Barker, a former electrician and now support coordinator from north eastern Victoria who following a minor workplace injury, developed and lived with debilitating chronic lower back pain for over 20 years. His eventual recovery came swiftly through education and he now works with some of the world's leading pain scientists and educators to share his story and encourage others to learn more and make meaningful change in their own lives. Trevor has appeared on SBS’s Insight program, as well as contributing to various podcasts, radio and print media and continues to share and champion recovery from persistent pain.

In this chapter Trevor describes his key learnings and recommendations for others who might still be living with chronic or persistent pain.

Full transcripts and show notes are available for each chapter on the podcast website: storiesofrecovery.buzzsprout.com

Shownotes:

• ^00:32 - Trevor talks about a few things which together were incredibly important and beneficial for his recovery:
  • ^00:53 - Trevor's discovery at the persistent pain service (when he realised he 'could' hold his arms up from playing the flute) helped him to see that he had ability in his arms because he uses them. He does it for himself. It is an 'active' strategy. Trevor recommends trying to look for and apply 'active' strategies (things you drive and do yourself), rather than 'passive' (where someone else does something to/for you),
  • ^03:14 - Learning that 'pain is not an accurate measure of tissue damage',
  • ^04:29 - Learning that pain is affected by social, psychological and biological factors and that there is a treatment which focuses on the social and psychological aspects: DIM-SIM therapy (Danger In Me - Safety In Me). This tool helps you identify the things in your life which contribute to your pain so you can reduce your exposure and interaction with them, whilst at the same time increasing thought processes and participation in activities which reduce your pain experience and start to dial down your overprotective pain system,
• ^07:30 - Find a medical professional who is trained in pain science, who can safely assess what you are 'safe' to do, and can work with you to understand pain and recover,
• ^14:11 - Trevor recommends two great videos by David Butler and Lorimer Moseley,
• ^15:34 - Read Alison Sim's book Pain Heroes. Trevor refers to it as 'painful stories' in the interview which is another good book by Lorimer Moseley,
• ^15:58 - Trevor's greatest investment during his recovery: Having the courage to try new things, new approaches and to "give things a go", such as getting into a loving and caring relationship again in Trevor's case,
• 17:30 - It's important to be exposed to and open to consider 'a different perspective',
• ^18:23 - Trevor suggests 'we're in the change business'. If we get stuck on one road and we're not prepared to look at a different road, nothing will change. If we want things to be different, then ask yourself 'what can change?', 'what do I need to change?',
• ^19:23 - Be wary of anyone who is trying to treat your chronic pain with only a 'Biomedical' approach,

^Trevor's main tips