Pain Management

Clinician name: Amy Burr

Role: Senior Physiotherapist

Brand: Active+

Clinics: Active+ Papakura and Active+ Pukekohe 

Credentials: Graduated 2005 with BHSc(Physio), completed several post-graduate qualifications including a Post Grad Certificate in Western Acupuncture and a Masters of Health Practice in Rehabilitation. Director of Active+ Papakura and Active+  Pukekohe.

Persistent pain can affect your ability to work, exercise, sleep, and enjoy everyday life. Pain management is about more than reducing pain. It can help people better understand their pain, improve function, build confidence, and get back to the activities that matter most. At Active+ and TBI Health, our multidisciplinary teams provide personalised support for people living with persistent pain, helping them develop practical strategies to stay active, manage symptoms, and improve their quality of life. If your goal is to reduce the impact pain has on your daily life, Active+ and TBI Health can provide the expertise, support, and rehabilitation strategies designed to support meaningful and sustainable outcomes.

Find out more in these FAQs:

What is pain management?

Pain management is a specialised approach to helping people manage persistent or ongoing pain. Rather than focusing only on reducing pain, pain management aims to improve a person's ability to function, participate in daily activities, and enjoy a better quality of life.

Pain management may include a combination of education, exercise, physiotherapy, psychological strategies, lifestyle changes, and self-management techniques. These approaches help people better understand their pain, build confidence, increase activity levels, and develop practical strategies to manage symptoms effectively.

Who can benefit from pain management?

Pain management can benefit anyone living with persistent pain that is affecting their daily activities, work, exercise, sleep, wellbeing, or quality of life. It is often recommended for people whose pain has continued beyond the expected healing time.

People may seek pain management support for a wide range of conditions, including back and neck pain, arthritis, musculoskeletal injuries, nerve pain, headaches, post-surgical pain, complex pain conditions, and ongoing pain following an illness or injury.

Pain management is not just for people with severe pain. It can also help those who want to better understand their pain, improve their ability to stay active, build confidence, and develop practical strategies for managing symptoms.

Who may be involved in pain management?

Pain management often involves a multidisciplinary team of health professionals working together to help you better understand and manage your pain. Depending on your needs, symptoms, and goals, your pain management team may include physiotherapists, psychologists, occupational therapists, pain specialists, exercise rehabilitation professionals, and other allied health clinicians.

You are at the centre of the pain management process. Where appropriate, your GP, specialist, whānau, support network, employer, or ACC case manager may also be involved to help support your recovery, wellbeing, and participation in work and everyday activities.

At Active+ and TBI Health, pain management services take a whole-person approach, recognising that persistent pain can affect physical health, mental wellbeing, work, relationships, sleep, and quality of life. By working together, the team can develop a personalised plan aimed at helping you build confidence, increase activity levels and, develop effective self-management strategies, and work towards the goals that matter most to you.

How can pain management help?

Pain management can help people better understand and manage persistent pain with the goal of improving quality of life and supporting participation in activities that are important to them. While pain management may not always eliminate pain, it can help reduce its impact on daily life by improving function, confidence, wellbeing, and participation in work, exercise, social activities, and hobbies. Pain management may help people develop practical strategies to manage symptoms, increase activity levels, improve sleep, build resilience, and better manage the fear and uncertainty that can accompany ongoing pain.

How long does pain management usually take?

The length of pain management varies from person to person and depends on factors such as the nature of the pain, how long it has been present, its impact on daily life, and individual goals. Some people may benefit from a short period of support focused on education and self-management strategies, while others may participate in a longer rehabilitation programme to help them build confidence, improve function, and return to meaningful activities.

Pain management is often a gradual process that focuses on developing skills and strategies for long-term wellbeing. Your rehabilitation team will work with you to create a personalised plan and adjust it as your needs, progress, and goals change over time.

Does ACC cover pain management?

Yes, ACC may cover pain management services if your pain is related to an ACC-covered injury and you meet ACC's eligibility criteria. Pain management support is often available for people who continue to experience pain and functional difficulties after an injury, particularly when pain is affecting their ability to work, exercise, complete daily activities, or participate in the things that are important to them.

At Active+ and TBI Health, our people can discuss whether you may be eligible for ACC-funded pain management services or identify the most appropriate pathway to access support. Depending on your circumstances, pain management may also be available through private health insurance, employer-funded programmes, or self-funding options.

What happens at my first pain management appointment?

Your first pain management appointment is designed to help your clinician understand how pain is affecting you and what you would like to achieve through rehabilitation. During the appointment, your Active+ or TBI Health clinician will discuss your pain history, symptoms, medical background, daily activities, work situation, lifestyle, and any treatments you have previously tried.

They will also explore the impact pain is having on different areas of your life, including your physical function, sleep, mood, confidence, relationships, and ability to participate in work, exercise, and everyday activities. This comprehensive assessment helps build a clear picture of your individual needs and goals.

Following the assessment, your clinician will work with you to develop a personalised pain management plan. We will discuss which members of our team may be best placed to support you in working towards your recovery goals.  Strategies may include education about pain, exercise and activity strategies, goal setting, self-management techniques, and referrals to other members of the multidisciplinary team where additional support would be beneficial.

What’s a client pain management story that comes to mind?

I worked with a client with a lower back injury which was still causing limitations ten months after the injury. This client was unable to work in his physical job due to the lifting involved. He could not complete his usual home-based occupations like lawn mowing and vacuuming. His sleep was disturbed. He had previously enjoyed playing golf at the weekends but was no longer able to do that as his back pain limited his walking tolerance. His mood was understandably negatively impacted and he was gaining significant weight. He struggled to get to sleep and would often wake throughout the night because of his pain. He reported the pain medication prescribed by his GP was offering little relief.

The pain management plan we developed was personalised for this client and involved input from the following Active+ professionals:

• A dietician developed a programme to address his weight gain.
• A psychologist supported him with strategies to manage his mood and improve his sleep.

• An occupational therapist developed a pacing plan that supported his gradually resumption of domestic tasks. Reconnecting with everyday activities also appeared to have a positive impact on his mood. 

• As the physiotherapist working with this client, I focused on helping him understand how the pain system works so he could regain a sense of control. I also developed a graded exercise programme designed to minimise symptom aggravation and closely monitored a progressive strengthening programme to help him rebuild confidence in his body. 

By the time he completed his four-month programme, he had returned to many of his normal daily activities, was sleeping well, had lost 10 kg, and was progressing towards his pre-injury weight. This client was able to return to both work and his golf passion - the latter, he told me, was the more important marker of success in his eyes! In my opinion, he also appeared to have developed a greater understanding of the connection between his body and mind, and the strategies he could use to maintain wellbeing.

What’s your favourite part about delivering this service?

I love seeing people make meaningful progress towards taking back control of their life. Pain can affect every aspect of daily life. One of the most rewarding parts of my role is seeing clients gradually regain confidence, return to activities they value, and reconnect with the things that bring them joy.

I also love working as a team with other health professionals to help our patients achieve their goals.

Why choose Active+ or TBI Health for pain management?

Active+ and TBI Health provide personalised pain management services designed to help people better understand persistent pain, improve function, and regain confidence in everyday life. Our experienced clinicians take a whole-person approach, recognising that pain can affect physical health, emotional wellbeing, work, relationships, sleep, and participation in the activities that matter most. 

Active+ and TBI Health benefits include:

• Experienced pain management clinicians and multidisciplinary rehabilitation teams.
• Personalised pain management plans tailored to your goals and circumstances.
• Support for persistent pain, injury-related pain, and complex pain conditions.
• Education and self-management techniques to help you better understand and manage pain.
• Access to physiotherapists, psychologists, occupational therapists, and other allied health professionals as needed.
• Support aimed at helping people return to work, exercise, recreation, and everyday activities where appropriate.
• Assistance navigating ACC-funded and private rehabilitation pathways.
• A nationwide network of clinics and community-based services.
• Part of Southern Cross Healthcare.

Are Active+ and TBI Health part of Southern Cross Healthcare?

Yes. Both Active+ and TBI Health are part of the Southern Cross Healthcare network, one of New Zealand's largest integrated healthcare groups.

As members of the Southern Cross Healthcare network, Active+ and TBI Health provide rehabilitation and allied health services that complement the wider range of healthcare services delivered across the organisation. This connection enables access to extensive clinical expertise and supports a coordinated approach to patient care, rehabilitation, and recovery.

How do I get started with pain management?

Getting started with pain management is simple. You can contact Active+ or TBI Health directly to discuss your needs and arrange an appointment, or you may be referred by your GP, specialist, ACC, employer, or another healthcare professional.

Importantly, you do not need to be a Southern Cross Health Insurance member to access pain management services from Active+ or TBI Health. Our services are available to anyone seeking support to better understand and manage persistent pain, improve function, and get back to the activities that matter most to them.

Ready to take the first step towards managing pain more effectively? 

Contact Active+ or TBI Health to book an appointment or learn more about your options.

Active+
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Call 09 630 4035

TBI Health
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Call 0800 824 432