Dr Mark Alexander-Williams Pain Management Consultant - Part 1

In this episode of ‘Interview the Expert’ Joel speaks with Dr Mark Alexander-Williams a leading Consultant in Pain Management in London. He treats all acute and chronic pain conditions, specialising in interventional pain management for spinal conditions and holistic management for pelvic pain. He is specifically interested in challenging pain problems with three quarters of his referrals being back pain and sciatica. Mark’s secretary can be reached at alexander-williams@fortiusclinic.com or via telephone on 0203 195 2442.

Chaptered topics include:

0:30 - Why pain management? The route into specialising in pain. 
4:15 - What is pain to you? The understanding of pain has changed. Anaesthetists like the first results however pain is way deeper as a subject.
7:25 - Joel discusses pattern recognition, movement, mood state and even clothing. Mark comments on pain having a different meaning for everyone. Treat the person rather than necessarily the pain. 
9:28 -  Nerve pain drugs and the principles. All react differently. Nerve pain doesn’t respond to general pain drugs.
11:10 - Patient history is so important. Pain is a bio psycho social construct. What does the pain mean to the patient then it’s the biological and anatomical perspective.
13:14 - Joel details a typical herniated disc presentation and the associated sciatic pain. Four types of pain and sciatica is the worst. The percentages that could indicate danger for the patient. Control pain, order scans and issue immediate pain relief meds. Severe pain can cause panic. Drugs can take a week to control nerve pain.
18:00 - Pain doesn’t necessarily mean permanent damage and this needs to realised by the patient. A plan is essential for the patient and an understanding of what is going on.
20:00 - We’ve all got a theory and diagnosis need to be plausible, scientifically based and can be backed up.
23:20 - Patients also need to know someone is listening., A plan of action can be orchestrated across a multi-disciplinary spread of expertise.
25:00 - Have you had debilitating back pain yourself? Making pain your friend and using it to guide you out of the problem.