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Gateshead is a borough known for its culture and dramatic landscape. From the Quayside to the Angel of the North, it is a place of activity. But when chronic pain strikes, navigating life in Gateshead can become a daily struggle.
For residents of Gateshead, finding effective treatment is a priority. At Breakthrough Pain & Performance, we offer a specialised service just across the river in Shiremoor. We treat the neurological drivers of chronic pain, helping patients who have struggled to find long-term relief with standard treatments.
A key concept in our treatment of chronic pain is Interoception. This is your brain’s ability to sense the internal state of your body-your heartbeat, your breath, your digestion, and your muscle tension.
In chronic pain, Interoception becomes skewed. The part of the brain responsible for this (the Insula) becomes hyperactive. You might become hyper-aware of every slight twinge or sensation in your body, interpreting it as a catastrophe (catastrophising). Alternatively, you might become dissociated-completely cutting off from your body to avoid feeling the pain.
This dysregulation drives anxiety. The brain feels unsafe inside the body. We help you recalibrate Interoception. We use mindfulness-based neurological drills and specific breathing exercises to help you feel your body accurately again-without the layer of panic or fear. By normalising your internal sensing, we lower the overall anxiety and pain levels.
Many Gateshead residents with chronic pain complain of profound stiffness. “I feel like I’m 90 years old,” is a common phrase. This stiffness is not usually due to arthritis; it is a Neurological Guarding Reflex.
If the brain perceives threat (pain), its instinct is to splint the area. It tightens the muscles around the spine or the hips to prevent movement. This is a survival mechanism. However, in chronic pain, this guard never comes down.
You are walking around with your muscles contracting at 30-40% capacity all day long. This is exhausting. It creates secondary pain from muscle fatigue and lactic acid build-up.
Massage doesn’t fix this because the brain just tightens the muscle again as soon as you stand up. We treat the reason for the guarding. We show the brain that the area is stable and safe. We use P-DTR to reset the receptors that are signalling instability. Once the brain feels safe, it voluntarily drops the guard, and the stiffness melts away instantly.
For patients with severe pain or CRPS where movement is too painful, we use Graded Motor Imagery. This is a way of exercising the brain without moving the body.
We might start with “Left/Right Discrimination”-looking at pictures of hands or feet and identifying them. This activates the movement centres of the brain without triggering the pain centres.
Then we move to “Motor Imagery”-imagining moving the painful limb smoothly and pain-free. The brain fires the same neurons as if you were actually moving, but without the sensory feedback of pain.
Finally, we use “Mirror Therapy”-moving the non-painful limb in a mirror so it looks like the painful limb is moving. This visual trick calms the panic in the brain’s sensory map. It is a powerful way to “sneak” movement back into a sensitised system.
We are easily accessible for Gateshead residents. Our clinic in Shiremoor is approximately a 20-minute drive via the A19/Tyne Tunnel or the A1058 Coast Road.
Many of our Gateshead clients find that the short journey is a small price to pay for the level of specialist care we provide. Plus, with free parking right outside, you avoid the stress and expense of city centre parking. You can arrive feeling calm and ready for treatment.
We follow a structured approach to resolve your chronic pain:
1. Reduce Inflammation: We help you identify dietary triggers that are causing neuro-inflammation.
2. Restore Safety: We use neurological drills to prove to the brain that movement is not dangerous.
3. Neural Health: We ensure nerves are sliding freely and receiving enough blood flow.
4. Resilience: We build your tolerance to stress and sensory input so you are not living in fear of the next flare-up.
We work with:
We are transparent and professional. If we can help, we will tell you how long it will take. If we can’t, we will refer you to someone who can.
If you are in Gateshead and want a fresh approach to your chronic pain, book a Free Taster Session.Make the short trip across the river and discover how neurological care can change your life.
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