Beyond the Pain (Dr. Danny Miller)

Why Pain Isn't Just Physical

When people first come to see me, they often describe experiences that go beyond just physical sensation. "I wake up already tense," someone told me recently. Another said, "I find myself holding my breath during meetings without realising it." Others feel "stuck" or "like I'm fighting my own body."

This struggle to make sense of persistent pain is incredibly common among the professionals I work with at Pure Sports Medicine in Moorgate, London. You might have tried osteopathy, physiotherapy, or massage that helped temporarily, but your symptoms keep returning. That’s not because those treatments were wrong - it’s that sometimes we need an integrated pain management approach.

When Standard Treatments Don’t Stick

Working alongside excellent physiotherapists and other practitioners, I offer something complementary: an approach that recognises your pain as meaningful, not mysterious. Your symptoms make sense when we understand them as responses to how you're living, working, and navigating daily pressures.

The Psychology of Pain: Your Experience Makes Sense

Pain often arises from a complex interaction between your environment, nervous system, movement habits, and emotional state. When you're constantly anticipating deadlines, you may hold tension in subtle ways. When you're disconnected from things that energise you, that disconnection often shows up physically.

This isn't about blame. It's about insight. The way your shoulders tighten in meetings, your breathing changes under pressure, or your muscles stay guarded even at rest - these are not just symptoms; they are signals. And those signals deserve attention.

The 3 Pillars of Sustainable Recovery

Recovery isn’t a one-size-fits-all journey. In psychology, we often return to three core needs that support change:

• Autonomy – Making Informed Choices in Recovery You need to be involved in your recovery, not just follow a plan. We explore why symptoms developed, what techniques suit your lifestyle, and how you want to shape your care. Recovery works best when it's collaborative and flexible.

• Competence – Rebuilding Confidence in Your Body Persistent pain often undermines your belief in what your body can do. Recovery means restoring that trust, whether in work, movement, or daily life. It’s not about perfect technique or being pain-free; it’s about feeling capable again.

• Connection – Recovery Happens in Relationships You don’t recover alone. It happens in supportive relationships, with clinicians, colleagues, loved ones, and yourself. Sometimes symptoms persist because we’re disconnected from what matters. Healing involves reconnecting with your values and with others.

A New Relationship with Pain

Real recovery often comes when we stop battling pain and start understanding it. This isn’t about giving up. It’s about changing your relationship with discomfort, moving from resistance to curiosity. Instead of waiting for perfect conditions, you begin to engage with life as it is now. Like many forms of recovery, it’s a day-by-day process. Some days are better than others, and both are okay.

How We Work Together as Osteopath and Patient

Your symptoms might be signalling something deeper: the toll of stress, disconnection from values, or simply a mismatch between demands and recovery. Through osteopathic treatment, we explore what feels better in your body. Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), we help reshape how you respond to symptoms. Collaborating with physiotherapy, we build sustainable movement strategies that fit your life.

Pain can’t always be prevented. But it can be understood, managed, and worked with, not against.

Ready to Explore What Recovery Could Look Like for You?

Appointments with Dr. Danny Miller are available at Pure Sports Medicine, Moorgate, on Tuesdays (08:00–14:00) and Thursdays (14:00–19:00). Click here to book or learn more