Fremont Therapy Group is proud to announce Doctor of Physical Therapy, Justin Willis, recently earned the esteemed Therapeutic Pain Specialist certification (TPS) through Evidence in Motion and International Spine & Pain Institute with Purdue University. TPS is the highest clinical competency of evaluation and treatment of pain that a practitioner can earn. Justin uses these valuable skills to help patients conquer pain through Pain Neuroscience Education (PNE) and therapeutic strategies to take control of their discomfort.
Why Pain Neuroscience Education?
Nearly 20 million Americans suffer from chronic pain that interferes with their daily
activities, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC reviewed the National Health Interview Survey and found that 1 in 5 Americans,
or about 50 million people, suffer from chronic pain.
Of those, 8%, or about 19.6 million, suffer from pain that interferes with their daily lives
and this chronic pain is the primary reason Americans are on disability.
Pain is an epidemic and a historically misunderstood and mistreated condition. The goal of
pain neuroscience education is to reduce unnecessary suffering and educate patients
how they can take back control of their body and manage their pain.
Justin explains, “Once an individual understands why they have pain, it becomes easier to
zero in on what is perpetuating their pain. We can use this knowledge to address pain
through a holistic approach to improve function and decrease suffering.”
What inspired you to expand your treatment knowledge to Pain?
As I looked around health care, I realized that one of the biggest problems facing people is
chronic pain. I decided that this was an area where I could help. Persistent pain leads to
immense suffering physically, mentally, and emotionally. It can ruin relationships, end
careers, and no matter the circumstances it completely changes someone’s life. On top of
that, it is pretty obvious that the opioid epidemic in the country is a direct result of a pain
problem. As I contemplated all of these problems I became very passionate about helping
this underserved population. Treating people with persistent pain is extremely difficult,
but even more rewarding.
How has this advanced TPS Certification changed the way you treat patients?
TPS has drastically changed the way I treat patients. My main focus on all patients is now
how can I help that person gain control of their life to help make their situation better.
Whether I am treating a patient who is experiencing chronic pain or not, I now take more
time to educate the patient and to make sure I can answer their questions. This
certification has made me more empathetic and helped me to understand how to treat the
whole person, not just a body part. It has helped me to slow down and really contemplate
how I can help each patient individually. TPS has also given me some new evaluation tools
which help me to be even better at evaluating people.
Click on the video below to hear the success story of one of Justin’s patients.
What has been the response from patients?
Most patients have reacted in a very positive manner. Obviously, like any other treatment,
PNE+ is not for everyone. That is why it is so important that I take the time to learn about
each patient so we, me AND the patient, are both comfortable with our treatment plan. I
have found that most patients, even those who would not have a condition that would be
labeled as “chronic pain”, are interested in learning the neuroscience behind pain and
then working out solutions that can help improve function and decrease suffering.
I have many patients who now understand that pain is not the ultimate enemy. Chronic
pain does not mean that their body is falling apart or that they can never do the things that they enjoy again.
At Fremont Therapy Group we are a family of 5 clinics across the state. The benefit of
having such highly trained staff and a close-knit working relationship between all
locations is that we can all learn from one other. Justin has presented his new pain
knowledge to his colleagues and we are empowered to learn from his skills with PNE to
help patients regain function.
Call any of our locations to learn more about how Pain Neuroscience Education can help
you!
