PT Pro Talk Ep 200. How Do You Manage Pain Catastrophizing? A practical four-step approach for clinicians With Dr. Cory Alcon
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💡 In this episode of PT Pro Talk, Dr. Cory Alcon delivers a conversation on the management of chronic pain, moving beyond purely structural explanations to a modern understanding of neurocognition and the neuroimmune system.
We dive deep into the clinical nuances of patient communication, exploring the critical differences between structural damage and protective nervous system responses, and how pain catastrophizing impacts executive function and recovery.
💭 ‘’You can't just tell someone to stop catastrophizing. You have to help them make sense of their pain first - that's step one" - Dr. Cory Alcon.
👉🏻 Dr. Cory Alcon is an Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy at High Point University and a board-certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist specializing in chronic neuromusculoskeletal pain. He holds a PhD with a concentration in pain neuromodulation and studies how neuroplasticity can be leveraged to address the cognitive and emotional dimensions of pain.
His work explores innovative approaches such as non-invasive brain stimulation combined with psychologically informed physical therapy. Dr. Alcon teaches musculoskeletal practice and pain science and is passionate about helping clinicians better understand and treat chronic pain.
📚You will learn about:
How pain catastrophizing and fear avoidance impact brain function and recovery
A four-step approach: understanding pain, identifying protective responses, graded exposure, and functional progression
How to apply pain neuroscience education and cognitive functional therapy in clinical practice
Key research gaps and resources to improve your management of pain-related fear
🔎Cory's Resource of Information:
📲 Cory's contact information:
🎥Link to interview on Youtube
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📩Email: mariana@ptprotalk.com
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