Breaking the Pain Cycle

Osher Günsberg, one of Australia’s most recognizable media personalities and the host of The Bachelor franchise, recently shared his personal journey with chronic pain in an article published by the ABC. 

Osher revealed how understanding the science of pain through the support of a pain psychologist transformed his ability to manage his condition. His story underscores a powerful truth: education and awareness are critical in helping people regain control over their lives. 

At MAX, we’re taking this principle further with cutting-edge VR technology through our pilot program. Spearheaded by Matthew Pollack (Exercise Physiologist and Health Services Manager), our pilot program uses VR tools to empower our DES customers living with chronic pain to visualize how pain works and develop effective strategies for living well. 

Osher’s experience with a pain psychologist highlights the importance of understanding how pain works in the body and mind—a critical step in managing chronic pain. Pain psychologists often use education to help patients grasp the connection between the brain and pain perception, which is foundational to retraining thought patterns and reducing pain.  

Similarly, our pilot program uses VR as a tool to translate these complex concepts into an immersive, real-life experience. By placing customers in relatable scenarios and using visual and auditory feedback, the tool helps them not only understand the mechanisms of pain but also practice retraining their body and mind simultaneously. This is based on research done by leading researcher Dr. Lorimer Moseley which demonstrated that education should be the frontline care for people suffering from persistent pain.

In essence, while Osher gained insights through a psychologist’s guidance, MAX provides a hands-on, interactive way with guidance from our health professionals to empower individuals by making the science of pain accessible and actionable.

In this video, Matthew explains the role of neuroplasticity in pain recovery and MAX customer Dave Tyrell shares his biggest takeaways from participating in the pilot program.