Your First Appointment

Book Your Appointment

Book Appointments for Cancer-related pain, nerve pains, bone, and joint pains, and spine pain can all be treated non-surgically at PainMed.Contact: 02 8999 1054 Thank you for taking the first step towards a truly holistic approach to the management of your pain. At PainMed we incorporate an interdisciplinary approach to ensure you have the best chance of recovery.

When it comes to preparing for your first appointment it’s simple. All you need to do is bring along your doctor’s referral letter, a list of all your medications, specialist reports (if you have any), and all your previous x-rays and scans.

We request for all our new patients to arrive at least 20 minutes before the scheduled appointment time to fill in a couple of health questionnaires. These questionnaires will help your doctor get a better understanding of your pain.

During your first appointment the doctor will take a detailed history of your pain, the treatments you’ve had and enquire about your general health.

You will also be asked questions to assess the impact the pain has on your daily living, both physically and psychologically. Since pain is a very personal experience, we also find it useful to know the person who has the pain and your doctor may touch upon your family and social circumstances.

This is followed by a thorough physical examination, review of any scans and formulation of a comprehensive pain management plan. Sometimes further tests like MRI, CT or bone scans may be recommended to reach a diagnosis.

This comprehensive management plan comprises of six core components:

01

Education

Firstly, an explanation of your pain and your pain condition

02

Lifestyle modifications

To ensure a productive and healthy lifestyle your doctor may suggest some lifestyle modifications like dietary advice, education on sleep hygiene, assistance with quitting smoking or even referral to specialised services for patients with substance use.

03

Medications

Ideally, we would like you to take the least amount of medications for your pain. Getting the right combination of medications is usually a balancing act between pain relief and side-effects.

01

Education

Firstly, an explanation of your pain and your pain condition

02

Lifestyle modifications

To ensure a productive and healthy lifestyle your doctor may suggest some lifestyle modifications like dietary advice, education on sleep hygiene, assistance with quitting smoking or even referral to specialised services for patients with substance use.

03

Medications

Ideally, we would like you to take the least amount of medications for your pain. Getting the right combination of medications is usually a balancing act between pain relief and side-effects.

04

Physiotherapy

Our goal is to make you physically fit and active. This requires incorporating active physiotherapy principles and addressing issues like pacing and behavioral avoidance.

05

Psychological therapies

High levels of stress, anxiety and depression are associated with poor outcomes. Psychological therapies may be recommended to address these issues.

06

Interventional Pain therapies

For patients with intractable pain, your doctor may recommend therapies like spinal injections, infusions or more advanced therapies like spinal cord stimulation.

04

Physiotherapy

Our goal is to make you physically fit and active. This requires incorporating active physiotherapy principles and addressing issues like pacing and behavioral avoidance.

05

Psychological therapies

High levels of stress, anxiety and depression are associated with poor outcomes. Psychological therapies may be recommended to address these issues.

06

Interventional Pain therapies

For patients with intractable pain, your doctor may recommend therapies like spinal injections, infusions or more advanced therapies like spinal cord stimulation.

Make an Appointment

To make an appointment, refer a patient or to get more details, call or submit an online form.

Dr. Sally Wride

Originally from England, Sally graduated from St George’s Hospital, University of London in 2004 with a BSc (First Class Hons) in Physiotherapy. Since settling in Australia, Sally has worked in private practice and in the public hospital setting across Sydney.

Sally gained a Masters in Medicine Pain Management from the University of Sydney in 2019 and is a Titled Pain Physiotherapist (as awarded by the Australian Physiotherapy Association).

In addition to private practice, Sally currently works as a Senior Physiotherapist at Westmead Hospital Pain Management Service.

Sally is highly skilled in assessing, diagnosing and treating people who experience chronic pain. She enjoys working with injured workers and CTP claimants. She has a deep understanding of the impact of pain on the whole person and on their functioning in daily life. In partnership with her colleagues, Sally enjoys applying her knowledge and clinical skills to provide a safe space for exploration of the physical and emotional meaning of pain and for recovery of function.

Qualifications and Experience

Education
MSc in Medicine Pain Management (Sydney University) Accreditations

Dr. Baraa Kassim

Dr. Baraa Kassim is a highly skilled rehabilitation and pain management specialist. With experience in treating patients with complex medical conditions, her expertise spans strokes, neurological, orthopedic, musculoskeletal, and geriatric conditions, as well as spasticity management and spinal and brain injury rehabilitation.

Dr. Adam Mir

Dr. Adam is a Fellowship-trained Pain Medicine Specialist with a Fellowship from the Faculty of Pain Medicine (FFPMANZCA) and a Master of Pain Medicine from the University of Sydney. He is dedicated to the comprehensive management of chronic pain across all age groups.

Dr. Adam trained in adult pain medicine at Liverpool Hospital, Nepean Hospital, and the Department of Pain Medicine, and completed additional training in paediatric chronic pain at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead. He currently serves as a Staff Specialist at Westmead and St George Public Hospitals (NSW Health), and is a Visiting Medical Officer (VMO) at Liverpool Public Hospital, St George Private, Sydney Southwest Private, Holroyd Private, Norwest Private, and Nepean Private Hospitals.

He adopts a whole-person, multidisciplinary approach rooted in the socio-psycho-biomedical model, utilising both pharmacologic and interventional techniques. These include:

Dr. Adam is an Authorised Prescriber of Medicinal Cannabis and holds a Diploma in Medicinal Cannabis. He is also certified in Opioid Treatment Programs, including Methadone, Suboxone, and Buprenorphine injections. His areas of interest include opioid dependence management, medicinal cannabis, and interventional pain procedures.

He also completed advanced training in Virtual Reality Therapy for chronic pain and mental health disorders in Barcelona, Spain, and has further qualifications in Focused Psychological Strategies, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), and Clinical Hypnosis.

Qualifications:

Languages Spoken: English, Persian (Farsi), Dari

Dr. Alister Ramachandran

Dr. Alister Ramachandran, a dual specialist in Anaesthesia and Pain Medicine, boasts 20+ years of experience. FIPP-certified, he leads Westmead’s pain service, teaches at Sydney University, and is a Faculty of Pain Medicine examiner. His focus remains on delivering evidence-based chronic pain treatment, ensuring comprehensive and effective pain management intervention.

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