HLTMSG016 Apply principles of pain neuroscience

Elective unit of HLT42021 Certificate IV in Massage Therapy. Release 1.

This elective explains how pain works in the nervous system and how to use that understanding when assessing, treating and talking with clients in pain.

Elements

1. Maintain practical knowledge of the principles of pain neuroscience
2. Apply principles of pain neuroscience to health care assessment and treatment
3. Reflect on practice

What you must do (performance evidence)

• Research one recent development in neuroscience from credible sources.
• Consult 3 clients and write a treatment plan for each that addresses their pain presentation.
• Reflect on your practice after each consultation.

What you must know (knowledge evidence)

• Anatomy and physiology of the central and peripheral nervous system and how it relates to touch.
• Sensory processing of pain: transduction, transmission, modulation, perception.
• How acute and chronic pain develop; nociceptive, neuropathic and nociplastic pain.
• The biopsychosocial model of pain and how to apply it in practice.
• Basic neurological assessment: dermatomes, myotomes, reflexes.
• Placebo, nocebo, descending inhibition, and peripheral and central sensitisation.
• Client-centred communication, referral options and documentation.

How it is assessed

Simulated clinical environment with client consultations.

Full text: sources/course-docs/HLTMSG016.md. This is a plain-English summary; the official unit on training.gov.au is the authority.