Perioperative Medicine and Pain Management services

17/03/2026

13/03/2026

"The connection they get through the music is amazing" 🎶 🎧

Residents at a care home in Clevedon have been enjoying silent discos ➡️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce3ge279dyvo

Physiotherapy staff go along to support those less mobile with their balance and coordination.

09/03/2026

A new study published in The Lancet shows perioperative care is key to reducing post-surgery death in high-risk patients.

It also shows that high-risk patients, who tend to be older and live with several long-term health conditions such as heart disease, have poor outcomes not because of technical failings in surgery or anaesthesia, but due to post-operative complications relating to chronic health conditions, age and frailty. These findings demonstrate the need for greater investment in specialist perioperative services focused on the care of older, high-risk patients before, during, and after surgery.

Our director of the Centre for Perioperative Care, Professor Denny Levett, featured in the piece.

Find out more 👉https://ow.ly/UnGs50Ypx86

27/02/2026

As you might know if you follow me, I live with a facial pain condition called trigeminal neuralgia, which is classed as a rare condition.
I have several blog posts about it, which I will link in the comments.

27/02/2026

Exercise is one of the most studied non-drug treatments for chronic pain. Gentle movement can help calm the body’s pain signals, reduce inflammation, and release natural chemicals that ease pain and support mood. Over time, it can also make everyday activities feel more manageable.

Research shows that exercise consistently improves strength and physical function. Changes in pain levels are different for everyone, and some people may notice more improvement than others.

It’s also important to note that exercise is a form of stress on the body. Doing too much too quickly can lead to flares, which is why the right “dose” and slow, steady progress matter.
At our next pain science lecture on 3/2, Dr. Joshua Hardy will review what the science tells us about exercise and pain, including how it works, what risks to watch for, and how to start safely.

Register for free: https://bit.ly/40xpb2c

22/02/2026

When we talk about being exhausted, it is not just being tired. It is a bone weary fatigue that no amount of sleep seems to cure.

I fall asleep sitting up. And no, I am not old yet although my kids may say otherwise. You see when an able bodied person does a task, you do the task and it takes away the energy just for that task. When someone with chronic pain does, it would be like trying to do something with weights on your legs and arms. Sometimes its 10 lbs, sometimes 100 lbs. And as anyone can attest weight training, even if you use 2 lb weights, eventually it becomes extremely difficult to move.

It is why fighters use such low weights or you use low weights, and high reps for workouts. It is exhausting. But instead of a 45 min workout, it is everything. Eating, taking a shower, dishes, laundry, yard work, making meals, playing with your kids or pets. And you cannot EVER drop the weight. Even with pain management, your body has less energy expenditure, not none.

We are exhausted. It is more "just being in pain". It always is.

Fight on, warriors!

Kelly
"Pain-fully human"

20/02/2026

A meta-analysis of 218 trials found it provides larger reductions in symptoms than walking, strength training, or antidepressants alone.
Dance simultaneously releases serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin while lowering cortisol. When performed in groups, it creates interbrain synchrony that strengthens social bonds. Researchers are now advocating for dance to be considered a front-line treatment for depression.
Whether in a living room or a ballroom, moving to the beat is proving transformative.
Source: The BMJ

20/02/2026

Some people need support... and they just don’t need it between 8am and 4pm.

At The Opening Lotus, we understand that life is layered. Long work hours. Family responsibilities. The need for discretion. The quiet effort it takes to prioritize your mental health.

That’s why we offer flexible scheduling, late evenings, early night, weekends and even public holidays.

Care should adapt to real life.

If you’ve been meaning to start or return to counselling, this is your reminder that support can meet you where you are.

🌸 Affordable Mental Health Care
🌿 Flexible Scheduling
📲 WhatsApp 299-8416 or 491-2840
📍 Online sessions available

The Opening Lotus
Holding space for you.
https://linktr.ee/theopeninglotus

17/02/2026

New study could transform how clinicians detect the earliest signs of declining brain health - using our latest imaging technology Field-Cycling Imaging (FCI). Full story ⬇️

13/02/2026

Carnival looks different for everyone.

While many are out celebrating, others may be feeling overwhelmed, emotional, unsettled or simply in need of a quiet, safe space to talk..and that’s okay.

If this weekend brings up difficult feelings, unexpected experiences, or you just don’t feel like yourself, support is available. You don’t have to carry it alone and you don’t have to wait until “after Carnival” to reach out.

Online counselling sessions are open this weekend for anyone who needs a moment of steadiness and clarity.

Be gentle with yourself.
Help is allowed.

🌸 The Opening Lotus
Affordable mental health care. Flexible scheduling.
WhatsApp: 299-8416 or 491-2840

01/02/2026

The increasingly complicated picture of chemotherapy induced neuropathic pain that dedicated researchers are managing to detect. This is why the biopsychosocial method of treating pain is important.

In this week’s Featured Image, Li et al. present a schematic illustration showing the contribution of astrocytes highly expressing S1pr1 to cisplatin-induced neuropathic pain. Learn more at https://bit.ly/3NArFc8