How A Four Hour Exam Solves Chronic Pain Mysteries with Dr David Glick

Send us Fan MailMost chronic pain care breaks down at the exact moment it needs to get more precise. When someone has failed back surgery, persistent post-op pain, nerve symptoms that do not match the scan, or years of “nothing worked”, the usual five-minute consultation cannot hold the complexity. We sit down with Dr David Glick, a pain physician with decades of experience, to unpack what changes when you slow the process down and treat diagnosis as the main intervention.We talk through his method of building a nerve “roadmap” using careful examination, detailed history, and specialised electrodiagnostic testing, then translating that into a clear plan patients can trust. Along the way we challenge one of the biggest traps in modern musculoskeletal medicine: treating MRI findings as the cause, even when disc bulges and tears are common in people without pain. You’ll hear why clinical correlation, timeline, and symptom distribution matter more than a dramatic report, and how rushed care can funnel people towards procedures and even surgery that never targets the true pain generator.We also get practical about neuroplastic pain, expectation setting, and medication management. Chronic pain can become wired into the nervous system, meaning improvement may come in stages, and patients may not recognise progress without guidance. Finally, we explore how telemedicine second opinions can still deliver real results when they focus on clarity and reducing catastrophising, plus what it takes to build a sustainable model for time-intensive, quality-first care. If this conversation helps, subscribe, share it with someone navigating chronic pain, and leave a review with the one change you wish healthcare would make.👤 Guest BiographyDr David Glick is a pain specialist with over 36 years of clinical experience and the Medical Director of HealthQ2. He focuses on complex chronic pain cases, including patients who have failed conventional treatments or undergone unsuccessful surgeries.David is known for his highly detailed, patient-centered approach, including extended consultations, advanced diagnostic techniques, and a strong emphasis on patient and practitioner education. He is also a co-founder of the American Society of Pain Educators (now Pain Week), where he has helped train clinicians to better interpret imaging, manage patient expectations, and deliver more effective care.His work challenges conventional models of medicine, advocating for deeper clinical thinking, better alignment of incentives, and more meaningful patient outcomes.Contact DetailsWebsite: https://www.healthq2.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-glick-30145512/Subscribe on SubstackVoices in Health and Wellness is published on Substack, as part of The Diagnostician. Every episode lands there with written notes and reflections you won't find in the podcast feed. Free to subscribe.👉 https://thediagnostician.substack.com/s/voices-in-health-and-wellnessAbout the podcastVoices in Health and Wellness features conversations at the intersection of medicine, lifestyle, and human potential, with clinicians, scientists, and thinkers shaping the future of care.About Dr Andrew GreenlandUK-based medical doctor and founder of Greenland Medical, specialising in Integrative and Functional Medicine. Trained in both conventional and root-cause approaches, Andrew helps people optimise health, performance, and longevity, with a focus on cognitive resilience and healthy ageing.