Michael is a clinical psychologist and has been working as a clinician, researcher, and educator in the pain field since 1980. He has played a leading role in pain education for all health professions internationally with the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) since 2010. The internationally and nationally recognised University of Sydney graduate pain management education program has been offered online by Michael and his team at the Pain Education Unit since 2000. Michael has also remained active clinically and in research on pain self-management in acute and chronic pain. He has over 300 publications on his research and is one of the most cited pain researchers in Australia.
Nicholas MK, Vlaeyen JWS, Riefe W, Barke A, et al. The IASP classification of chronic pain for ICD-11: Chronic primary pain. PAIN 2019; 160: 28-37.
This new diagnostic category for the largest group of chronic pain sufferers (e.g., most back pain) promotes the specification of biopsychosocial contributors to a person’s chronic pain experience. This model is a core aspect of the approach taken by OPEN. It was adopted by WHO in 2019 for implementation internationally from 2022. PAIN is the highest impact pain journal (IF: 7.926).
Nicholas MK, Costa D, Linton SJ, Main CJ, et al. Implementation of Early Intervention Protocol in Australia for ‘High Risk’ Injured Workers is Associated with Fewer Lost Workdays Over 2 Years Than Usual (Stepped) Care. J Occup Rehabil 2020; 30:93–104.
One of the very few controlled trials in early intervention for at-risk injured workers, treated in Primary Care within a compensable context. Training in delivering screening and core pain self-management strategies were key elements of the study which found the screening and intervention were effective, relative to usual care. The journal’s editorial board acknowledged the significance of the paper with the award of best research paper in 2020 in that journal.
Nicholas MK, Asghari A, Sharpe L, Beeston L, et al. Reducing the use of opioids by patients with chronic pain: an effectiveness study with long-term follow-up. PAIN 2020; 161: 509-519.
A demonstration of how active pain self-management strategies (the same as those taught in OPEN) can replace the use of opioids for chronic pain over an extended period.
MK Nicholas, Asghari A, Blyth FM, Wood BM, et al. Long-term outcomes from training in self-management of chronic pain in an elderly population: A randomised controlled trial. PAIN 2017; 158: 86–95.
Relative to exercises and empathy, training in pain self-management skills and home exercises led to better short and long-term outcomes in people aged over 65 with chronic pain.
Nicholas MK. The biopsychosocial model of pain 40 years on: time for a reappraisal? PAIN 2022 163(11), pp. S3-S14.
This invited paper reviews the evidence supporting a biopsychosocial model of pain and its implementation by clinicians and researchers from its initial enunciation in 1982 to 2022. The paper provides the grounding for the approach taken in the OPEN training program.
