If you’ve been dealing with pain that just won’t quit, you’ve probably already tried a few things. Maybe some physio, maybe a massage here and there, maybe you’re still waiting for something to actually stick. That’s incredibly common, and it’s usually not because you picked the wrong treatment. It’s because chronic pain rarely responds to just one approach on its own.
It’s also frustrating in a specific way. You do the exercises. You show up to your appointments. Things feel better for a few days, and then you’re right back where you started. If that sounds familiar, you’re not doing anything wrong, and you’re definitely not alone. It usually means the pain has more going on underneath it than any single treatment can address by itself.
At Refined Integrated Health in South Surrey, we bring physiotherapy, registered massage therapy, acupuncture and TCM, and kinesiology together under one roof, with a team that actually talks to each other about your care. Here’s why that matters, and what to expect if you’re considering it.
What actually keeps chronic pain going?
Most pain starts with something specific: a strained muscle, a car accident, a bad landing during a game. In the early days, that pain is doing its job. It’s telling you something is hurt and needs attention. The trouble starts when the tissue has healed, more or less, but the pain sticks around anyway.
That’s usually not because something is still physically wrong at the original site. It’s because your nervous system has learned to keep the alarm going. Think of it like a smoke detector that’s gotten a little too sensitive. Even a bit of steam from the shower sets it off, even though there’s no fire. Your body can do something similar with pain signals, staying on high alert long after the original injury has settled down.
This is exactly why rest alone rarely fixes chronic pain, and why one round of treatment often isn’t enough. If the nervous system is part of the problem, then the muscles, the joints, and the nervous system all need attention, not just the spot that hurts the most.
Why does chronic pain need more than one kind of treatment?
Pain that sticks around past the usual healing window isn’t just a local problem anymore. Your nervous system gets involved too, and it can keep sending pain signals long after the original injury has settled down, a process researchers call central sensitization. That’s part of why a single treatment, on its own, often only gets you partway there.
A physiotherapist can help you move better and get stronger. An RMT can ease muscle tension and improve circulation. Acupuncture can help calm an overactive nervous system. Each one matters, but when these practitioners are working together rather than in separate silos, your plan adjusts faster and actually targets what’s going on, instead of guessing.
What does care look like at Refined?
Every patient’s plan looks a little different, but here’s the team you might work with:
Kristine Nidea and Mehtab Gondara, our physiotherapists, use manual therapy, movement retraining, and IMS (dry needling) to help you move with less pain and more confidence.
Kristina Tangaro, Annissa Calendino, Adrienne Carriere, and Gurpreet Rai, our RMTs, use techniques like myofascial release, trigger point therapy, and deep tissue work to ease tension and support recovery.
Jamie Lee, Song Sun, and Pinzhen Zhu, our acupuncturists, use acupuncture and cupping to help regulate the nervous system and support the body’s own healing process.
Leslie Rude, our kinesiologist, builds strength and movement programs that help you rebuild capacity safely, without pushing you into another setback. Her kinesiology page is on its way, so for now our team can walk you through what to expect if you reach out directly.
The difference isn’t just that these services exist in one building. It’s that your physiotherapist and your acupuncturist and your RMT are actually comparing notes, so your care builds week over week instead of starting from scratch every visit.
What does that coordination actually look like in practice?
This is where a lot of clinics fall short without patients ever noticing. Two practitioners can work in the same office and still never talk to each other. You end up explaining your whole history over again at every appointment, and nobody’s treatment plan is really building on anyone else’s.
At Refined, if you’re seeing both a physiotherapist and an RMT, they know what the other one is working on. If your acupuncturist notices your pain flares up after certain activities, that information doesn’t just sit in a chart, it shapes what your physiotherapist has you working on that week. Small things, but they add up. You spend less time repeating yourself and more time actually making progress.
It also means nobody’s guessing in isolation. If one approach isn’t working the way we’d hoped, the team can talk it through and adjust, instead of you having to notice the plateau yourself and bring it up.
What should you actually expect, timeline-wise?
We’d love to tell you that everyone feels better in two weeks, but that wouldn’t be honest. Chronic pain took time to become chronic, and it usually takes more than a session or two to unwind. That said, most people notice some genuine change within the first few weeks of consistent care, even if it’s not full relief yet.
What matters more than speed is direction. Are things trending better over a month? Are you doing more of what you want to do with less pain along the way? Those are the questions worth tracking, more than whether you’re “fixed” by some arbitrary date.
Some flare-ups along the way are normal, and they don’t mean the plan has failed. Bodies aren’t linear. What we’re looking for is the overall pattern moving in the right direction, with fewer and shorter setbacks over time.
What should you bring to your first appointment?
A little prep goes a long way. Before you come in, it helps to think through:
- When your pain started and what seems to make it better or worse
- Everything you’ve already tried, and whether it helped
- Any imaging or reports from other providers
- What you actually want to get back to, whether that’s sleeping through the night, playing a sport, or just getting through a workday comfortably
You don’t need a perfect document. Even a few notes jotted down beforehand helps our team build a plan around you faster.
How do I know if a clinic like this is the right fit?
Not everyone needs a multidisciplinary approach. If you’ve got a straightforward, recent strain that’s responding well to one treatment, that’s great, keep doing what’s working. This is really for the people who’ve tried the single-treatment route and hit a wall, or who suspect their pain has more layers to it than one provider can address alone.
A few things worth asking any clinic you’re considering:
- Do the practitioners here actually communicate with each other about my care, or am I just seeing multiple people in the same building?
- Do they treat the conditions and services I actually need?
- Does my coverage line up with what they offer?
- Can they explain, in plain language, why they’re recommending a particular combination of treatments for you specifically?
That last question matters more than people expect. A good team should be able to walk you through their reasoning, not just hand you a schedule of appointments and hope for the best.
On coverage: extended health benefits typically cover physiotherapy and RMT at Refined. If you’re coming in through ICBC, we can support physiotherapy and RMT claims. WCB coverage applies to physiotherapy only. If you’re not sure where you land, our team is happy to help you figure it out before you book.
FAQ
What is a multidisciplinary clinic?
It’s a clinic where different practitioners, like physiotherapists, RMTs, and acupuncturists, coordinate on your care together instead of treating you in isolation. The key word is coordinate. Simply having several services under one roof isn’t the same thing if those practitioners never actually talk to each other.
How long does chronic pain treatment usually take?
It varies a lot depending on the person and the condition, but many patients start noticing real changes within a few weeks of consistent, coordinated care. Full recovery, or a return to your baseline function, can take longer for pain that’s been present for months or years.
Does insurance cover treatment at Refined?
Extended health plans typically cover physiotherapy and RMT. ICBC claims can cover physiotherapy and RMT. WCB covers physiotherapy only. Bring your plan details in and we’ll help sort out the rest.
What’s the difference between a physiotherapy clinic and an integrated clinic like Refined?
A physiotherapy clinic usually offers one kind of care. An integrated clinic brings several disciplines together under one coordinated plan, so nothing gets treated in isolation, and your progress with one practitioner actually informs what the next one does.
Ready to get started? Book online at rih.janeapp.com, or reach out at (604) 606-7519.
If you’re coming through ICBC or WCB, email [email protected] and our team will help set things up.