Dr Philippa Armstrong

I graduated from Dundee University Scotland in 1993.   I took a year to travel the world and undertake voluntary work early in my career.  Since then I have trained exclusively in the UK in Edinburgh; Oxford and London. I  held a substantive consultant post in Stoke Mandeville spinal injuries before relocating to Dr Gray's Hospital Elgin Scotland to experience the specific community challenges of remote and rural healthcare. I finally settled in York in 2011 and have been working here ever since. 

In my private practice, I offer assessment for spinal and neuropathic pain. I also undertake interventions where appropriate that include: Ordering and interpreting spinal MRI  Spinal injections Peripheral nerve injections Trigger point injections Coccyx injections Pulsed radio frequency and radio frequency ablation Diagnostic sympathectomies Spinal cord stimulator implants I am keen to introduce people to the biopsychosocial model of pain; to help them to better understand their condition so that they are more empowered to self manage and improve their quality of life through more effective rehabilitation, restorative sleep hygiene; reduced anxiety, fear and pain.  In my NHS practice, I am Clinical Lead of the York and Scarborough pain service. I head up a team of nearly 30 professionals including other consultants, SAS doctors, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, nurses and psychologists. We provide full MDT assessment and in addition to offering everything above, provide ongoing MDT support both individually or in groups to enable patients to better understand their pain and gain good quality of life despite it.  We also run an interventional service for palliative cancer pain that includes insertion of intrathecal catheters.