Understanding Pain

Description

"An estimated 50 million Americans suffer from chronic pain, and an additional 25 million experience acute pain as a result of surgery or injury. Many people assume they must live with pain, but this is simply untrue. Most pain can be managed or greatly eased with proper pain management; however, the reality is that most pain goes untreated, under-treated, or improperly treated. With proper management the overall health, well-being, and quality of life of millions of Americans can be improved.
Understanding Pain provides a comprehensive guide for individuals who do not have medical training yet experience chronic pain and wish to improve their understanding about the problem they live with each day. Chapters include:

• Explanation and rationale for acute and chronic pain treatments
• A self-evaluation to collect and organize important information that should be communicated to the healthcare provider
• An explanation of how pain is perceived and processed by the brain to equip patients with a basis for understanding the selection of treatment options
• Resources for patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals
• And much more

This book will help patients understand the multifaceted nature of pain and the range of treatment options available for its management. It will also enable them to communicate more effectively with their doctors and other healthcare providers. This latest volume in the American Academy of Neurology Press Quality of Life Guide series is an essential tool for all individuals coping with chronic pain, caregivers, and allied healthcare professionals."

Reviews

"The book does a good job of considering all aspects of pain management treatment, allowing the reader to understand and compare the available options... This book is loaded with information on how the field of pain medicine works... well-written and easy to understand. I highly recommend it in your quest for taking responsibility for your own pain.--About.com
""Any suffering from chronic pain need this primer... Patients, caregivers, and any library catering them will find Understanding Pain offers key insights into neurology often limited to health professionals--and enables patients to both understand and consider options in pain management.""--The Midwest Book Review

""Among the unique characteristics of the book are the suggestions on how to give a complete pain history to a healthcare provider and the emphasis on the importance of a multidisciplinary approach...The glossary is comprehensive and the list of resources is excellent ... The book meets a need for many patients and families struggling to deal with this very common condition.""--Doody's Reviews

""The book delivers a reassuring message for people experiencing pain... [and] provides strategies for patients to communicate the nature of their pain to their providers... Well-researched chapters cover medications, alternative therapies, surgery, special issues of pain in children and the elderly, and a resource guide.""-- CAPHIS Consumer Connections"

Contents

Pain DefinedÇ What Are We Treating?; The EvaluationÇ What Should I Tell My Doctor?; The Multidisciplinary ApproachÇ The Best Way to Treat My Pain; The Anatomy of PainÇ The Basis for Selecting Treatment Options; Non-Pharmacologic Options in Pain Management; Pharmacological Options in Pain ManagementÇNon-Opinoid Analgesics; Pharmacological Options in Pain ManagementÇ Opinoid Analgesics; Opioid AnalgesicsÇ Myth vs. Benefit; Pharmacological Options in Pain ManagementÇ Adjuvant Medications; Pharmacological OptionsÇ Dosing and Alternate Routes of Administration; Invasive Options and When to Consider; Sex and AgeÇ Special Considerations; Resources.

About the Author

Harry J. Gould, III, MD, PhD, is Director of the Pain Mastery Center in the Department of Neurology at Louisiana State University.