Chronic illness and pain are now, more than ever, seen asas major problems in the current health care system. Because they are unresponsive to both antibiotics and surgery, theyr are seen as elusive and mysterious. The National Medical Expenditure Survey estimates that over 80 million U.S. citizens live with a chronic illness. The most prevalent are arthritis, diabetes, respiratory diseases, hypertension and mental illness. This book uses the novel Robinson Crusoe as an archetypal metaphor for the patients who must learn to survive on their own isolated "island" of chronic pain. This unique style is combined with a variety of in-session approaches and other tools which clients have found helpful in identifying their goals and progress. By emphasizing the importance of self-care the authors hope to diminish the sense of helplessness felt by the both the patients their loved ones.

Prozac. Millions of Americans are on it. And just about everyone else is wondering if they should be on it, too. The claims of the pro Prozac chorus are enticing: that it can cure everything from depression (the only disorder for which Prozac was originally approved) to fear of public speaking, PMS, obesity, shyness, migraine, and back pain-with few or no side effects. But is the reality quite different? At what price do we buy Prozac induced euphoria and a shiny new personality? Psychiatrist Peter Breggin, MD, and coauthor Ginger Ross Breggin answer these and other crucial questions in Talking Back to Prozac. They explain what Prozac is and how it works, and they take a hard look at the real story behind today's most controversial drug: -The fact that Prozac was tested in trials of four to six weeks in length before receiving FDA approval -The difficulty Prozac's manufacturer had in proving its effectiveness during these tests -The information on side effects that the FDA failed to include in its final labeling requirements -How Prozac acts as a stimulant not unlike the addictive drugs cocaine and amphetamine -The dangers of possible Prozac addiction and abuse -The seriousness and frequency of Prozac's side effects, including agitation, insomnia, nausea, diarrhea, loss of libido, and difficulty reaching orgasm -The growing evidence that Prozac can cause violence and suicide -The social and workplace implications of using the drug not to cure depression but to change personality and enhance performance Using dramatic case histories as well as scientific research and carefully documented evidence, the Breggins expose the potentially damaging effects of Prozac. They also describe the resounding success that has been achieved with more humane alternatives for the treatment of depression. Talking Back to Prozac provides essential information for anyone who takes Prozac or is considering taking it, and for those who prescribe it. Peter R. Breggin, MD, is a psychiatrist in private practice in Ithaca, New York. He is the author of many scientific articles and more than twenty books, most recently Medication Madness: A Psychiatrist Exposes the Dangers of Mood Altering Medications (2008). Many of his cutting-edge discoveries on the dangers of psychiatric drugs have been affirmed by recent scientific research and by FDA regulatory actions. He has taught at numerous universities and acts as an expert witness in legal cases involving harm done by psychiatric medication and electroshock. Ginger Ross Breggin has coauthored two books with her husband: the bestseller Talking Back to Prozac and The War Against Children of Color. She is also coeditor of Dimensions of Empathic Therapy. For more than a decade, she was director of the International Center for the Study of Psychiatry and Psychology, and she continues to contribute to her husband's reform work. She cofounded the scientific journal Ethical Human Psychology and Psychiatry and was its first managing editor. She is also an award winning photographer."

Pain in one form or another is probably the most common symptom presented to medical and healthcare professionals. Long a subject of biomedical interest, more recent biopsychosocial theories have extended the study of pain as a concept which is highly individual in the way it is experienced. Today s landscape offers a broad array of approaches to understanding pain and, crucially, to alleviating its impact. This concise and accessible volume aims to make sense of what is at first sight an eclectic mix of theoretical and practical work on pain, from a distinctly sociological perspective. While there has been much quantitative medical research on pain, in exploring sociology s important contributions to this field Elaine Denny offers insight into the world of those living with pain and the meaning it has in their lives. She provides readers with a range of explanations of pain and various influences on the experience of pain, critically analysing competing schools of thought and embedding this work in the everyday practice of providing care. The result is an illuminating volume for students of health and medical professions studying pain, the body, and the sociology of health and illness.

Introduction to Pain and its relation to Nervous System Disorders provides an accessible overview of the latest developments in the science underpinning pain research, including, but not limited to, the physiological, pathological and psychological aspects. This unique book fills a gap in current literature by focussing on the intricate relationship between pain and human nervous system disorders such as Autism, Alzheimer Disease, Parkinson s Disease, Depression and Multiple Sclerosis. This fully illustrated, colour handbook will help non-experts, including advanced undergraduate and new postgraduate students, become familiar with the current, wide-ranging areas of research that cover every aspect of the field from chronic and inflammatory pain to neuropathic pain and biopsychosocial models of pain, functional imaging and genetics. Contributions from leading experts in neuroscience and psychiatry provide both factual information and critical points of view on their approach and the theoretical framework behind their choices. An appreciation of the strengths and weaknesses of brain imaging technology applied to pain research in humans provides the tools required to understand current cutting edge literature on the topic. Chapters covering placebo effects in analgesia and the psychology of pain give a thorough overview of cognitive, psychological and social influences on pain perception. Sections exploring pain in the lifecycle and in relation to nervous system disorders take particular relevance from a clinical point of view. Furthermore, an intellectually stimulating chapter analysing the co-morbidity of pain and depression provides a philosophical angle rarely presented in related handbooks. The references to external research databases and relevant websites aim to prompt readers to become critical and independent thinkers, and motivate them to carry out further reading on these topics. Introduction to Pain and its relation to Nervous System Disorders is essential reading for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students in neuroscience, medical and biomedical sciences, as well as for clinical and medical healthcare professionals involved in pain management.

The acclaimed author of Carved in Sand-a veteran investigative journalist who endured persistent back pain for decades-delivers the definitive book on the subject: an essential examination of all facets of the back pain industry, exploring what works, what doesn't, what may cause harm, and how to get on the road to recovery. In her effort to manage her chronic back pain, investigative reporter Cathryn Jakobson Ramin spent years and a small fortune on a panoply of treatments. But her discomfort only intensified, leaving her feeling frustrated and perplexed. As she searched for better solutions, she exposed a much bigger problem. Costing roughly $100 billion a year, spine medicine-often ineffective and sometimes harmful -exemplified the worst aspects of the U.S. health care system. The result of six years of intensive investigation, Crooked offers a startling look at the poorly identified risks of spine medicine, and provides practical advice and solutions. Ramin interviewed scores of spine surgeons, pain management doctors, physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians, exercise physiologists, physical therapists, chiropractors, specialized bodywork practitioners. She met with many patients whose pain and desperation led them to make life-altering decisions, and with others who triumphed over their limitations. The result is a brilliant and comprehensive book that is not only important but essential to millions of back pain sufferers, and all types of health care professionals. Ramin shatters assumptions about surgery, chiropractic methods, physical therapy, spinal injections and painkillers, and addresses evidence-based rehabilitation options-showing, in detail, how to avoid therapeutic dead ends, while saving money, time, and considerable anguish. With Crooked, she reveals what it takes to outwit the back pain industry and get on the road to recovery.

One in five people live with chronic pain and most feel misunderstood and unsupported. Dr Dawn Macintyre is one of those people. In Living with Chronic Pain, Dawn shares her journey from living a full life to a life so diminished, full of pain, shame and exhaustion that she was desperate enough to want to take her own life. The author's personal story is interwoven with insight into the emotions and challenges faced, as well as practical advice for changes and support to help sufferers enjoy life again. Dawn provides her perspective as both a sufferer of chronic pain, and a health practitioner. If you are a health professional, this book offers insight into how to best support your patients and clients living with chronic pain. If you are living with chronic pain, this story will bring you courage, joy and most importantly, the knowledge to find your meaningful life again.

While recognizing the multidisciplinary nature of pain management, the Clinical Manual of Pain Management in Psychiatry focuses on the role of mental health practitioners in evaluation and assessment, pharmacological management, psychotherapeutic interventions, and comprehensive treatment planning. It balances theoretical foundations of pain pathophysiology with applied clinical information, providing guidelines to psychiatric differential diagnosis of pain states and psychiatric comorbidities associated with pain and integrating diagnostic and treatment approaches. Because proper treatment requires understanding the whole person, the book views the patient from biological, psychological, and social perspectives. It stresses the importance of examining psychological variables that can limit outcomes and even preclude aggressive interventional approaches. The manual also includes considerations pertinent to the elderly, children, and cultural groups.

This manual expands on the author's previous Concise Guide to Pain Management for Psychiatrists to reflect significant advances in the field of pain medicine. It updates trends in treatment approaches along with our understanding of chronic pain conditions, and presents new knowledge of the biological substrates underlying both pain and psychiatric comorbidities. The manual features particularly extensive revisions regarding the use of psychiatric and other adjunctive medications in pain management, including expanded discussion of long-term adverse effects, dependence, and pseudoaddictive behaviors involving opiates and weak analgesics. It also delineates the use of adjunctive treatments, including evolving data on the use of antidepressants and related medications for patients with chronic pain. Among the its practical benefits, the book - Features updated coverage of common psychiatric comorbidities such as depression, anxiety, and personality disorders- Addresses common pain disorders ranging from headache and back pain to pain related to cancer and HIV- Includes an extensively revised chapter on pharmacology, familiarizing readers with the range of pain medications and providing information on dosages and side effects- Fully discusses psychotherapeutic approaches, plus adjunctive interventions such as biofeedback and hypnosis - Covers special techniques such as acupuncture and regional neural blockade- Offers updated advice on emerging forensic issues, from disability claims to controlled substance diversion

With pain management issues so common in daily practice, this handy portable guide is designed for quick reference, features numerous tables and illustrations, and is easily understandable by less experienced clinicians or non-pain specialists. While written expressly for busy psychiatrists, it is also useful to psychologists, social workers, and other physicians.

Career or Fibromyalgia, Do I Have to Choose? sorts out all the symptoms that are keeping sufferers of fibromyalgia in a cycle of confusion and unable to work. Karen R. Brinklow is the first Certified Fibromyalgia Advisor in Canada, returned to the dream career she thought was over because of fibromyalgia. Throughout Career or Fibromyalgia, Do I Have to Choose?, she shows sufferers how they can too. Karen partners with those suffering from fibromyalgia to take action now and: Reduce pain and fatigue so they feel less confused and frustrated Stop searching for answers so they can gain focus and feel organized Figure out which symptoms to tackle first so they can enjoy life Manage their symptoms and make a plan to return to the job they love Those suffering from fibromyalgia do not have to live like this anymore and do not have to give up the career they love. It's time to get back to work and off the hamster wheel of pain, exhaustion, fuzzy thinking, and stiffness.

This clinical textbook will update the reader on the relevant anatomy, known biomechanics, clinical assessment, musculoskeletal conditions and treatment of the thorax and how these relate to the function of the whole body. An integrated biopsychosocial model (the Integrated Systems Model - ISM) will be highlighted in this text and used as a foundation for clinicians to organize their knowledge from multiple sources. The text emphasizes the current suggestion from the evidence that treatment be individualized and that clinical reasoning form the basis for treatment decisions. Richly illustrated with 3D-rendered colour anatomical drawings, and over 250 clinical photographs, The Thorax: An integrated approach is the definitive manual on the thorax for all bodyworkers helping patients improve mobility and control of the trunk.

Essential Pain Pharmacology: The Prescriber's Guide expertly reviews the most important medications used to relieve pain, now considered by many physicians as the fifth vital sign. The catalogue of analgesics has expanded rapidly, and this text presents the most up-to-date, comprehensive array of agents available for prescribing. Each clear and concise drug entry covers the range of indications, advantages and disadvantages, and tips for appropriate dosing and avoiding adverse effects. A separate section covers nutraceuticals, a class of drug increasingly used to manage chronic pain, yet little discussed in medical literature. The detailed description of each medication enables the user to make quick and informed decisions, confident that they are best serving the needs of their patients. Practical 'pearls' for each entry provide a quick go-to reference for the key information to consider before prescribing. This concise user-friendly reference is a must-have on the shelf of every physician.

This book introduces the reader to the complexities and management of chronic/persistent pain. Chronic pain affects one in seven in the UK population and can be experienced as a symptom of disease or trauma but can also exist without the presence of either of these. This is aimed at non-specialist working in all areas of health care who want to know more about this complex problem.

This book begins by exploring models of care and introduces the reader to the biopsychosocial model before going on to explain the physiology of pain. Further chapters explore the snuffer's experience, the appraisal of pain, and barriers to effective pain management and treatment strategies.

Travell, Simons & Simons' Trigger Point Pain Patterns Flip Charts, Second Edition includes the iconic muscles and pain point patterns illustrations that set the standard in the field from Travell, Simons, & Simons' Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual, the definitive reference on myofascial pain, and is organized in six sections following the structure of the Clinical Considerations chapters in the manual. This spiral-bound book with a built-in easel for display and patient presentation allows for a quick clinical reference to include TrPs as part of the clinical examination. Each section contains Trigger Point (TrP) pain referral patterns that may cause or be associated with a clinical condition commonly seen in clinical practice.

Trigeminal neuralgia and other cranial neuralgias comprise a group of facial pain conditions, characterised by disabling pain attacks that selectively respond to specific treatments. Although not as common migraine, they affect over 1% of the population and must be recognised and adequately treated in clinical practice. The spectrum of cranial neuralgias is wide and as a consequence the conditions are managed by a range of different specialists. Studies show that delayed diagnoses and mismanagement are common and can lead to depression and suicide. 36 recognised experts from nine countries have contributed to OPML Trigeminal Neuralgia and Other Cranial Neuralgias to guide you through the maze of pathophysiology, clinical features, diagnosis-making, and condition-specific treatments. The approach is practical and evidence-based and ready for real-world applications. The value of phenotyping, targeted investigations, and treatment algorithms is emphasised. The editors and contributors subscribe to the view that there needs to be a holistic approach with multidisciplinary teams working together and with patients being at the centre of this process. Psychologists and patent support groups can help to ensure that patients are managed holistically and share the decision-making process. Their involvement in the handbook has helped to emphasis this. There remain considerable challenges, but the field is rapidly evolving and there are increasing number of opportunities opening up to improve our understanding of these conditions and hence their management. The editors and contributors have included case scenarios, algorithms, self-administered tools for training in diagnosis and management, clinical tips and carefully chosen references. Each chapter includes a lay summary and key points and can be read as a stand-alone unit.

Epigenetics of Chronic Pain, Volume Nine, presents comprehensive information on the role of epigenetics in chronic pain sensitivity, providing a detailed, but accessible, view of the field from basic principles, to clinical application. Leading international researchers discuss essential mechanisms of chronic pain epigenetics, including the molecular processes of chromatin remodeling, histone modifications, and the microRNAs and noncoding RNAs involved in regulating genes tied to pain sensitivity. The influence of epigenetics in inflammatory, neuropathic, visceral and other pain models is examined, with data derived from epigenetic studies on peripheral and central mechanisms of pain sensitivity in animal models and clinical cases studies. The studies and case examples cited highlight therapeutic pathways of significance and next steps for researchers to develop epigenetic-based treatments for chronic pain. In recent years, epigenetic regulation of gene expression has been shown to play a central role in managing human pain sensitivity. Findings show that expression of many genes critical to increases or decreases in pain sensitivity are indeed regulated by DNA methylation and its enzymes, histone-involved chromatin remodeling, and noncoding RNAs, mainly microRNAs.

Pain is a personal experience, which everyone encounters at some time, that for some unfortunate individuals becomes a permanent factor in their quality of life and clinical treatment. This is the first book to provide a comprehensive, integrated and accessible account of the experience of pain and its implications. It was written for psychologists, doctors, therapists, counsellors, and nurses in both academic and treatment settings. The experience of pain is examined at all stages from first symptoms of pain and how they relate to personal, social and cultural beliefs and attitudes, through the consultation and treatment process, personal coping, and the effects of pain on patient and carers. At every stage the discussion is based on relevant psychological concepts and a review of the latest research. The book provides an integrated, multidisciplinary account of cognitive, biological and social aspects of pain. An emphasis on social psychological processes leads to a new model of pain that will enlighten both teaching and treatment and guide further research. Accounts of pain often deal with specific, specialised aspects but many students and healthcare professionals need a wider, more person-centred understanding of pain, and will find this book a valuable resource and guide to the experience of pain and its implications for treatment and coping.

A genuine evidence-based text for optimum pain relief in various chronic conditions * Contributes an important advance in the practice of pain management providing the information on which to build more coherent and standardised strategies for relief of patient suffering * Answers questions about which are the most effective methods, AND those which are not effective yet continue to be used * Includes discussion of the positive and the negative evidence, and addresses the grey areas where evidence is ambivalent * Written by the world's leading experts in evidence-based pain management this is a seminal text in the field of pain

This comprehensive, practical guide provides information for medical staff supervising patient controlled analgesia including drug regimens, physical and psychological effects, and issues of safety

Using repeated sets of visuals meant to relax and desensitize the mind, autogenic training equips patients to deal with chronic conditions such as anxiety disorders, recurring pain and stress. Patients learn how to gain control over their symptoms and improve coping to reduce suffering. This expanded edition presents practitioners with a concise exploration of autogenic technique and its clinical use for patients, especially in treating those suffering from chronic pain syndrome and disrupted sleep.

Chronic pain has a multitude of causes, many of which are not well understood or effectively treated by medical therapies. Individuals with chronic pain often report that pain interferes with their ability to engage in occupational, social, or recreational activities. Sufferers' inability to engage in these everyday activities may contribute to increased isolation, negative mood and physical deconditioning, which in turn can contribute to their experience of pain.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) has been proven effective at managing various chronic pain conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, chronic back pain, and tension/migraine headache. The CBT treatment engages patients in an active coping process aimed at changing maladaptive thoughts and behaviors that can serve to maintain and exacerbate the experience of chronic pain. Overcoming Chronic Pain, Therapist Guide instills all of these empirically validated treatments into one comprehensive, convenient volume that no clinician can do without. By presenting the basic, proven-effective CBT methods used in each treatment, such as stress management, sleep hygiene, relaxation therapy and cognitive restructuring, this guide can be used to treat all chronic pain conditions with success.

In this yearbook for 2015 we present you with the latest research on pain management. We start out with chapters on cancer, intellectual disability and pain. Then we move into the field of palliative care, quality of life and cancer. Post-traumatic stress disorder in cancer patients is discussed from experiences in Canada and you will also find a chapter on burnout for professionals working with cancer patients. Social work related to end of life is also presented and it is our hope that you as the reader will find the information of interest and useful.

This essential guide draws on many of the principles of the Alexander Technique, a practical way of releasing muscular tension throughout the body. Arguing that the root cause of back pain stems primarily from poor postural habits while performing everyday actions, Richard Brennon offers new ways of performing daily activities. By working through simple exercises, this book will help you reduce muscular tension and stress on the bones and joints - and make your life pain free! Current figures estimate 80 per cent of adults experience back pain at some point in their lifetime, with it being the third most common reason people visit their doctor. Back in Balance helps you to discover the cause of your individual back pain, offering life-changing insights into how your posture and movements may be having a detrimental effect on your health, as well as effective and lasting solutions to your suffering.

This book provides an insight into the emerging trends in pathogenesis, diagnosis and management of many diseases associated with visceral pain. Key features of the book include overviews of nociceptive pathways and hormonal modulation related to the pathogenesis of functional and other disorders. The text gives a lucid view of novel aspects of pain generation and perception. This book aims to provide a framework for understanding the most significant signaling processing in order to unravel the enigma of visceral pain. This book is expected to be a valuable resource for clinicians and scientists who are interested in recent research trends associated with nociceptive diseases. It is also recommended to students, health care providers and patients who seek a fundamental understanding of neuronal modulatory systems.

Pain Management: A Problem-Based Learning Approach provides a comprehensive review of the dynamic and ever-changing field of pain medicine. Its problem-based format incorporates a vast pool of practical, ABA board-exam-style multiple-choice questions for self-assessment. Each its 46 case-based chapters is accompanied by 20 questions and answers, accessible online in a full practice exam. The cases presented are also unique, as each chapter starts with a case description, usually a compilation of several actual cases; it then branches out through case-based questions, to increasingly complex situations. This structure is designed to create an authentic experience that mirrors that of an oral board examination. The discussion sections that follow offer a comprehensive approach to the chapter's subject matter, thus creating a modern, complete, and up-to-date medical review of that topic. This book is equally a solid reference compendium of pain management topics and a comprehensive review to assist the general practitioner both in day-to-day practice and during preparation for certification exams. Its problem-based format makes it an ideal resource for the lifelong learner and the modern realities of education.

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is a chronic neuropathic pain disorder that involves one or more extremities with dystrophic changes of the skin, muscle, or bone. CRPS is characterised by constant regional neuropathic pain that does not follow the usual dermatomal distribution or nerve territory. In addition to neuropathic pain, patients suffer from sensory loss, autonomic dysfunction, vasculature changes and motor dysfunction in the region affected. As a debilitating disease with an unclear pathophysiology, patients suffering from this disorder often do not get the adequate level of care or treatment. Until recently, many clinicians believed CRPS was a purely psychiatric ailment and was lumped together with conditions such as conversion disorder. Recent strides in the understanding of responses in both the nervous system and body to trauma has allowed researchers and clinicians to elucidate possible pathophysiology components for this disorder, as well as to better understand the CRPS patient. Currently, CRPS is viewed to be a multiple component disorder activated by the dysfunction of multiple systems. This includes local injury response, inflammatory response, central and peripheral nervous sensitisation, abnormal vasculature changes and psychiatric components. Herein, not only are the pathophysiological mechanisms synthesised from current and past research discussed, but also the available pharmaceutical, interventional, and rehabilitative treatment modalities are reviewed in detail. From the neurophysiology of physical therapy and psychiatric interventions, to concepts in acupuncture, to evidence regarding peripheral and central nerve blocks and implantable devices, and to mechanisms involving supraspinal interventions used to directly manipulate brain circuitry, CPRS treatment options are examined in detail. Furthermore, as evidenced by the diverse and multimodal array of available and emerging treatment modalities, it is clear that CRPS management requires a truly interdisciplinary approach, highlighting this book as a central reference for multiple often-disconnected specialties. Furthermore, the mechanisms of action in each intervention strategy, current evidence base, and gaps in knowledge for management of CRPS are explored with special emphasis on avenues for future research. CRPS is a pain syndrome that has seen an explosion of research in recent decades, due in part to the fairly recent development of internationally formalised diagnostic criteria. However, many questions remain; while some continue to build an evidence base for efficacy and safety of current therapies, others are delving into new pharmaceutical options, experimental therapies, and molecular-level strategies focused on epigenetic manipulation. Moreover, this plethora of emerging CRPS research will surely maintain this syndrome in the forefront of medical research and scientific discovery for the next several decades.