The book was divided into five
different chapter groups titled:  Understanding Pain, Take Control of
Your Treatment, Therapies, The Pain-Control Diet, Painful
Conditions, and Special Considerations.  My first reaction was
basically, "oh no, this deals with those alternative therapies – not just
giving me a pill to stop my pain!"  Obviously, I lean strongly towards the
use of drugs to eliminate pain even though I know from experience that they don’t
work that well.

The first group of chapters deals
with Understanding Pain.  I was particularly surprised with the first
chapter that presented and debunked the "Six Myths that can Keep You from
Healing" since I have believed some of these myths myself!  If you only
read one chapter in this book, read chapter 1.  It will open your eyes to the
possibility that there are non-medication ways of successfully dealing with
chronic pain.  The "Where Does It Hurt?  The New Model of Pain"
should be read by every patient and their doctor.  Too often, doctors haven’t
kept up on the latest theories and are still trying to treat pain based upon
the old understanding of how pain originates.

Take Control of Your Treatment
is the subject of the next group of chapters.  Here you will learn about
evaluating your pain, building a pain-management team and creating your
personalized plan for pain control.  One of the features is a pain control
chart where you rate your pain on a scale of 0-10 at various times of each
day.  You describe your pain, the activities that preceded it, any corrective
action you take, and the results of your actions.  I liked the chart of "words
that hurt" because it gives me something other than "I hurt" to
say to a doctor. Another tactic mentioned is writing a pain diary using the
OPQRST method of recording information.  OPQRST stands for:  onset, provokes,
quality, radiates, site, and timing.  The author also emphasizes the importance
of finding a doctor experienced in pain treatment and developing a personalized
plan that may include exercise, diet, and medication for pain control.

The third main subject covers Therapies
for pain.  Those discussed include physical therapy (exercise), psychological
response to pain, and a diet of supplements shown to lessen pain.  The chapter
on Distracting Your Nervous System from Pain was particularly
interesting to me.  It made me wonder how I could distract myself from chronic
pain from the knee down in both legs.  This is something I would like to talk
to a doctor/therapist about.  Other topics such as Energy Healing, Pain
Pills and Other Pharaceuticals, and Deep Injections, Implants, and Surgery. 

The most significant subject for me
addressed these Painful Conditions:  Headache, Back Pain, Joint Pain,
Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Neck Pain, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Sprains, Strains,
And Tendonitis (Repetitive Strain Injuries), Peripheral Neuropathies, Facial,
Jaw, And Dental Pain, Pelvic Pain, Myofascial Pain Syndrome, And Complex
Regional Pain Syndrome.  One chapter was used for each condition.  Each
condition was described with its most important symptoms and probable causes. 
Then a list of suggested diagnostic tests for the doctor to request.  Suggested
physical therapies are provided with the first choices indicated with a gray
shaded arrow.  Those therapies underlined are discussed earlier in the book. 

I live with joint pain, irritable
bowel syndrome, tendonitis, and fibromyalgia.  I intend to ask my doctor to
refer me to a physical therapist to try some of the recommended therapies.  I
am hopeful that some of my chronic pain can be brought under better control
than that provided (or perhaps I should say NOT provided) by medication.

The final section of this book
discussed Pain Management for Children, Pregnant Women, and the Elderly, Pain
and Terminal Illness, "Is There Something I Can Do" And The Lessons of
Pain.  The personal stories provided in this section, and throughout the
book, show how others have dealt with these circumstances.  Perhaps something
they did will help you deal with the same or similar circumstance.

Recommendation

I opened this book with a great
deal of hope since I deal with chronic pain from several problems.  I finished
it with the strong expectation that some of the ideas presented will help me
eliminate some of the chronic pain even if the condition causing the pain
cannot be eliminated.

This book is written for the
patient and not necessarily the doctor.  Therefore, it is easy to read, has
many helpful charts and illustrations, and presents personal testimonies from
pain sufferers.  I am sure it will help you deal with your difficult pain
conditions.

© 2004 Diana
Pederson

Diana Pederson lives in Lansing, Michigan.

Categories: SelfHelp