The War on Pain: How Breakthroughs in the New Field of Pain Medicine are Turning the Tide Against Suffering ―A Leading Pain Expert's Interdisciplinary Approach

by Scott M. Fishman, Lisa Berger

If you are one of the 45 million Americans suffering from chronic pain, you've most likely seen numerous doctors and tried a wide range of medicines and treatments, only to alleviate your pain. You've probably come to believe that there's nothing to be done and that your chronic pain, is, well, chronic. Now, in a groundbreaking contribution, Dr. Scott Fishman introduces an interdisciplinary pain-management approach that integrates traditional and alternative techniques including pharmcology, neuroscience, experimental precedures and mind-body medicine. For anyone who suffers from chronic pain conditions such as back pain, post-surgical pain, migraines, and arthritis, The War on Pain , with the latest research personal stories of patients, and the wise and compassionate advice of a leading pain expert, is a patient's best defense.

Genres: Health

320 pages, Paperback

First published December 22, 1999

Reviews

[Jeanne Daly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book because I have suffered from Atypical Trigeminal Neuralgia for years and thought that it might give me some insight on how to deal with my chronic pain. Although there isn't a huge amount of info on the disorder that I have the author gave a very thorough explanation of how one might deal with many different types of chronic and severe pain (including mine) and many of the treatment methods overlap for treating many types of severe and chronic pain. It was also very helpful to hear things from a down to earth doctor's point of view that we never seem to get during an office visit. Since the book is a few years old there have obviously been some new developments with drugs and treatments but it's still worth reading because so often the tried and true methods still work best and many of the medications that have been used for quite some time are well worth considering because the side effects and benefits are well documented and are still widely used and effective. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who suffers from pain and wants a better understanding of methods that can help without getting too bogged down in medical terminology that might be hard to understand.

[Fishface · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty dang good overview of advances in pain treatment, written by a real, live pain specialist. Talks about all different kinds of pain, the mind-body connection that makes a much wider variety of meds useful for pain treatment, and thumbnails all kinds of different treatments, from physical therapy to hypnosis and from placebos to surgery. Hearteningly, he talks about the rising awareness in the medical profession that opiates are sometimes contraindicated. Talks a lot about how critical regaining a sense of control is for a patient in pain, as well as the importance of the patient being an active particpant in treatment rather than a passive victim in the situation.

[Jade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting breakdown of pain. I suffer from fibromyalgia, and I'm always on the look out for new ways to treat it. I am particularly interested in the dry needling, hypnosis and biofeedback as suggested. The author sounds like he really cares about his patients and has offered a lot of useful information in regards to pain, and the battle to be pain-free.

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best reads, ever. A combination of knowledge, compassion, and insight.

Even the Acknowledgements, at the end, was enjoyable.