Stop Pain: Inflammation Relief for an Active Life

by Vijay Vad, Peter Occhiogrosso (Contributor)

Do you feel trapped by chronic pain? Do you avoid going places and doing things you once loved, because getting there simply hurts too much? If you are one of the estimated 50 million people who suffer with chronic pain, you know the impact it has on your life. But now, with advances in our understanding of pain, relief is possible with self-care options that will minimize your dependence on narcotics or medical procedures. In Stop Pain, Vijay Vad, M.D., teaches you the ins and outs of pain—bringing to light the links between inflammation and other factors that increase pain. Covering everything from stress relief techniques to an anti-inflammatory diet, Dr. Vad shows you the things you can do to alleviate pain. Dr. Vad lays out concrete strategies for dealing with the most common pain problems. He then addresses the possible risks and rewards of various treatments for other types of chronic pain. His analysis of conventional and complementary options—including everything from prescription medications and surgical intervention to physical therapy, acupuncture, and breathing exercises—will open your eyes to the many ways you can take back control of your life.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Medical

264 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2010

Reviews

[Barbara Mahoney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr. Vad is on the orthopedic staff at Hospital for Special Surgery and specializes in helping to treat patients with pain. Hospital for Special Surgery is ranked number one in the country in orthopedics. I was interested in reading his book since managing pain is his speciality and he works at the leading orthopedic hospital in the country.

The book provides a great overview of the various treatments for pain. I particularly like the fact that he names products he recommends by name. There is an interesting section on nutrition and the anti-inflammatory diet that he recommends. There is a whole chapter where he discusses ailment by ailment what he has found works best for pain relief ex. for back, for neck, for knee, etc.

Dr. Vad encourages the use of the least invasive treatments possible and steers his patients and the reader toward holistic treatments whenever possible - ex. exercise, nutrition, etc. However, he also recognizes that severe pain often requires more intervention and he discusses minimally invasive procedures to help ease pain.

I have personally seen Dr. Vad as a patient. He is an excellent and caring physician. After not finding any relief for my pain he was able to help me.

[Sabeena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Detailed, easy to understand and great practical advice. One for the personal bookshelf.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a pretty good, basic look at what is known about pain and how it can be controlled. The author has a very holistic approach and describes many conventional and unconventional treatments in easily understood language. I think his diet advice is ok and he believes much of what we experience as pain derives from inflammatory responses that can be helped by better diets. But, he does advocate low fat even though much recent nutrition science is beginning to question this. Over all, I found him engaging, warm and knowledgeable.

[Mais · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, it is thorough, taking into consideration all aspects of pain, starting by describing the process of the pain in the body and mind, and all the physiological stuff and then going through the various ways of relieving pain, whether it is conventional or alternative. the best diet, supplements, exercise and the art of using ice and heat. this book is highly recommended for anyone who has chronic pain.

[Loren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most of the stuff in this book is a no-brainer. Eat well (omega-3s, whole grains, veggies, blah, blah), exercise (yoga, cardio, blah, blah), reduce stress (breathe, meditate, blah, blah). The material on nutritional supplements was pretty good, but I would have preferred more of a workplan approach. Most people that pick up this book probably already have a decent understanding of the basics.

[Jamie Holloway · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite the fact that I will be having to do a major over haul in how I eat, I liked the fact this book wasn't judgmental and it had a lot of great and useful ideas.

[Laura Schubert · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciated the holistic approach and Dr. Vad's focus on non-surgical interventions and lifestyle modifications that mitigate pain.