Beyond Pain: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment Options of Chronic Pain Disorders. Rev. ed.

Ian W. Toal is a registered nurse in Winnipeg.

This well-written book by Angela Mailis-Gagnon, director of the
Comprehensive Pain Program at Toronto Western Hospital, and journalist
David Israelson is an engaging, leisurely journey through the world of
pain, with an emphasis on chronic (often intractable) pain. The authors
emphasize the complexity of pain, suggesting that it “may be the
result of interplay of emotional and personality factors together with
some physical trauma.” Controlling pain often requires the efforts of
a multidisciplinary team that is qualified to examine the biological,
social, and psychiatric roots of a person’s pain.

The book opens with two case studies that examine two very different
responses to intense pain and the role of perception in shaping our
responses to pain. This section is followed by a brief primer on the
anatomy and physiology of pain and how our minds affect our perceptions
of pain. Different types of pain (such as muscle, bone, organ, and nerve
pain) are discussed along with treatment options.

Beyond Pain includes a good reference section and helpful indexes.
Although it is clearly aimed at a lay audience, the book should prove
useful to professionals as well.