The Truth about Chronic Pain: Patients and Professionals on How to Face It, Understand It, Overcome It

by Arthur Rosenfeld

Book Overview

"It's all in your head." "Learn to bear it." "That drug will make you a junkie." For the more than seventy-five million Americans affected by chronic pain, these are fighting words. Despite... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0465071384
• ISBN13: 9780465071388
• Release Date: April 2003
• Publisher: Basic Books
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 1.31 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.3" x 9.7"

Customer Reviews

The Truth About Chronic Pain by Rosenfeld

This work documents specific instances of how people get intochronic pain cycles and the actions required to manage these conditions over the long term. There are many importantinterviews with both patients and physicians which documenttypical experiences and valuable corrective steps to combatpain on an ongoing basis. This work would be a valuableaddition to any personal medical library.

should be required reading in med. school

I wish every doctor, psychiatrist and psychologist would read this amazing work. It should be a required text for medical school students. It is a painfully honest account of the medical profession and society's view of the chronic pain patient. Arthur and Isodore seem to have entered my mind and viewed the world as I see it.

Understanding the World of Pain

Insightful, Inspiring, Important. Whether or not you suffer from chronic pain, this book is a must read and it is truly accessible to a very wide audience. As we don't yet have a cure to offer those who suffer, understanding the pain will have to do. Mr. Rosenfeld's book is the ultimate handbook for this daunting task. After dividing the book into 3 parts, patients (that's me), caregivers and thinkers, it was amazing to see how many common threads there were. I found myself, highlighter in hand, saying, "yes, that's it", or "he got it", or "she shed thought provoking new light". This book belongs in the hands of medical students and parctitioners as well as the general public. The author has succeeded in making this a page-turner.

Demystifing and comforting

"The Truth About..." makes clear how many live in pain and just how pervasive the matter is. In short, Rosenfeld's work clearly and concisely explains the issues while demystifying a series of complex problems.While there are many philosophical and religious dimensions involved, it's equally amazing to hear how so many personal and divergent points of view all lead to the same bottom line: that none of us should ever have to suffer because of someone's hang-up about prescription drugs or about pain as a character builder.If "The Truth..." does nothing else but shed light while comforting those who suffer in the dark without knowledge, then undoubtedly hundred of thousands, or perhaps even millions of untold sufferers will be better for it.

Insightful and Controversial

I found the book incredibly insighful and inspiring. The interview format revealed thoughful answers to provacative questions. I feel better informed and now better prepared to approach the topic with my caregiver in order to find an answer to my own chronic pain. I highly reccomend this book to everyone...pain sufferer or not. The ideas and insight and personal stories are mind expanding and important!