Full Description
Help your clients achieve victory over chronic pain and lead more fulfilling lives!This insightful and informative book will help you deliver better pain management services to the people you care for. Incorporating biomedical, surgical, psychological, social, and spiritual perspectives, it provides vital, up-to-date information about how to reduce physical pain and explores techniques for improving people's ability to cope with it. Helpful tables provide easy access to information on medications for pain and managing side effects.Chronic Pain: Biomedical and Spiritual Approaches is filled with resources for the person in pain and for the health or religious professionals working to help them. It gives you very specific suggestions on how to manage chronic pain, including detailed information about medications, alternative therapies, psychological treatments, and spiritual strategies for pain management. The book is completed by two thoughtful appendixes: one examining pain medications and ways to manage their side effects and the other providing scriptural passages that can comfort those in pain.In addition to his experiences treating patients with chronic pain, the author suffers from chronic pain and disability himself. In this very personal book, he explores ways to help people coping with:
low back pain
fibromyalgia
rheumatologic pain
headaches
the pain of multiple sclerosis
other types of chronic unrelenting pain
Chronic Pain: Biomedical and Spiritual Approaches can help people in pain and their families by showing them how to lead satisfying, joy-filled lives--whether their pain goes away or not. It is an essential reference book for everyone who works with pain sufferers as well as patients and their families!
Contents
Introduction: What's This Book About?
Who Should Read This Book?
My Story
Chapter 1. Pain Is a Common Problem
Pain Complaints in the Community
Pain in the Young and Old
Use of Pain Medicine
Definition and Causes of Pain
Types of Pain
Influence of the Mind
Physical Causes of Pain
Specific Pain Syndromes
Summary
Chapter 2. A Giant Called Mr. Pain
Chapter 3. Back PainBob's Story
Chapter 4. Headache PainPenny's Story
Chapter 5. Rheumatologic PainLaura's Story
Chapter 6. Generalized PainJackie's Story
Chapter 7. Long-Term Chronic PainJoan's Story
Chapter 8. Assessment of Pain
Consequences of Pain
Assessment
Key Considerations During Assessment
Overcoming Barriers to Pain Assessment
Is the Pain Real?
Summary and Conclusions
Chapter 9. Medication for Pain
Medicating Chronic Pain
Nonnarcotic Analgesics
Narcotic Analgesics
Addiction versus Physical Dependence
Narcotic Pain Reliever of First Choice
Combining Narcotic and Nonnarcotic Analgesics
Maximizing Effectiveness of Medications
Research on New Pain Medicines
Nondrug Treatments for Pain
Summary and Conclusions
Chapter 10. Psychosocial and Behavioral Treatments
Psychosocial and Behavioral Consequences of Chronic Pain
Treatments for Psychosocial and Behavioral Problems
Multidisciplinary Team Approach
Summary and Conclusions
Chapter 11. Alternative and Complementary Treatments
Herbal Medicines
Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate
Alternative Medical Procedures
Summary and Conclusions
Chapter 12. Surgical and Other Procedures
Neurosurgery
Spinal Surgeries
Negative Consequences of Surgery
Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation
Implantable Nerve Stimulator
Motor Cortex Stimulation
Implantable Drug Delivery Systems
Injections for the Relief of Pain
Experimental Therapies
Summary and Conclusions
Chapter 13. Specific Disease Conditions
Osteoarthritis
Fibromyalgia
Headache
Chronic Back Pain
Cancer-Related Pain
Summary and Conclusions
Chapter 14. Spiritual Approaches to Pain
A Spiritual Attitude Toward Pain
Faith Community Involvement
Scripture
Prayer
Summary and Conclusions
Chapter 15. Ten Practical Steps for Slaying the Giant
Step 1: Comprehensive Medical Evaluation
Step 2: Simple, Safe Drugs and Noninvasive Treatments
Step 3: Exercise and Attention to Diet and Weight
Step 4: Inexpensive Safe Alternative Therapies
Step 5: Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)
Step 6: Psychotherapy and Behavioral Treatments
Step 7: Low-Dose Antidepressants, Gabapentin, and Muscle Relaxants
Step 8: Treatment in a Chronic Pain Clinic
Step 9: Surgical Therapies and Other Mechanical Treatments
Step 10: Narcotic Analgesics
Special Spiritual Strategies
Sources for Further Information
Summary and Conclusions
Appendix I. Healing Scriptures for Those in Chronic Pain
Scriptures Concerning Suffering and Pain
Scriptures Concerning Healing
Appendix II. Medications for Pain and Managing Side Effects
Notes
Index
Reference Notes Included
