Product Description

Now in a revised an expanded edition, this workbook teches coping skills proven to decrease the discomfort, depression, and anxiety associated with chronic pain.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #505018 in Books
• Published on: 2002-02-07
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 222 pages

Review
'The single best book on pain available today. It will surely become a classic.' - Joan Borysenko, PhD, author of Minding the Body, Mending the Mind 'Dr. Caudill's book and program gave me back my life after I was involved in an automobile accident five years ago. The pain that became chronic was untreatable, and it felt as though my life was lost. Then my doctor referred me to Dr. Caudill's 10-week pain management program, which provided me with the tools to put my life back together. Gradually, I was able to return to work full time and manage the pain and stress on a daily basis.' - Nancy L. Hale, MEd, LMHC 'This is a truly special book. It is packed with important information and practical tips from one of the leading international authorities in the field.' - Francis J. Keefe, PhD, Duke University 'At last, a volume that is practical, prescriptive, and clearly written for use by people who suffer from chronic pain!...An outstanding volume that will set the standard.' - Dennis C. Turk, PhD, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

From the Back Cover
Now in a revised and expanded edition, this popular workbook teaches coping skills proven to decrease the discomfort, depression, and anxiety associated with chronic pain. The information and techniques presented have been used by tens of thousands of people over nearly two decades, and have been demonstrated to empower pain sufferers and decrease pain-related disability and distress. Through hands-on exercises and homework assignments, readers are helped to understand the pain process, learn about medications and their effects, and recognize factors that exacerbate or relieve pain. The revised edition features updated coverage of commonly used pain medications and specific pain disorders, current nutritional recommendations, and a new appendix on complementary alternative medicine. Also included are a wealth of helpful new ideas on coping with pain flare-ups, staying active, accomplishing personal goals, and more.

Customer Reviews

Clear, easy to understand, and very, very helpful
Have to agree with the guy from Cupertino. I reckon I've read over 20 books on the subject of chronic pain (in 4 years of suffering). This book parallels neatly with a well-respected pain management programme I'm on at the moment; and is one of the clearest and least patronizing books on the subject I have read so far. It is also well structured, written (mostly) in non-jargon (which I respect, as someone who writes for a living...); and, therefore, suitable to a wide audience. If there were one book on chronic pain that I would recommend -- although my belief is that you need a group of them to get a full, broad and in-depth understanding -- this would probably be the one.

A condescending waste of time
I'm not surprised to see the blurbs from MDs and PhDs that appear in the reviews below--and the complete lack of comment from people actually IN pain.

This book talks down to the reader at all times, making it clear that the overeducated author assumes that you, dear reader, are too dumb to understand all but the most generic material.

Her language is downright painful to read--unless you are the kind of person who enjoys seeing words like "cognitive" used in every second paragraph.

But let's go beyond style to content. The author is not up-to-date in her coverage of pain therapy for several chronic diseases covered in this book, most notably Interstitial Cystitis. Despite her own claims to the contrary, her approach tends to be, "If you doctor can't find the cause of your pain, it probably is in your mind." Coupled with her poor coverage of medical treatments for pain syndromes, a sufferer from a disease like Interstitial cystitis, who reads this book might well end up taking Prozac when what she really needs is acupuncture or Elmiron.

There is lots of lip service to meditational techniques, but the author's coverage of these topics is heavy in acronyms and low in understanding. It's clear she has read a few books on the subject and feels comfortable reducing each one to a paragraph. This is one area where the "Cliff's Notes" approach will simply not work. Save your money and buy a better book!

I am recovering from chronic pain and this book really helps
This book "Managing Your Pain..." is the best book I have discovered in my personal 13 year recovery journey with chronic pain. Dr. Caudill has presented the information in a clear and understandable fashion, making it easy to make effective behavioral changes as well as attitude shifts. I am also working as a pain management specialist and recommend this book to all of my clients. I have never received an unfavorable review from them. I especially like the chapters "Mind Body Connection" and "Body Mind Connection." The other important feature of this book is that the author allows people who purchase her book to copy the exercises and even makes it easy by adding removable pages for ease of photo copying. I highly recommend this to both people suffering from chronic pain and health care providers with chronic pain clients. Steve Grinstead.