Managing Chronic Pain: A Clinical Guide

Pain refers to a signal in the nervous system that indicates something is wrong. There are two types of pain, namely, acute pain and chronic pain. Acute pain is short lived and intense, and activates the body's fight response. Chronic pain usually lasts longer than six months and can be either mild or severe. It is associated with complications such as arthritis, cancer, nerve pain, back pain and fibromyalgia. It causes stress in the body, which creates physical conditions, such as tense muscles, low energy, decreased ability to move, and change in appetite. The management of chronic pain involves a range of non-drug therapies including acupuncture, nerve blocks, psychotherapy, surgery, biofeedback, relaxation therapies, physical therapy, and physical manipulation. Rhizotomy, decompression, and electrical deep brain and spinal cord stimulation procedures are various types of surgeries for managing chronic pain. This book outlines the methods of chronic pain management in detail. It will serve as an invaluable source of reference for students and researchers interested in the field of chronic pain management.