A complete reference source on central pain.

It is only natural for someone in pain to attend to the body part that hurts. Yet this book tells the story of persistent pain having negative effects on brain function. The contributors, all leading experts in their respective fields of pain electrophysiology, brain imaging, and animal models of pain, strive to synthesize compelling and, in some ways, connected hypotheses with regard to pain-related changes in the brain. Together, they contribute their clinical, academic, and theoretical expertise in a comprehensive overview that attempts to define the broader philosophical context of pain (disentangling sensical from nonsensical claims), list the changes known to take place in the brains of individuals with chronic pain and animal models of pain, address the possible causes and mechanisms underlying these changes, and detail the techniques and analytical methods at our disposal to "visualize" and study these changes. - Philosophical and social concepts of pain; testimonials of chronic-pain patients - Clinical data from pain patients' brains - Advances in noninvasive brain imaging for pain patients - Combining theoretical and empirical approaches to the analysis of pain-related brain function - Manipulation of brain function in animal models - Emerging neurotechnology principles for pain diagnostics and therapeutics

Neuropathic pain is one of the most common, most debilitating, most costly, and most difficult to treat categories of chronic pain conditions that are characterized by a lesion or disease of the somatosensory nervous system. Managing neuropathic pain is challenging and requires skillful assessment and comprehensive and integrated treatment strategies that are mechanism-guided, evidence-based, and individualized. However, these critical and integral elements are very fragmented in the current literature. The mechanistic understanding of neuropathic pain is typically found in basic research articles. Clinical research evidence is presented in forms of clinical trials with emphasis on minimizing biases such as those from patient selection and assessment. Individualized considerations for each patient are usually presented in case reports and problem-based learning discussions. This book overcomes these barriers and integrates all the critical elements around individual patient care into a coherent management strategy that is practical and applicable to daily clinical practice. Rather than compiling what have been published in the literature, this work emphasizes on identifying and highlighting the key points or findings that guide decision-making in clinical practice. It integrates the key points around a typical case scenario that not only represents the core of the diagnostic and therapeutic processes but also allows introduction and differentiation of painful conditions that bare similarities with the case in hand. The overarching goal is to improve clinical outcomes through better understanding of the mechanisms, more accurate diagnosis, and wiser and more comprehensive treatment strategies.

Combining theoretical and practical aspects of pain, from basic scientific concepts to specific strategies of therapeutic management, this book serves as a guide to current concepts of pain and should appeal to both clinicians and researchers.

New updated edition first published with Cambridge University Press. This new edition includes 29 chapters on topics as diverse as pathophysiology of atherosclerosis, vascular haemodynamics, haemostasis, thrombophilia and post-amputation pain syndromes.

With the contribution from more than one hundred CNS neurotrauma experts, this book provides a comprehensive and up-to-date account on the latest developments in the area of neurotrauma including biomarker studies, experimental models, diagnostic methods, and neurotherapeutic intervention strategies in brain injury research. It discusses neurotrauma mechanisms, biomarker discovery, and neurocognitive and neurobehavioral deficits. Also included are medical interventions and recent neurotherapeutics used in the area of brain injury that have been translated to the area of rehabilitation research. In addition, a section is devoted to models of milder CNS injury, including sports injuries.

This book explores the connection of functional pain syndromes (e.g., irritable bowel syndrome and fibromyalgia) with anxiety, depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, and posttraumatic stress disorder. The authors address possible common pathophysiologies and review a range of treatment options, from antidepressants to cognitive-behavioral therapy. Who should buy this book? Whether you are a general practitioner, specialist, or scientist, this book is essential reading. It sheds new light on the complex links between various painful syndromes and disorders.

This reference is a comprehensive work in the field of neurotrauma and critical care. It incorporates the fields of head injury, spinal injury and basic neurotrauma research into one source. The major emphasis is on the treatment of patients with head and spinal cord injury, including the management of all other problems that bear upon the care of these patients.

This concise but comprehensive guide covers common procedures in pain management necessary for daily practice, and includes topics on international pain medicine curricula, for example, the American Board of Anesthesiology, World Institute of Pain/Fellow of Interventional Pain Practice, and American Board of Pain Medicine. Treatments for pain are discussed, including nerve blocks (head, neck, back, pelvis and lower extremity). Chapters have a consistent format including high yield points for exams, and questions in the form of case studies. Pain: A Review Guide is aimed at trainees in pain medicine all over the world. This book will also be beneficial to all practitioners who practice pain.