Confronting Chronic Pain: A Guide to Relief (A Johns Hopkins Press Health Book)

A trusted, updated guide to understanding chronic pain and reclaiming your quality of life.

Confronting Chronic Pain is a clear, compassionate, and up-to-date guide to understanding and managing one of the most common and complex health challenges: long-term, persistent pain. Written by two leading pain specialists, this trusted resource distills decades of clinical expertise into an accessible, practical handbook for individuals living with pain and those who care for them.

This revised edition reflects major changes in the medical understanding of pain and its treatment. Readers will find insights on conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, back pain, neuropathy, chronic headaches, and cancer-related pain, along with the latest options for relief. The authors explore traditional therapies and emerging treatments, including new minimally invasive procedures, improved migraine medications, and advances in neurostimulation. While examining the evolving role, risks, and best practices for opioid use, they also highlight promising non-opioid alternatives―from physical therapy and anti-inflammatory strategies to antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and innovative topical or injectable treatments.

Beyond the physical manifestations of pain in the body, Confronting Chronic Pain explores the psychological, social, and spiritual aspects of pain. Chapters on family dynamics, emotional resilience, and communication with health care providers help readers take an active role in their care and reclaim their quality of life.

Steven H. Richeimer, MD, is board certified in pain medicine, anesthesiology, and psychiatry. He is a professor in the Departments of Anesthesiology and Psychiatry and the Chief of the Division of Pain Medicine at the University of Southern California.

Alexander Chen, MD, is a board-certified anesthesiologist and interventional pain medicine specialist. He is an assistant professor in the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at the University of Southern California.