The Pain Management Handbook: A Concise Guide to Diagnosis and Treatment (Current Clinical Practice)

Those who do not feel pain seldom think that it is felt. SAMUEL JoHNSON, The Rambler, no. 48 (September 1, 1750) Who among us has not experienced the suffering of a patient with chronic disease, who in addition to the vicissitudes of fatigue, anxiety, and frustration, must also deal with the suffering of pain? Who among us has not considered, and then reconsidered, whether a patient's complaints are worthy of a narcotic and thence worried about the social and legal implications of chronic use? Who among us has not refused pain medications to our patients for fear that use was turning into abuse? Finally, who among us would not have liked a clinical guide to a myriad of syndromes, all of which have pain as their common denominator, in the hopes of developing some strategy to prioritize treatment. Our purpose in preparing The Pain Management Handbook is to provide the informa­ tion needed by clinicians to develop strategies that optimize pain management. It is the goal of the editors and authors that the present handbook, above all else, will be clinically useful. Its aim is to provide practical information regarding the diagnosis and treatment of disorders causing pain, along with tables and graphics to provide the busy practitioner with rapid access to relevant data.

In Diseases of the Liver and Bile Ducts, physicians George Wu and Jonathan Israel have created a concise guide to the diagnosis and treatment of liver disease. Authoritative and practical, their important new book not only spells out the advantages and limitations of the latest diagnostic tests, but also provides numerous algorithms for evaluating patients and treating the liver problems commonly encountered by primary care physicians. Here, too, you will find described the nuances of serological tests for the detection of viral infections and how best to use invasive and noninvasive radiological tests in specific circumstances. Common complications are fully discussed and detailed practical information is given on how to recognize the patient's immediate problems and deal with them effectively.

Many clinical experts have collaborated to make Diseases of the Liver and Bile Ducts concise, easy-to-understand, and state-of-the-art. Its numerous diagrams, listings of key principles, and cost comparisons will clarify the often complex and bewildering array of conditions associated with liver and biliary tract diseases. Primary care physicians, medical students, and residents will find it the one definitive and indispensable guide to consult for rapid access to the latest diagnostic information and treatment options.
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