PAIN CARE ESSENTIALS


Beth B. Hogans and Antje M. Barreveld (editors).
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Printed by Marquis, Canada, and;
Published by Oxford University Press 2020. Pp. 410: indexed: illustrated. ISBN 978-0-19-976891-2

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The best kept secret in pain management is in your own hands. Pain Care Essentials offers the readers a fingertip access to numerous topics in still emerging   field of pain medicine, including physical rehabilitation in pain management, peripheral nerve blocks, neuropathic pain, pediatric and elderly pain. This book provides an overview of pain mechanisms as currently understood, and details a variety of approaches to pain management used across a wide range of complementary disciplines.
Divided into four convenient sections; the book addresses Fundamentals and Evaluation, Treatment Modalities (including opioids, interventions and alternative medicine), common Chronic Pain and Urgent Pain Problems. Integrative care concepts are presented, emphasizing multi-disciplinary approaches to address the pain. Expert contributors describe therapeutic approaches of various pain conditions and implementing self-care management options.
Look to Pain Care Essentials for… coverage of numerous topics in pain medicine, including guidance on the multi-dimensionality of pain, its neurobiology, scope and impact, clinical skills in the assessment and care of pain, pain treatment, approaches and pain care in clinical context. The latest physical medicine and rehabilitation modalities used in pain medicine including therapeutic and palliative choices are precisely elaborated. Descriptions of commonly performed interventional procedures aid in improving techniques. Information on the psychological aspects of pain medicine helps readers treat the patient, not just the pain. Reference for frequently used drugs in pain medicine familiarizes readers with the most commonly used agents, their applications, and cautions. Clear, easy-to-understand illustrations highlight key concepts from the text for quick reference. This portable reference is perfect for busy students, residents, and practitioners involved in the clinical management of pain.
The book serves as a practical resource for pain physicians. It presents important clinical concepts while covering critical pain medicine fundamentals. Chapters have been carefully chosen to cover common aspects of clinical pain medicine and also follow a flow chart algorithm to facilitate quick look-up. Each chapter includes a concise discussion of the latest supporting evidence as well as relevant case scenarios followed by a quick summary and some review questions helping the readers to assess themselves about how much they improved their knowledge after reading a particular chapter. The coverage is clinically relevant, evidence-based and up-to-date. It will appeal residents preparing for the written examination. Although the primary audience is pain medicine trainees, the book covers enough topics that even experienced pain physicians would find it useful. This is a good attempt at bringing variety to the field of pain management, which has expanded in so many directions. Beyond this, the book has the potential to appeal learners and practitioners around the world; pain medicine is burgeoning globally, and there is a great need for concise, clinically relevant resources. This book will serve as a good resource to practicing pain physicians and as a quick reference guide to physicians who may have to practice basic pain management.
What could be done better? This book is not easy to read because of the closely typed small print. Moreover addition of pain management of cancer patients and critical ill patients would give this book more recognition among pain physicians.
Do I recommend buying this book? The answer has to be `yes'. The book is one of the most useful textbooks of pain medicine. The editors are congratulated on compiling some excellent pain reviews. This is a book that I will use frequently for reference. It is reasonably economical and worth investing in individually as well as for the library. It is a book to be recommended to trainees, as it will provide a great deal of exposure for more rounded, multidisciplinary approach in the field of pain medicine.


Maj Gen (R), Professor Liaquat Ali

Head, Dept. of Anesthesiology & Pain Management
Fauji Foundation Medical College, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
Cell: +92 321 58 36 898, E-mail: liaquatanaes@gmail.com