Tell Me Where It Hurts
The New Science of Pain and How to Heal
-
-
4.5 • 2 Ratings
-
-
- $15.99
Publisher Description
Leading pain expert Dr. Rachel Zoffness bridges the gap between medicine and psychology to get to the heart of understanding—and treating—pain—it's The Body Keeps the Score for chronic pain.
Every one of us will experience pain, be it back pain, the pain of childbirth, or living in an aging body. Not a single one of us will escape. But what if everything you thought you knew about pain was ... wrong?
We’ve been told that pain is purely physical, something to do just with bones and body parts. The truth is that pain is constructed by the brain—influenced not just by injuries, but also by emotions, expectations, and environment. This means you have infinitely more control over pain than you ever imagined: because if the brain can change, pain can change.
Rooted in cutting-edge neuroscience and rich patient stories, Dr. Rachel Zoffness completely upends the myths we’ve been sold—finally reconnecting physical and emotional pain, and providing a roadmap for healing. The fact is that chronic pain is treatable. But to do that, we must target the whole person—not just a body part.
A groundbreaking, revolutionary book that finally offers access to the world’s most powerful painkiller: YOU.
“This book is a must read for anyone struggling with chronic pain. Filled with moving stories and the latest science, Zoffness explains how pain works and why so many treatments fall short. Her message is ultimately a hopeful one: By changing our brains we can lessen our pain. I highly recommend." ―Anna Lembke, MD, Professor and Medical Director, Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic, Stanford University, New York Times bestselling author of Dopamine Nation
"In this groundbreaking book, Dr. Zoffness dismantles outdated myths about pain and brilliantly reveals new ways to overcome it. Filled with the latest science, this is a must read for both doctors and patients, and frankly anyone grappling with chronic pain.” ―William W. Li, MD, New York Times bestselling author of Eat To Beat Disease, former faculty at Harvard Medical School
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Psychologist Zoffness (The Pain Management Workbook) delivers an eye-opening study that reframes how patients and practitioners should understand chronic pain. Rather than seeing it as the result of damage to a single body part, Zoffness views pain holistically as an experience influenced by emotions, expectations, and one's environment. She illustrates how the mind plays a vital role in pain: depression can keep a patient from recovering, for example, while joyful distraction can aid healing. Neuroplasticity—the mind's ability to reroute patterns—can create chronic pain as an overreaction to a perceived threat, but also offers hope ("if the brain can change, pain can change"). In one example, a woman began feeling leg pain after a running injury. Over time, her legs developed lesions, and she could no longer work or care for her child. After discovering the flare-up was influenced by stress, depression, and other emotional factors, she began to recover through a combination of physical therapy, outings with friends, and the resumption of her hobbies. Zoffness ends by providing a protocol for healing: identify what hurts and what exacerbates symptoms, then explore physical, emotional, cognitive, and social interventions (everything from daily walking and deep breathing to the companionship of a pet). Offering inspiring case studies and comprehensive solutions, this is a game changer for those seeking pain relief.
