British Journal of Anaesthesia, 2003, Vol. 90, No. 5 712
© 2003 The Board of Management and Trustees of the British Journal of Anaesthesia
Book Review |
Clinical Pain Management: Chronic Pain.
Leeds, UK
Clinical Pain Management: Chronic Pain.
A. S. C. Rice, C. A. Warfield, D. Justins and C. Eccleston (series editors), T. S. Jensen, P. R. Wilson and A. S. C. Rice (editors).
Published by Arnold, London.
Pp. 696; indexed; illustrated. Price £150.00. ISBN 0-340-80993-0.
This new reference book is one of a series of four on clinical pain management that has been edited by three leaders in the field of pain. The four volumes are entitled Acute Pain, Chronic Pain, Cancer Pain, and Practical Applications and Procedures; the volumes are clearly cross-referenced. The editors of the chronic pain text are A. C. S. Rice, C. A. Warfield, D. Justins and C. Eccleston. They have produced an excellent book with contributions from a wide, international, multidisciplinary authorship. In common with the other volumes, they have aimed for an evidence-based approach, but with a pragmatic clinical background. This book provides a practical guide to understanding chronic pain and dealing with clinical problems. It will have wide appeal because it is easy to read and clearly referenced. Key references and seminal papers are highlighted in a consistent manner throughout the series of books. The book is divided into three sections. Part I covers basic considerations. It has 14 chapters from 20 authors and includes such diverse topics as the epidemiology of chronic pain, clinical assessment, diagnostic procedures, outcomes, and medicolegal issues. Some of the chapters are very thought provoking, for example ‘pain in society: ethical and legal aspects’. As with any multiauthor and international book some of the chapters were more related to practice outside the UK, but this was still interesting. Part II covers management therapy; there are 12 chapters from 24 authors, including the usual modalities of pharmacological treatment, TENS, neurosurgery, physical treatments, cognitive behavioural therapy, and alternative and complementary therapies. The chapter on placebo is particularly good. Part III covers Management—clinical situations; it has 21 chapters from 38 authors that include a range of problems that are encountered in chronic pain medicine.
In summary, this four volume series should be on the shelves of all health care professionals involved in the clinical management of pain. It is complementary to other standard texts such as the classic from Melzack and Wall. It was a pleasure to review this book. I am particularly glad that in doing so I was prompted to read the entire text, rather than just sampling the chapters that looked particularly appealing.
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