The Pain Phenomenon

Summary & key facts

This is a recent textbook called The Pain Phenomenon by Serge Marchand. It pulls together decades of research to explain how pain works in the body and mind, why pain sometimes keeps going, and what treatments doctors use. The book covers both drug and non-drug treatments, how to measure pain, how age and sex affect pain, and how to match treatments to the type of pain someone has. It is meant to help clinicians make better choices, and it is a 2024 edition available as an eBook or softcover.

Key facts:

• The book is a comprehensive review of scientific research about pain, bringing together what we know about the body and mind parts that make pain start and continue.
• It explains both drug-based and non-drug treatments and looks at how to connect the biology of pain to real treatment choices so care can be tailored to different types of pain.
• There are 11 chapters that include basic definitions, how pain signals work in the nervous system, ways to measure pain, drug and surgical options, non-drug therapies, how pain changes with age, and differences between men and women in pain.
• The author, Serge Marchand, is a neuroscience professor with a long record of research on chronic pain and roles in research leadership, which the book draws on to summarize current knowledge.
• A main point is that pain is complicated: biological processes and psychological factors both matter, and this complexity helps explain why some pain becomes long-lasting.
• The book is a scholarly textbook intended for clinicians and students; parts of it are behind a paywall or require institutional access, so not all sections are freely available.

Topics

Pain Management and Opioid Use Pain Management and Treatment Pain Mechanisms and Treatments

Categories

Health Sciences Medicine Physiology

Tags

Epistemology Phenomenon Philosophy Psychology

Conditions & symptoms

Chronic Pain Chronic pain