How We Hurt

Explains how pain evolved through time as a natural process that affects the body's ability to function, with narratives describing the various types of pain suffered by patients.

What can illusions teach us about pain? Is what we see, hear, and feel as simple as it appears to be? The modern science of perception has unearthed new ways to think about pain - as a multi-sensory and multi-factorial phenomenon. Leading pain researchers, Dan Harvie and Lorimer Moseley, walk us through this science by interacting with illusions that challenge our assumptions on how perception actually works. A visually stunning, fun and accessible read to help anyone better understand and respond to pain.

Why Things Hurt is a collection of true stories and meaningful explanations about how our bodies work and the journeys we travel to maintain them. It provides accessible answers and structured principles on topics such as posture, pain, pregnancy, exercise, footwear and sports. Physiotherapist, Brent Stevenson discusses how to navigate your medical systems and what you should and should not expect from your physicians. He outlines what everyone should know about their own body, both physically and emotionally, by combining conversational lessons with cathartic true stories of injury, pain, resilience and perseverance. This book will empower you to make proactive choices for your body and help guide your journey in the right direction. Praise for Why Things Hurt: "This book encapsulates Brent's wisdom beyond his years and is extremely well written. It is personal, yet professional. Through his blogs and patient's stories Brent explains the current state of the art and science of physiotherapy and has made the complex topic of chronic pain simple to understand. Experience doesn't always create wisdom, but reflection and sharing of experiences often does. I personally and professionally resonated with many parts of this book and look forward to using it as a tool in my practice to help clients understand Why Things Hurt." -Diane Lee, Physiotherapist & Educator "From cover to cover, Why Things Hurt is a rare and exciting reading adventure. He explores the ever-fascinating multiverse of the dynamics of the body and mind, related with his own unique heart, empathy and practicality. A handbook for every health care professional and any "body" that loves to move regardless of age or stage of life." -Siobhan O'Connell, Physiotherapist & Clinical Pilates Instructor 'First and foremost, Why Things Hurt is a great read. Through his interaction with thousands of patients, Brent has developed a unique and special insight into how our bodies work, both on a functional and holistic level. What is remarkable is how he has translated this into a book that has useful lessons and guidance for everyone; there is valuable learning here in terms of how to manage pain, both physically and psychologically, as well as how to prevent it. He advocates for a multidisciplinary approach to pain management which is key. A must read, even if you don't hurt, yet.' - Dr. Kenneth Ryan, MD, Anesthesiologist "Why Things Hurt takes you on a wildly entertaining journey of discovery into how your body actually works or doesn't work, and how to fix it according to Brent's unique mastery of physiotherapy, IMS and complex problem solving. Being a detail-oriented PhD scientist, and having competed at numerous world championships in triathlon and mountain running, this book is a fantastic resource for keeping my body moving and pain-free even with all the twists and turns life throws at me! -Mike McMillan, PhD Scientist & Triathlete

A sociological analysis of self-injury, the causes of it, and the conditions surrounding those who commit it. Why does an estimated 5% of the general population intentionally and repeatedly hurt themselves? What are the reasons certain people resort to self-injury as a way to manage their daily lives? In Why Do We Hurt Ourselves, sociologist Baptiste Brossard draws on a five-year survey of self-injurers and suggests that the answers can be traced to social, more than personal, causes. Self-injury is not a matter of disturbed individuals resorting to hurting themselves in the face of individual weaknesses and difficulties. Rather, self-injury is the reaction of individuals to the tensions that compose, day after day, the tumultuousness of their social life and position. Self-harm is a practice that people use to self-control and maintain order—to calm down, or to avoid “going haywire” or “breaking everything.” More broadly, through this research Brossard works to develop a perspective on the contemporary social world at large, exploring quests for self-control in modern Western societies.

A compulsively readable explorer’s journal of the hidden territory of pain, as profound and insightful as the work of Oliver Sacks and Sherwin Nuland. A bee sting on the lips was the tiny lance that set Marni Jackson off on a four-year exploration of the many ways in which we suffer. Exiled for an afternoon in the country called pain, she realized that no one had the words to describe her condition although it was as familiar as a headache. A fusion of emotion, nerve and memory, pain inspired only questions. “Why do we still distinguish between mental pain and physical pain,” she asks, “when pain is always an emotional experience? Why is pain so poorly understood, especially in a century of self-scrutiny? Hasn’t anyone noticed the embarrassing fact that science is about to clone a human being but still can’t cure the pain of a bad back?” North Americans spend $24 billion a year on pain relief while chronic pain is on the rise. If pain is the reason why most people visit the doctor, why are most doctors so bad at addressing the problem of suffering? Pain: The Fifth Vital Sign dives back into the history of pain and forward into the possibilities of pain genetics, bringing us stories of both people in pain and the pain pioneers: eccentrics and artists, wrestlers and writers, ministers and mothers, psychologists and philosophers, nurses and doctors. Marni Jackson has created a definitive, heartfelt, funny and beguiling portrait of a condition we can’t live with -- and can’t live without.

Do you know someone, perhaps even a Christian, who seems impossible to get along with? From the people in the pews to the members of our families, we are surrounded by people who hurt other people. And they do so, the author tells us, because of the seemingly inescapable pain in their own lives. In this book, Dr. Wilson brings her years as a professional counselor to bear on a difficult topic that affects many of us. Let her warmth and insight lead you toward a heart of compassion and a ministry of healing for those who hurt others.

We have all suffered loss in our lives. We know the feeling of being heartbroken. Someone or something very close to us was taken away. Grief is not only for those who mourn the loss of a dear one's life; grief belongs to all of us. Every time there is loss, there must be grief in order for those who suffer to heal and recover. Help Me I Hurt, looks at places where we have suffered loss, and what we can do to help with the hurt. See if even now, maybe years after you pushed it away, there isn't some chance to uncover the wound and finally begin to feel better.

This much anticipated collection of stories, written by Oxford University Fellow and Pain Scientist, Dr GL Moseley, provides an entertaining and informative way to understand modern pain biology. Described by critics as 'a gem' and by clinicians as 'entertaining and educative', Painful Yarns is a unique book. The stories, some of his travels in outback Australia, some of experiences growing up, are great yarns. At the end of each story, there is a section "so what has this got to do with pain?" in which Lorimer uses the story as a metaphor for some aspect of pain biology. The level of the pain education is appropriate for patients and health professionals. The entertainment is good for everyone. You don't have to be interested in pain to get something from this book and a laugh or two!