Pain Dynamics And Complexities

Despite the proliferation of pain clinics and various pain-oriented therapies, there is an absence of data supporting any substantial change in the statistics regarding the incidence, development and persistence of pain. As renowned pain clinician and scientist Daniel M. Doleys argues, there may be a need for a fundamental shift in the way we view pain. In this thoughtful work, Doleys presents the evolving concept and complex nature of pain with the intention of promoting a broadening of the existing paradigm within which pain is viewed and understood. Combining neuroscience, psychology, and philosophy of science, this book reviews the history of pain and outlines the current concepts and theories regarding the mechanisms involved in the experience of pain. Experimental and clinical research in a broad array of areas including neonatal pain, empathy and pain, psychogenic pain, and genetics and pain is summarized. The notion of pain as a disease process rather than a symptom is highlighted. Although there is a continued interest in activation of the peripheral nociceptive system as a determining factor in the experience of pain, the growing appreciation for the brain as the intimate 'pain generator' is emphasized. The definition of consciousness and conscious awareness and a theory as to how it relates to nociceptive processing is discussed. Finally, the author describes the potential benefit of incorporating some of the concepts from systems and quantum theory into our thinking about pain. The area of pain research and treatment seems on the precipice of change. This work intends to provide a glimpse of what these changes might be in the context of where pain research and therapy has come from, where it currently is, and where it might be headed.

Despite the proliferation of pain clinics and various pain-oriented therapies, there is an absence of data supporting any substantial change in the statistics regarding the incidence, development and persistence of pain. As renowned pain clinician and scientist Daniel M. Doleys argues, there may be a need for a fundamental shift in the way we view pain. In this thoughtful work, Doleys presents the evolving concept and complex nature of pain with the intention of promoting a broadening of the existing paradigm within which pain is viewed and understood. Combining neuroscience, psychology, and philosophy of science, this book reviews the history of pain and outlines the current concepts and theories regarding the mechanisms involved in the experience of pain. Experimental and clinical research in a broad array of areas including neonatal pain, empathy and pain, psychogenic pain, and genetics and pain is summarized. The notion of pain as a disease process rather than a symptom is highlighted. Although there is a continued interest in activation of the peripheral nociceptive system as a determining factor in the experience of pain, the growing appreciation for the brain as the intimate 'pain generator' is emphasized. The definition of consciousness and conscious awareness and a theory as to how it relates to nociceptive processing is discussed. Finally, the author describes the potential benefit of incorporating some of the concepts from systems and quantum theory into our thinking about pain. The area of pain research and treatment seems on the precipice of change. This work intends to provide a glimpse of what these changes might be in the context of where pain research and therapy has come from, where it currently is, and where it might be headed.

This book presents a timely and multidisciplinary update on the modalities currently available for treating the most feared symptom of patients diagnosed with cancer. The various cancer pain syndromes are explored in detail, covering those related directly to malignancy and those due to the after-effects of cancer therapy. Treatment modalities, including pharmacologic approaches, interventional procedures, and palliative surgical options, are discussed clearly and concisely, with provision of recommendations for the practitioner. Further topics include new and emerging treatments for cancer pain, survivorship considerations, pain management in special populations, and implementation of systems-based pain programs. The book has been written by a multidisciplinary group of experts, reflecting the evolution in pain and symptom management that has occurred in parallel with progress toward more targeted oncologic treatments. Oncologists, palliative care physicians, allied health professionals, and other practitioners involved in caring for cancer patients will find Fundamentals of Cancer Pain Management to be a rich source of evidence-based insights into effective pain management.

This thoroughly revised Thirteenth Edition of Burket's Oral Medicine reflects the scope of modern Oral Medicine with updated content written by 80 contributing oral medicine and medical experts from across the globe. The text emphasizes the diagnosis and management of diseases of the mouth and maxillofacial region as well as safe dental management for patients with complex medical disorders such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, infectious diseases, bleeding disorders, renal diseases, and many more. In addition to comprehensively expanded chapters on oral mucosal diseases, including those on ulcers, blisters, red, white and pigmented lesions, readers will also find detailed discussions on: orofacial pain, temporomandibular disorders, headache and salivary gland disease; oral and oropharyngeal cancers, including the management of oral complications of cancer therapy; genetics, laboratory medicine and transplantation medicine; pediatric and geriatric oral medicine; psychiatry and psychology; clinical research; and interpreting the biomedical literature The Thirteenth Edition of Burket's Oral Medicine is an authoritative reference valuable to students, residents, oral medicine specialists, teachers, and researchers as well as dental and medical specialists.

This book is an introduction to health care as a complex adaptive system, a system that feeds back on itself. The first section introduces systems and complexity theory from a science, historical, epistemological, and technical perspective, describing the principles and mathematics. Subsequent sections build on the health applications of systems science theory, from human physiology to medical decision making, population health and health services research. The aim of the book is to introduce and expand on important population health issues from a systems and complexity perspective, highlight current research developments and their implications for health care delivery, consider their ethical implications, and to suggest directions for and potential pitfalls in the future.

This new edition also treats smart materials and artificial life. A new chapter on information and computational dynamics takes up many recent discussions in the community.