The Mystery of Pain Paperback – April 28, 2013

Great book! I took Nelson's workshop PNMT for the Shoulder and I'm really glad to have attended the workshop and purchased this book. The author is very humbled about his research and explains in great detail about Pain. I highly recommend this!I got a shoulder injury in August 2016, and I was not able to perform simple daily tasks with my left arm. Lifting a cup of water and taking my shirt off were very difficult to perform. I am an athlete and I do a lot of acrobatics, and not being able to perform simple daily tasks was very upsetting and degrading to me. So I gradually and intentionally explored movement that were painful and not painful. I must say that before I read this book, I was already a big believer in movement as medicine. After attending the PNMT for the Shoulder and reading this book, it helped me deeply understand about my injury and pain. Six months after my shoulder injury, I have become stronger and now I'm able to perform harder skills prior my shoulder injury. This book has reinforced my personal theory on recovering from an injury and educated me on how one should understand pain.

With the conversationally written, highly readable "The Mystery of Pain", therapist Douglas Nelson gives a very comprehensive overview of current understandings in pain science. The book is written at a level that can educate the general public but still provide health care professionals an updated understanding as well. The information is derived from a wide variety of modern day scientific research, with an extensive reference list that professionals can delve into for more information should they desire. Topics covered in the book include a history of the medical understanding of pain, influence of social and cultural factors on pain, information on why imaging technology has been both helpful and harmful in helping people in pain, the roles that belief, expectation, placebo and nocebo can play in painful conditions, and overviews of the current understandings of myofascial pain syndrome and fibromyalgia. Most important, however, is the central theme in the book that the brain plays in chronic pain with discussions of understandings gained from research involving phantom limb pain and central sensitization. I found "The Mystery of Pain" to contain comparable information to and be as readable as another favorite about the same topic ("Explain Pain" by David Butler and Lorimer Moseley). I'd highly encourage both books to anyone, but "The Mystery of Pain" is a more affordable option for those who have to choose just one.Tony Friese, PTWausau, WI

This latest book by Douglas Nelson, a neuromuscular therapist, educator and researcher, is very well-written for both a lay and professional audience. One aspect of his writing style which made the subject matter highly understandable and enjoyable was his continual use of analogy and metaphor. From explaining physiological processes like "modulation" through comparing it to the comedian Lily Tomlin's switchboard operator, or "central sensitization" as similar to "when Mom's (the CNS) not happy, no one's (the peripheral nerves and tissues) happy, Nelson manages to make the process(es) and mystery of pain fascinating and accessible. I highly recommend this book to everyone who provides care to or loves anyone in pain, whether you are a bodyworker, nurse, physician, social worker, or family member. As a bodyworker and as one struggling now with a seemingly chronic pain situation, Nelson's book gave me a dose of hope and a bigger dose of compassion, sympathy and empathy for others who struggle with pain consistently. An excellent read!

Doug Nelson has written a book that is highly readable as well as informative about the experience of pain. His extensive research into the subject is tied together well with real life examples. People who have pain can know that even if they are not medically trained, they will receive great insight into their condition by reading this book. For medical professionals and others who care for (and about)people in pain, the book is a God send. The emotional and physical aspects are explained in a way that leads to a deeper understanding of the causes behind painful conditions as well as the different responses people in pain have to their condition. Once pain is better understood, the hope given here is that we will begin to change the way we look at this condition and therefore change the outcomes in a positive way. I recommend this book without exception to anyone interested in the subject of pain!

Doug Nelson has written a wonderful, extensive and yet simple guide on a topic that all of us will certainly have to deal with at some point in our lives. It deserves to be read by anyone interested in the topic be it sufferer, or healer. The book provides a wealth of information, often in easily understood "stories," about what pain is and why it can be such a mystery in dealing with it. I would definitely urge physicians to suggest this guide to their patients dealing with the daily stress of chronic pain, it provides great insights and will enable anyone dealing with pain to understand what some of the mechanisms are that are generating that pain. Physicians will also find much in the book to help them help their own chronic pain patients. An excellent book, highly recommended.

This is one of the best books I have ever read on pain. It does an exceptional job of explaining the science behind why we feel pain. In addition, there is an entire chapter on Fibromyalgia that is quite interesting. I think the most important aspect of the book is that all the information is based on science and science research. I find it so difficult to find information on pain/chronic sicknesses that is based on science and not on alternative medicine 'woo'. This book focuses only on what science can tell us at this time, and for that, I am truly appreciative.