Understanding Chronic Pain: A Doctor Talks to His Patients

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Summary: Portraits of Pain / Creative Neuro- Psycho-Pharmacology
Review: Dear Sufferers,
Dear Unsuccessful Doctors of Sufferers, Dear Family, Friend, or Acquaintence of Sufferer, Dear Abuser or would be abuser,
Dear Employer, Insurance Company, Lawyer, or Otherwise Interested Party,
In his new book Dr Cochran offers case by case several of the thousands of cases he has treated over 40 years in private practice and at Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee. Addressed as "A Doctor Talks To His Patients", the book is outstanding in its readability, and the chronic pain sufferer who reads this book will benefit not only in broadening his understanding of the many faces and causes of pain, but of groundbreaking, exciting, and highly effective treatments of such. Combining neurology,psychology, and creative modern pharmacology with vast experience and unwavering, empathetical dedication to his patients, Dr.Cochran herein seems to derive a new etiology-a set of symptoms, physical-neurological-and psycholocical-which NEWLY DEFINE CHRONIC PAIN in what he terms a MIND-SOUL DISEASE, allowing it to be CLINICALLY DIAGNOSABLE, thus removing quite many associated mysteries. The anecdotal histories then describe creative, sensible and very successful, LASTING RELIEF for everything from MIGRAINE to PELVIC PAIN and let's not forget THE BACK!! His love for his patients, his dedication to them and his specialty, his profound curiosity of the "nature of the beast", and his fearlessness in choosing new and effective combinations of weapons in attack are thoughtfully placed throughout.
I believe this book will be viewed as more than a milestone in the field of medicine in may ways, perhaps most importantly in establishing and clinically confirming that THE PAIN IS REAL and THERE'S A REASON FOR IT !! Dr. Cochran suggests this gains the sufferer not only a level of dignity unallowed in un-diagnosable and therefore "Questionable" pain, but he apparently then is psychologically boosted into a more promising prognosis--HOW SENSIBLE !!If you can see the enemy-you can take a promising shot at it! Dr. Cochran knows the enemy, and through this book, effectively draws the community of chronic pain sufferers together in conquering it. Relations of chronic pain to past traumas, physical and/or psychological are made. Sometimes quite disturbing truths as sexual or physical abuse, though perhaps not surprising, are exposed in a careful and thought provoking manner.
What an insightful and valueable pile of pages !!

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Summary: NOT JUST WHERE DOES IT HURT, BUT WHY DOES IT HURT
Review: For far too long, chronic pain sufferers have been considered as just another difficult statistic. In many previous books on the subject, very little empathy for their tortuous plight has been shown. This is no longer true with the publication of UNDERSTANDING CHRONIC PAIN: A DOCTOR TALKS TO HIS PATIENTS, in which Dr. Robert T. Cochran, Jr. effectively puts a personal face on the debilitating dilemma of chronic pain.

His compassion and determination to actually help his patients control their intense levels of pain shines though on every well-written page. By examining actual case studies, we learn emphatically that no one should suffer needlessly when legitimate pain control options are available. One can only hope Dr. Cochran's expertise and enthusiasm in this area will inspire other professionals to be more considerate in dealing with this important yet complicated area of caregiving.


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Summary: When your doctors have given up, buy this book.
Review: If you are searching for answers to chronic pain, you must read this book. When Dr. Cochran described his chronic pain patients, I felt as if he were following me through the day, noting my behavior, measuring my symptoms and writing a book just about me. A habit such as compulsive record keeping, which I always considered a personal peccadillo, is actually a common characteristic of chronic pain patients. The first few chapters described my condition so well, I knew this book was a departure from the endless circle of new doctors, repetitive tests, multiple diagnoses and no solutions.

Dr. Cochran recommends combinations of established, safe and inexpensive drugs. It is incredibly refreshing to find someone who believes your pain is real and has a plan to relieve or eliminate your suffering without surgery or complicated procedures. Two months after I started Dr. Cochran's basic treatment plan I was completely pain free for the first time in over ten years.

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Summary: When your doctors have given up, buy this book.
Review: If you are searching for answers to chronic pain, you must read this book. When Dr. Cochran described his chronic pain patients, I felt as if he were following me through the day, noting my behavior, measuring my symptoms and writing a book just about me. A habit such as compulsive record keeping, which I always considered a personal peccadillo, is actually a common characteristic of chronic pain patients. The first few chapters described my condition so well, I knew this book was a departure from the endless circle of new doctors, repetitive tests, multiple diagnoses and no solutions.

Dr. Cochran recommends combinations of established, safe and inexpensive drugs. It is incredibly refreshing to find someone who believes your pain is real and has a plan to relieve or eliminate your suffering without surgery or complicated procedures. Two months after I started Dr. Cochran's basic treatment plan I was completely pain free for the first time in over ten years.

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Summary: Chronic Pain Is Real
Review: In Dr. Cochran's book, he explains about different situations that causes chronic pain. He writes it in a way that a person will understand that there is REAL PAIN.

I highly recommend this book to anyone that suffers from chronic pain or anyone that knows someone that does.

For the person that has chronic pain, this book will help you better understand about your pain. After having two serious back surgeries, I am left with chronic pain on a daily basis. This book will let you know that there is a doctor that finally understands what we go through. It will also give you hope to know that you do not have to suffer so much because there are treatments to help with the pain.

I have sometimes felt alone, but this book and Dr. Cochran has shown me that I am not alone and that he really does understands and cares. Also, that I do not have to feel guilty about taking medication for the treatment of my chronic pain.

For someone that knows a person that has chronic pain, it is a informative tool for them to understand how that person is suffering. It will also let you know that the person in chronic pain maybe dealing with alot of issues that are brought out in this book.

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Summary: There Is Hope
Review: It's wonderful to finally find a book that clearly offers both hope and understandable solutions. It is very readable.

As someone who has a family member who suffers from chronic pain, I found Dr. Cochran's book to be both enlightening and thought-provoking. I continue to refer to it often and our family benefits from his insights. We have shared those insights with other medical professionals. We are already seeing changes and relief.

This is a different kind of "pain" book. Dr. Cochran truly understands the many layers and facets of chronic pain. He handles taboo subjects with grace and again, hope.

If you want to find meaning in the chaos of your chronic pain, this book will help you (and friends and family) break through the cloud of uncertainty and long-suffering.

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Summary: GOT PAIN? Read this book!
Review: My mother had the opportunity to attend a book signing with Dr. Cochran and immediatly purchased the book for me. I have suffered many years with chronic pain but the last 10 months with uncontrollable pain that NO doctor could control. As I read Dr. Cochrans book my first thought several chapters in was "he gets it" and he does, yes it has took years of training, but he used his best tool, his ears! He listened to his patients and learned from them. He puts it all together in this book and shows how our mind, circumstances throughout life, and our daily life affect our level of pain. Any physician can give you pain pills daily but when you swollow them and they don't help there has to be something else going on. Dr. Cochran explains many different individual circumstances and you yourself will be one or more of them you will relate to, as I did. Read this book, and ANYONE you know that suffers with chronic pain do them a favor and tell them about the book and also, maybe suggest to your doctor to read it, more physicians should always go the distance to help each and every patient to the best of their abilities and as you read this book you will learn that Dr. Cochrans eggerness to continue to learn all he can about chronic pain has allowed him to not only help his patients with some rather serious chronic pain conditions but to write a book about his knowledge and also his ability to share this in a way that anyone can understand what is behind chronic pain, I think in our society today we believe that surgery or pain pills are the only answer to our chronic pain, yes they may be necessary, but remember there is pain and CHRONIC PAIN, those who have it or know someone who does??? READ IT!

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Summary: Thank God...a book I can understand from a wonderful Dr. !!
Review: To anyone who suffers from chronic pain, and those whose lives are touched by chronic pain sufferers, this book is a must-read. Dr. Cochran explores the depths and complexities to chronic pain that most doctors either can't or won't. Best of all, people like myself who do not understand medical jargon, will be able to read this book and understand it! As Dr. Cochran speaks with his patients throughout this book the reader will understand the beast of chronic pain as the layers are peeled back and injuries and memories are revisited and then the patient's pain is explainable...and proven REAL. Finally here is a physician able to show caring knowledge and offer real help and treat the whole person. Dr. Cochran's book has been so very helpful to me and also to my husband. Dear reader, if you suffer from chronic pain and cannot put into words the terrible pain you deal with daily, I highly recommend this book for you to get and give to your friends and family. Chronic pain can be so very isolating and lonely and this book certainly helped my loved ones "get it". To read other's stories and the physician's point of view in black and white was a wonderful, and much NEEDED, validation. You will not regret your purchase as it is money well spent. It will help you and those you love put a "face" to your pain and the relief you will feel is priceless.

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Summary: Excellent Book on the Subject.
Review: Very good book. Dr Cochran goes places that no one else goes. He talks about the psychological, psychosocial and psychiatric effects of chronic pain. He the first one to cover Conversion Disorder and Functional illness in a book of this type. This book is about treatment with medication, many different types of medication. After 30 yrs of treating chronic pain he very astute at treating it. I think that those who suffer should read with an open mind to the fact that what started out as in an injury may have transformed in to something different. He discusses the disease of the body and the mind. This isn't a feel better without medication and diet book. Thank Heavens.