Chronic pain includes many types of conditions from a variety of causes. This book is designed to help those suffering from chronic pain learn to better manage pain so they can get on with living a satisfying, fulfilling life. This resource stresses four concepts: each person with chronic pain is unique, and there is no one treatment or approach that is right for everybody; there are many things people with chronic pain can do to feel better and become more active and involved in life; with knowledge and experimentation, each individual is the best judge of which self-management tools and techniques are best for him or her; and, the responsibility for managing chronic pain on a daily basis rests with the individual and no one else. Acknowledging that overcoming chronic pain is a daily challenge, this workbook provides readers with the tools to overcome that test. A Moving Easy Program CD, which offers a set of easy-to-follow exercises that can be performed at home, is also included.

Drawing on input from people with long-term ailments, this book points the way to achieving the best possible life under the circumstances.

Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Pain has helped over 90,000 individuals manage their pain and strive to live satisfying, fulfilling lives. In the new second edition, the authors have carefully developed and improved every chapter. Packed with useful advice, tips, strategies, and positive reinforcement, the book empowers readers to become their own informed pain self-managers. Each person with chronic pain is unique and the goal of this book is to help each person manage their lives in the way that works best for them. The new edition includes: * An updated and scientifically sound discussion of pain in Chapter 1 that gives readers the information they need to best manage their personal pain. * An updated resources chapter with a useful emphasis on how to find and judge online resources. * New more in-depth coverage of mental health issues related to pain, including depression, anger, fear, guilt, stress, and memory problems. * An all-new chapter, Organizing and Pacing Your Life for Pain Self-Management and Safety that includes thorough, well-illustrated information on using assistive technology. * Completely rewritten exercise chapters with clearer illustrations to help readers build their own exercise program, step-by-step. This chapter also discusses taking advantage of exercise opportunities in the community. * An updated communication chapter to assist readers as they navigate through the health care system, featuring helpful tips on remote communication as well as in-person visits. * Another all-new chapter, Managing Pain During Employment and Unemployment, sensitively addresses the issues connected with experiencing pain in the workplace. * Two completely updated chapters on weight management and nutrition that discuss the relationship between pain and nutrition and reflect current government standards and the most recent research. The Moving Easy Program audio is included with the book on CD or to stream online.

Chronic pain is a common medical problem shared by roughly 100 million Americans-close to one third of the U.S. population. In the past few decades there has been an alarming trend of using prescription opioids to treat chronic pain. But these opioids-the main prescribed analgesic-come with hidden costs, and this book reveals the ramifications of their use and provides a low or no-risk alternative. Armed with the right information, you can make informed decisions about your pain care. By appreciating the risks and limitations of prescription opioids, and by learning to reduce your own pain and suffering, you will gain control over your health and well-being. Each copy includes Beth Darnall's new binaural relaxation CD, Enhanced Pain Management.

Comfort, understanding, and advice for those who are suffering--and those who care for them. Chronic illness creates many challenges, from career crises and relationship issues to struggles with self-blame, personal identity, and isolation. Beloved author Toni Bernhard addresses these challenges and many more, using practical examples to illustrate how mindfulness, equanimity, and compassion can help readers make peace with a life turned upside down. In her characteristic conversational style, Bernhard shows how to cope and make the most of life despite the challenges of chronic illness. Benefit from: • Mindfulness exercises to mitigate physical and emotional pain • Concrete advice for negotiating the everyday hurdles of medical appointments, household chores, and social obligations • Tools for navigating the strains illness can place on relationships Several chapters are directed toward family and friends of the chronically ill, helping them to understand what their loved one is going through and how they can help. Humorous and empathetic, Bernhard shares her own struggles and setbacks with unflinching honesty, offering invaluable support in the search to find peace and well-being.

Explains the problems faced by victims of chronic illnesses, gives practical advice on coping, and discusses sexuality, diet, exercise, and adaptive living devices

Twenty-seven-year-old Laurie Edwards is one of 125 million Americans who have a chronic illness, in her case a rare genetic respiratory disease. Because of medical advances in the treatment of serious childhood diseases, 600,000 chronically ill teens enter adulthood every year who decades ago would not have survived-they and people diagnosed in adulthood face the same challenges of college, career, and starting a family as others in their twenties and thirties, but with the added circumstance of having chronic illness. Life Disrupted is a personal and unflinching guide to living well with a chronic illness: managing your own health care without letting it take over your life, dealing with difficult doctors and frequent hospitalizations, having a productive and satisfying career that accommodates your health needs, and nurturing friendships and a loving, committed relationship regardless of recurring health problems. Laurie Edwards also addresses the particular needs of people who have more than one chronic illness or who are among the twenty-five million Americans with a rare disorder. She shares her own story and the experiences of others with chronic illness, as well as advice from life coaches, employment specialists, and health professionals. Reading Life Disrupted is like having a best friend and mentor who truly does know what you're going through.