About The Book
Section I
The pain pill paradox: Imagine you open the newspaper and read an article that says the blood pressure medicine you are taking will not only stop working over time, but will eventually make your blood pressure increase? This exact scenario could occur if you are taking opiod or narcotic-based medications for chronic pain over a long period.
Section II
I want to create highly successful STUDENTS who understand the nature of chronic pain and the complex plan for controlling it...through physical, emotional and spiritual transformations necessary to conquer their pain.
....it requires a supreme, unwavering effort. Consider Lance Armstrong. Armstrong proves that success doesn't just "happen." Even exceptionally talented people can't just show up for a race expecting to win. they know they must train harder than their competition. the same applies if YOU want to be victorious over chronic pain: YOU MUST OUTWORK IT TO TAKE CHARGE.
ARE YOU LIVING WITH CHRONIC PAIN?
Take Charge of Your Chronic Pain offers readers an in-depth "quiz" designed to identify problem areas and figure out which questions a patient should raise with their doctors. Here are a few questions for you to consider:
1. You believe your best years are:
a. in the present
b. in the future
c. in the past
d. hard to gauge
2. How do you feel about your future:
a. I am hopeful
b. I think I may get better with help
c. My chronic pain won't change
d. My future looks grim
3. How often do you think about your pain:
a. Rarely
b. Briefly, about once a day
c. At least a couple of times every day
d. At least every few hours
Section III
Remember that you have control over how you breathe, walk, exercise, and think and these vital activities directly affect how you feel physically and emotionally. This means you always have your own pain-managing "medicine" at your disposal, and no one or nothing, including your pain, can take that away from you unless you let it.
If you have chronic pain, the Western "treat the disease" model puts you in the role of a patient each and every day. How can you expect to get pleasure from life and feel good about yourself if you believe that you are incessantly ill? I've found that it's very important to change the perceived role from being a patient to being a HEALTH MANAGER.