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American Pain Society
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John D. Loeser, MD, Department Editor
Reviewed by John D. Loeser, MD
Frank K. Vertosick Jr., Harcourt, Inc., New York, 2000, 292 pages, $24 (hardcover), ISBN 0-15-100377-7
A neurosurgeon with more than the usual experience and insight about pain has written this highly personal book for nonprofessionals. He has selected patient vignettes that illustrate different types of pain patients who are likely to enter a neurosurgeon’s practice. This means that some common and some relatively rare clinical problems are presented, including tic douloureux, brachial plexus avulsion, spinal instability due to rheumatoid arthritis, and herniated lumbar nucleus pulposus. Then there are chapters on the pains of childbirth, menstruation, migraine, and the development of local and general anesthesia, which are not common issues in neurosurgical practice. Each chapter describes the pain syndrome and then digresses into various amounts of history, myth, and neuroscience. There is an index, but no references or sources for more information are listed.
Vertosick writes well, the book is easy to read, and there is a nice rhythm to each chapter and the book as a whole. This is not really a good book for the serious lay reader who wants to prepare himself or herself to make decisions about healthcare options, although an occasional chapter (e.g., tic douloureux) does that job well. Because the coverage of pain issues is not comprehensive and large areas are left out, it is not really a suitable primer. However, it is a fun read and does not set up false expectations for miraculous cures, even when neurosurgical procedures are discussed. The book could be a useful addition to a pain center patient library.
John Loeser is professor of neurological surgery and anesthesiology at the University of Washington in Seattle.
