"The range of topics covered in Beyond Pain is very wide, and one is likely to find almost any question about pain that one has ever puzzled over explored somewhere in its pages."-From the Foreword by Oliver SacksWith its gripping firsthand stories of patients and their ailments, "Beyond Pain" opens the door to our understanding of the mysteries of pain. "Beyond Pain" delves into the condition of chronic pain to help us better understand its complexities, showing pain to be both a sensory experience and an interaction between mind and body. Based on author Angela Mailis-Gagnon's extensive research and daily practice at a major urban hospital pain clinic, "Beyond Pain" uses case studies drawn from both her own practice and her personal experience. Mailis-Gagnon describes the latest treatments and options for sufferers of chronic pain; techniques used to block pain; the effects of chronic pain; and cultural, gender, and genetic differences in the perception of pain. She shares her cutting-edge findings and observations, describes current treatments and options for sufferers of chronic pain, and examines the effects of chronic pain on the individuals who live with it. Accessibly and engagingly written, the book will appeal to chronic pain sufferers and their families, as well as to health care practitioners who work with patients' pain.