Clinical Manual of Pain Management in Psychiatry

Book excerpt: The Clinical Manual of Pain Management in Psychiatry focuses on the role of mental health practitioners in evaluation and assessment, pharmacological management, psychotherapeutic interventions, and comprehensive treatment planning for pain. It balances theoretical foundations of pain pathophysiology with applied clinical information, all the while viewing the patient from biological, psychological, and social perspectives in order to tailor treatment to the whole person. This handy portable guide includes numerous tables and illustrations and expands on the author's previous Concise Guide to Pain Management for Psychiatrists to reflect significant advances in the field of pain medicine. It features particularly extensive revisions regarding the use of psychiatric and other adjunctive medications in pain management; includes updated coverage of common psychiatric comorbidities such as depression, anxiety, and personality disorders; and addresses common pain disorders ranging from headache and back pain to pain related to cancer and HIV. The manual includes an extensively revised chapter on pharmacology, fully discusses psychotherapeutic approaches, and covers special techniques such as acupuncture and regional neural blockade. It also offers updated advice on emerging forensic issues, from disability claims to controlled substance diversion.