Handbook of Pain Assessment

This definitive clinical reference comprehensively reviews the most advanced methods for assessing the person in pain. The field's leading authorities present essential information and tools for evaluating psychosocial, behavioral, situational, and medical factors in patients' subjective experience, functional impairment, and response to treatment. Empirically supported instruments and procedures are detailed, including self-report measures, observational techniques, psychophysiological measures, and more. Best-practice recommendations are provided for assessing the most prevalent pain syndromes and for working with children, the elderly, and people with communication difficulties. The book also weighs in on the limitations of existing methods and identifies key directions for future research. New to This Edition: * tighter organization with more concise chapters and a heightened focus on practical clinical issues * incorporates significant advances in knowledge about pain and pain syndromes * numerous new or refined assessment instruments and procedures, including applications of advanced imaging techniques * chapter providing an integrated, comprehensive assessment approach for any type of chronic pain. "There is simply no other text or resource that so thoroughly defines the current status of pain assessment. This book is critical to understanding that we do have tools that can help us to objectify the pain experience, even though we are still without a pain ‘meter’ to measure the subjective level of a person’s suffering. With careful assessment, a more effective pain therapy regimen can be created. The importance of assessing the biopsychosocial factors that contribute to the pain experience is still undervalued and underutilized. This well-written, easy-to-read volume from some of the most eminent specialists in the field should be required reading for all health professionals who come into contact with people in pain." - Margaret Caudill-Slosberg, Departments of Anesthesiology and Community and Family Medicine, Dartmouth Medical School, USA "This is the authoritative reference on pain assessment, and has been since the first edition. The Handbook integrates the rapidly growing body of assessment research into a single manageable volume. It reminds us that identifying and measuring meaningful behavioral outcomes - assessing the patient and not just the pain - is the key to the process. The third edition covers new instruments, methods, and procedures, as well as the latest refinements of older instruments. Importantly, it also cautions us not to blindly accept any measure, even the most technical and face-valid. A 'must have' for health care professionals and students." - Beverly E. Thorn, Department of Psychology, University of Alabama, USA Dennis C. Turk (Author), Ronald Melzack (Author)