The Meaning of Pain - What it is, Why We Feel it, and How to Overcome it (Paperback)

Nearly half of us at some point in our lives will suffer chronic pain. We go to the doctor, where the standard treatment on offer is either medication - which only masks the problem - or surgery - which can make things worse. For renowned osteopath Nick Potter, the reason why traditional medicine doesn't work is because chronic pain often has less to do with twisted muscles and more to do with far deeper-rooted anxieties. An expert on pain in all its forms, Potter has had nearly 30 years' clinical experience of treating people - ranging from elite athletes and hedge-funders to over-stretched families - who come to him with real symptoms and real physical pain for which there appears to be no root cause. In this fascinating book, he takes us on a journey into biology, evolution and contemporary social behaviour and anthropology to examine our relationship with pain. He presents his own roadmap for wellbeing (including his acclaimed theory of breathing), along with success stories from the consulting room, and shows us how to spot the signs and break the vicious cycle of stress, pain and anxiety before the damage is done.