Chapter 1 | A self-assessment | 3 |
Chapter 2 | Back pain and you | 15 |
Chapter 3 | Reversing the downward spiral of back pain | 39 |
Chapter 4 | Effectively managing your back pain | 47 |
Chapter 5 | Managing flare-ups and emergencies | 53 |
Chapter 6 | Working with doctors and other health professionals | 59 |
Chapter 7 | Medicines for controlling back pain | 65 |
Chapter 8 | Physical methods of pain control | 75 |
Chapter 9 | Pain control through mind-body techniques | 93 |
Chapter 10 | Handling the effects of pain on thoughts and emotions | 97 |
Chapter 11 | Recognizing depressive illness when you have back pain | 107 |
Chapter 12 | A balanced approach to physical activity | 113 |
Chapter 13 | The comfort zone: key to good posture and body mechanics | 119 |
Chapter 14 | Stretch to prevent pain and stiffness | 141 |
Chapter 15 | Exercises for building strength and endurance | 153 |
Chapter 16 | Feeling better through aerobic activities | 163 |
Chapter 17 | Staying active in an inactive world | 169 |
Chapter 18 | Solutions for sleep problems | 177 |
Chapter 19 | Strengthening your relationships | 185 |
Chapter 20 | Intimacy and sex | 193 |
Chapter 21 | Back pain and your job | 199 |
Chapter 22 | Final thoughts on feeling and doing better | 209 |
Appendix | The American Chronic Pain association’s ten steps for dealing with pain | 215 |
Index | Â | 219 |