Pain Medicine

This is designed as a textbook for medical practitioners preparing for higher qualification examinations in pain medicine, as well as a reference book for other medical and allied healthcare workers. A unique feature of the book is its multidisciplinary approach to manage pain. This is reflected by the contributors’ multi-national/cultural origin and the diversity in their medical background (anaesthesiology, neurosurgery, orthopaedic surgery, internal medicine, clinical oncology, clinical psychology, nursing, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy).

Essential topics in pain medicine are grouped under five sections: scientific basis of pain medicine, common clinical pain conditions, pain pharmacology, interventional procedures, and multidisciplinary approach. Different aspects and approaches in modern pain medicine are covered, including advances in research on pain mechanism, pain psychology, epidemiology, diagnosis, pain assessment, patient evaluation, pain medications, up-to-date interventional procedures, cognitive behavioral therapy, and other specialized therapeutic modalities. Besides the above topics, which assist the patient in fighting acute, chronnic, and cancer pain, there are two chapters dedicated to paediatric and geriatric patients respectively, as special consideration is need for these age groups.

Dr. Siu Lun Tsui is a consultant anaesthesiologist and pain physician who set up and leads the Division of Pain Medicine in the Queen Mary Hospital in Hong Kong. Through a close working relationship with the University of Hong Kong, this centre provides clinical services and academic research. Dr. Tsui is also an honorary clinical associate professor of the university. In additional to his many publications on pain medicine, Dr. Tsui is a coeditor of A Guide to Pain Medicine (Hong Kong University Press, 2002). Dr. Phoon Ping Chen is a consultant anaesthesiologist and chief of service at the Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital & North District Hospital, as well as the Director of the Pain Management Centre, New Territories East Cluster, located at the Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital. He is also an honorary associate professor in the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Dr. Kwok Fu Jacobus Ng is an associate professor in both the Department of Anaesthesiology and the Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy of the University of Hong Kong.

“Pain is common. Good pain management is unfortunately still rare. By bringing together these international multidisciplinary pain medicine specialists, the editors enable all who read the book access to the best evidence for the most appropriate treatments for the good of all our patients. Congratulations to the team on their excellent book which will be use of to all practitioners.” —Dr. Penelope Briscoe, Dean of Faculty of Pain Medicine, Australian and New Zealand College of Anesthetists

“Effective pain management requires a multidisciplinary approach. This comprehensive textbook is jointly contributed by local and international experts of different specialties and disciplines. This is a valuable resource for pain medicine.” —Professor Raymond Cheung, Professor in Neuroscience, University of Hong Kong