Book Description

“Women today not only deserve but should expect a pain-free, active lifestyle, no matter their age, no matter their previous experience.”

Pain Free for Women

In his famed San Diego clinic, Pete Egoscue has taught women of all ages and from all walks of life how to use the Egoscue Method for safe, effective, and permanent relief from chronic pain without prescription painkillers, physical therapy, or invasive surgery. Now he shares his specially adapted “Pain Free” program for women to use at home.

Whether you suffer from back or neck pain, joint discomfort or sore knees, or need more stamina, improved balance, and extra strength, here is a revolutionary and proven approach to self-care that promises optimal health through a simple set of exercises that will transform the way you move and feel — forever!

Egoscue shows women how to take back their bodies by recovering and restoring a precious health asset — full, free, flexible motion — that he believes has been drastically reduced by our modern lifestyle.

As Egoscue explains, motion not only develops a woman’s body but also maintains and rejuvenates it. Yet as her motion-deprived muscles disengage and weaken, it is common for a woman’s body to lose alignment, leading to repetitive stress injuries, persistent pain, and general bad health. Even the simplest activities — how she sits, stands, walks, works, lifts, and sleeps — can trigger problems.

Focusing on proper alignment, posture, and muscle engagement, Egoscue provides simple but powerful techniques to restore flexibility and function while at the same time boosting energy, revving up the immune system, even raising the body’s metabolic rate.

The remarkable “E-cises” included within have also been linked to improved ability to fight disease, cope with aging, and recover from accidents and injuries. The “miracle” cure Egoscue offers is, simply, correct motion.

Organized by the seasons of a woman’s life, Pain Free for Women pays particular attention to age-specific concerns such as puberty, childbirth, and menopause, as well as special issues such as arthritis, PMS, and depression.

At the same time, Egoscue shows how women can build a framework of healthy movement that will prevent illness and maintain pain-free good health throughout the journey of life.

According to Egoscue, reversing the effects of poor musculoskeletal fitness provides astonishing benefits, including:

•Better balance, posture, and breathing, as well as increased resiliency
•Effective and safe weight management
•Healthy bone density and visual acuity
•Heightened sex drive
•Delayed symptoms of aging
•Peace of mind and general tranquility

Extensively illustrated to demonstrate proper placement, posture, and movement, Pain Free for Women offers women of every age the possibility of feeling better than ever before. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Are you Kidding? Egoscue is a Genius!!!
Over 3 years ago I had constant shoulder, back, and hip pain. I had already invested in over a dozen books and had come to the conclusion that nothing was ever going to help me - chronic pain was a part of growing older. I also had a difficult time doing the Taijiquan (a martial art) form I was working on because my back was overly curved. On the advice of a friend, I got Egoscue's first book, Pain Free.

After doing the exercises (30 minutes each day) for a few months, wonder of wonder, my curved back relaxed and I was able to sink into the Taijiquan postures I'd been trying to achieve for ten years. But best of all - the pain disappeared. For the first time in years, I didn't wake up to daily pain in my joints!!!

Unfortunately, almost a year ago, I got into a car accident that is still causing me a great deal of pain in my neck and back. I had been doing those same Pain Free exercises from before, but they didn't seem to be doing much.

I decided to purchase this newer book anyway - since it was written specifically for women. I actually didn't think it would help much and prepared myself for disappointment.

Oh MY!! After just a few weeks, once again, I was amazed at the difference. The exercises in this book (and yes, they do take much longer than the simple Pain Free book) were so helpful that I was able to change from a narcotic pain reliever to a non-narcotic pain reliever. Believe me, for someone trying to function- that is a BIG difference.

Egoscue is a genius. I have seen many doctors, including so-called pain specialists, and the only thing that has significantly helped me so far is Egoscue exercises. I now do them every day, and can feel the difference in my neck, back, shoulders, hips, knees, ankles, and feet.

Even better - this book explains in much more detail than the Pain Free book exactly what's going on in my muscles and body - so that I can really tell why the exercises are working (or not). Now that I can feel the difference, I can tell when to stop doing one phase and move on to the next.

I felt compelled to write this review because I noticed a few negative reviews. The only thing that I can postulate is that

1. The people writing were not committed to the exercises for long enough for them to work, or...

2. The people did not really have chronic pain to begin with and therefore no motivation, or....

3. The people have something personal against Peter Egoscue (I have never met him, so I wouldn't know).

All I can say is -- this book changed my life. I only wish I had read it BEFORE my accident - I suspect that I wouldn't have gotten so hurt had I been in better "functional" shape prior to getting rear-ended.

This book is about prevention, about taking control of your body and making it work the way it was designed to work. If you are a women in chronic pain - believe me - if you do these exercises, you will change your life for the better. Don't let others disuade you from doing the most that you can for yourself.

Can you spare about 3 hours every day?
You are suposed to do a minimum of 12 exercises every day. The Egoscue method is totally spoiled by two these exercises because they are very time consuming. One called the "supine groin stretch" requires one and a half hours(45 minutes for each leg); the "static back" requires 30 minutes. The others take about 5 minutes each with the exception of the "air bench" which takes 3 minutes but is so hard to perform. Total: 3 hours every morning. What time do you have to get up for work?
(I bought the Egoscue video cassette fron their website but I was totally disappointed: only 3 of the exercises are demonstrated
and the quality is very poor).

It worked for me
I had been a suffered of sporadic lower back pain that usually came on when I was asleep. It was so painful that it would wake me up and I would be afraid to move because I knew the pain would be agonizing. I thought that lack of muscle strength was the problem and so I faithfully did abdominal crunches and lower back extensions, but that didn't help. Rather desperately, I went searching for other answers and stumbled across this book. Pete's discussion of posture struck a chord in me, so I worked on that and added his restoration exercises. The first phase was too mild to help me, but I noticed an improvement in my pain as I moved on to the second phase. My back pain completely vanished as I moved into the third phase and has not come back. I am truly grateful to be restored to normality. The exercises don't sound very intensive, but they worked wonders for me - stretching, release, and balance is what I needed, not mere muscle. I would recommend that you *try* these exercises, not just read the reviews or sit in a chair and read the book. Once again, it worked for me, and I'm so grateful. I hope it will work for you.

Return to function.....Take charge of your health
This is a real back to the basics book. Move like a child...feel like a child. Women can do anything!

bad book
This book lacks consistancy. With all its un-understandable advanced medical terms I began to think it was a medical textbook. Pete Egoscuevery did a very poor job writing this book. ... Read more

Book Description

The Best Alternative Medicine is the only book available today that both evaluates the major areas of alternative medicine and addresses how they can be used to treat specific conditions. Dr. Kenneth R. Pelletier explains such popular therapies as mind/body medicine, herbal and homeopathic remedies, spiritual healing, and traditional Chinese systems, discussing their effectiveness, the ailments each is most appropriate for, and how they can help prevent illness. In the second part of the book, which is organized alphabetically, he draws on the latest National Institute of Health (NIH)-sponsored research to present clear recommendations for the prevention and treatment of health concerns ranging from acne to menopause to ulcers.

Combining valuable guidance about alternative treatments with definitive health advice, The Best Alternative Medicine will be the standard reference for the increasing number of people integrating alternative medicine into their personal and organizational heath-care programs. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Alternative medicine: a guide to sorting evidence and myth
If you consider yourself open-minded about medical therapies, but are bewildered by, if not downright sceptical of, popular claims regarding alternative medicine, this book may be one of the best guides to help you sort actual scientific evidence from hearsay.

Dr. Kenneth Pelletier, a clinical professor of medicine at the Stanford School of Medicine, provides a lucid, superbly documented, and well organized volume on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) broadly defined as "those medical systems, interventions, applications, theories, or claims that are currently not part of the dominant (conventional) biomedical system."

This book should appeal both to those with a policy interest in this subject as well as a practical interest in understanding what the state of scientific evidence is across a wide range of alternative medical practices. Even while looking at these issues primarily from the perspective of policy and practice in the United States, the book sources its medical evidence globally and compares policy and practice from different parts of the world.

The book is organized in a straightforward two-part structure. Part One catalgoues avaiable scientific evidence relevant to major categories and sub-categories of alternative medical practices such as mind-body control (inclduing biofeedback, mediatation, arometherapy, etc.,); diet, nutrition and lifestyle changes (inclduing herbal medicine); alternative systems such as acupucnture, ayurveda, homeopathy, Chinese medicine, and others; and manual healing,incdluing acupressure, massage therapy, chiropractic, and others.

Part Two organizes and evaluates evidence relating to CAM therapies by dozens of specific major meduical conditions such as acne, alcoholism, arthrities, depression, diabetes, epilespy, ulcers, and vertigo, just to name a few.

The politics of conventional and alternative medicine ensure that no treatment of this subject is easily free of, or seen to be free of, advocacy. This book is no exception, with clear bias for openly considering alternative medicine based on available evidence. It recognizes the polemical atmosphere in which the debate is currently framed and favors a middle ground approach of "integrative medicine." There is an interesting discussion situating the debate on these issues in the United States relative to other, mainly European, countries.

While it can hardly be the last word on this difficult subject, this book appears to be one of the most thoughtful and transparent comparisons of conventional and alternative medicine in the United States.

Engaging, Encouraging and Authoritative
This is an engaging and encouraging survey of evidenced-based, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) from the perspective of a leading medical researcher well-experienced with the many scientific and public policy issues involved in CAM. It provides a delightful educational experience and deserves a prominent spot on the health reference shelf for many reasons.

First, most of the major CAM disciplines and methods are covered, including Mind-Body Medicine, Dietary Supplements, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Acupuncture, Western Herbal Medicine, Naturopathy, Homeopathy, Chiropractic, Ayurveda & Yoga, and Spirituality & Healing. This provides a basic introductory understanding of the therapies themselves and the science behind the evaluation. All assessments of therapies are well documented, which is one of the major strengths of this work.

Second, there is an alphabetical list of many specific medical conditions and an assessment of a variety of CAM therapies for treatment. This is a valuable feature of the book and the reason it may be of immediate help for some and a good reference manual for others. Of course, the science is rapidly expanding in this area due to popular interest and NIH funding, so the evaluations in this book will increasingly lag behind current thought.

In addition, there is a good discussion of CAM insurance and related public policy matters. (Unfortunately, at least in my view, this otherwise very helpful discussion does not address the fundamental impact Medical Savings Accounts might have on making CAM more accessible by providing consumers more treatment and economic choices in their own health care decisions.)

A good complementary to this book is Health and Healing by Andrew Weil. The policy minded will wish to review the recent report (March 2002) from the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Policy (WHCCAMP), available on the web.

Must be read carefully
Like most people I am aware of the scientific limitations of some complementary and alternative medical practices and approaches (CAMs). I am also aware that there are some ailments that are most effectively treated by conventional methods. As Dr. Pelletier points out, "conventional medicine excels in the treatment of acute trauma, childbirth emergencies, treating broken bones, performing corrective surgery, and treating acute, life-threatening illnesses" (p. 183). Nonetheless I am a staunch supporter of alternative approaches taken selectively, in particular those based on a long history of practice, such as acupuncture, Chinese medicine and some aspects of Ayurvedic medicine. I am also aware that the theory behind these practices is sometimes flawed in a scientific sense, and that the reason for the effectiveness of some of the treatments is not fully understood. Additionally, it is sometimes impossible to separate the effectiveness of a therapy from the placebo effect. The fact is, however, the art and science of medicine is still in its adolescence at best, and we have a lot to learn. I think in particular the American Medical Association and its members have a lot to learn. The main thing they should understand is that a strictly scientific approach to the healing arts is of limited effectiveness because an essential part of the healing process is treating the whole person, physically, mentally, and emotionally. This is particularly true of the chronic diseases that plague modern societies.

However I cannot give a ringing endorsement to this book, mainly because it is primarily a carefully constructed, painstakingly written, legally considered endorsement of the alternative medical industry. As such it is a book taking a political position, clearly motivated by a desire to convince the insurance industry of the wisdom of allowing its clients to chose CAMs instead of, or in addition to, conventional treatments. Again and again Dr. Pelletier tells the reader that this or that alternative approach is more cost effective than the conventional approach (e.g., see p. 149). While I wish Dr. Pelletier success in getting the HMOs to fork out cash for CAMs, I would prefer a book that concentrates on helping the lay person evaluate the effectiveness of the various approaches. Dr. Pelletier has too many people to please for him to be candid about the relative merits of the various methods. Again and again we are told that the evidence is "suggestive" or "intriguing" (p. 147) or that some recent findings are "so new that they...have not yet been published and subjected to peer review" (p. 203). If one does not read carefully, one might get the impression, for example, that homeopathic medicine is the equal of say, Chinese medicine. Homeopathic medicine is based on a rather limited tradition and a highly suspect theory, while its principle technique is to give patients astronomically-diluted solutions of curative agents that are not necessarily curative. The explanation for how such a medicine works is that the water in the solution somehow "remembers" the form of the curative agent! However I must add that it is to the infinite credit of homeopathy that it follows the first and most important rule of medicine--a rule that conventional medicine does not always adhere to--which is, to do no harm. Having seen the horrendous harm that chemotherapy and radiation treatment can do, I say, thank you, dilute solutions! Chinese medicine, in contradistinction, is based on the use of thousands of medicines and practices honed over thousands of years of practice. This is an enormous difference not emphasized in the text.

The real reason these alternative practices work (when they do work) is that the body heals itself, but it heals itself best when the patient has confidence in the therapy and is treated with respect, kindness, consideration and intelligence. The conventional medical establishment still hasn't gotten this very important message. The AMA has spent many decades decrying the "false" medical practices of, for example, chiropractic, but hasn't seen that a bigger problem lies with itself and the medical practices of far too many of its members, practices that neglect and ignore the whole-body, mind and emotional needs of patients while astronomically increasing the cost of their treatments. What has happened is CAMs have rushed in to fill the real needs of patients, and if their approach is not as scientifically "valid" as that of mainstream medicine, in many cases it doesn't matter, since the body itself is really the healer. What often matters most is how the patient feels during treatment.

The "best" alternatives that Dr. Pelletier presents include, in addition to those mentioned above, "MindBody," "Western Herbal Medicine," "Naturopathy," and "Spirituality." He has a chapter devoted to each with an introduction to the particular approach, a brief history, and a statement of principles. He follows this with a "What Works" section, a "What Doesn't Work," and a "What's in the Works" section." Again the text must be read carefully. For example, on page 199 he writes, "Homeopathy's underlying theoretical principles appear to contravene the principles of modern scientific medicine...However...the principle of like cures like was the basis for the development of vaccines and allergy desensitization treatments. This analogy, though, is not really accurate...," etc., leaving the reader in a position of clear uncertainty!

What is not uncertain is that some conventional doctors are becoming better educated and are reaching out into the fields of alternative medicine for ideas on how to improve their practice. But not all. Some are still the willing dupes of medical insurance companies; indeed there are mainstream doctors whose primary source of income is derived from making diagnoses that please HMOs and protect them from patients with chronic illnesses. The growth of alternative approaches may have the effect of forcing the practitioners of conventional medicine to become more responsive to the public welfare. At least one hopes so. This book should help.

Best medicine or just wishful thinking?
Recommended to those who are intersted but also skeptical of alternative medicine claims. The scientific evidence compiled by Ken Pelletier shows that efficacy of homeopathy, acupunture, chiropractic, Chinese medicine, and ayurveda is often weak and questionable. Yet the author curiously seems to gloss over these obvious shortcomings.

Having personally been a patient/client of many alternative/comlimentary/integrative health practioners of the kind mentioned above,I have come to the conclusion that a lot of wishful thinking perpetuates the exaggerated and often ridiculous claims of alternative medical practioners and people who, very much like myself, derive some benefit from spiritual and metaphysical beliefs.

While conventional medicine is not without its controversy and shortcomings - take a careful look at psychiatry/antipsychiatry, for instance - scientific medicine, with some good old love and compassion, not dogma, still remains the "best medicine". I also highly recommend: "A consumers guide to alternative medicine" by Kurt Butler. "Inside chiropractic: a patient's guide" by Samuel Homola. "The Faith Healers" by James Randi. And especially Martin Gardner's books on psuedoscience, religion, and philosophy

A must-buy!
This excellent book is written in three parts. Part I is a thoughtful introduction to complementary and alternative medicine (or "CAM"). It looks at the history of medicines, acupuncture, traditional Chinese medicine, homeopathy, chiropractic, and much, much more. Part II is an examination of the complementary and alternative treatments for many illnesses and ailments including: Aids, allergies, high blood pressure, and much more.

I just can't say enough about this book. It has a wealth of information, both general and specific, and it is very easy to read. If you are interested in alternative medicine, then you must get this book. I recommend this book wholeheartedly. ... Read more

Book Description

"Challem’s new book hits a home run — with the latest research on what to eat and take to defeat our real number-one cause of health problems — inflammation. It’s a message of the utmost importance."
–Jean Carper
New York Times bestselling author of Stop Aging Now! and Your Miracle Brain, columnist for USA Weekend magazine

What is the Inflammation Syndrome? It’s the cumulative effect of low-grade inflammation–including the aches and pains we all experience–that grows into chronic debilitating disease. This book, the first major book on the syndrome, reveals the powerful role that inflammation plays in a wide variety of common health conditions–from simple aches and pains to heart disease, obesity, diabetes, Syndrome X, arthritis, asthma, and athletic injuries. Drawing on cutting-edge research conducted around the world, Jack Challem provides a revolutionary approach to healing inflammation-related problems through an easy-to-follow nutrition and supplement program. He also shares the latest information on C-reactive protein, one of the marker s o f serio us inflammation. This book, quite simply, shows you how to feel better for life.

"Many of our most debilitating diseases can be traced to an inflammatory cause. The program Jack Challem outlines in The Inflammation Syndrome is a great first step in ridding your body of this deadly problem."
–Fred Pescatore, M.D., author of Thin for Good, The Allergy and Asthma Cure, and The Hamptons Diet

"In a scientifically accurate and easy-to-understand manner, Jack Challem lays out the basic nutrition plan for good health and weight loss."
–Loren Cordain, Ph.D., author of The Paleo Diet ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Too Much Emphasis on Your Diet
The Inflammation Cure by Meggs and Svec, and The Inflammation Syndrome by Challem, both appeared in 2003 and both discuss the role of inflammation in the major diseases of our time, and the things that one can do to limit the risk of diseases related to inflammation. Both books are easy to read. Which to choose? According to the prestigious Library Journal, "While Jack Challem's The Inflammation Syndrome covers similar ground [to the Inflammation Cure], his approach leans toward the faddish and sensationalist, while Meggs takes a more levelheaded approach, weaving the latest research on various diseases into a broad picture." The thing I most prefer about Meggs' book is that it takes a comprehensive approach (including diet) to the things that affect inflammation, rather than spending the whole book just discussing the role of diet as is done in Challem's book. Challem is a health reporter who writes and publishes The Nutrition Reporter newsletter; it is natural that he would stress diet and its consequences. But diseases are caused and controlled by much more than our diet. Meggs is a practicing physician who has a great deal of clinical experience with all aspects of inflammation, and who has woven many real-life cases into the book as illustrations. So, which book should you buy? I have little doubt that you will find The Inflammation Cure by Meggs and Svec more informative and much more useful as a reference on your shelf.

Great explanation of the underlying cause of most disease
Jack Challem writes articles on health for both the general public and scientific publications. He is also co-author of the book Syndrome X.

The Inflammation Syndrome is divided into four parts: an explanation of the connection between inflammation and disease, including causes of inflammation; a 15-step diet plan to prevent and heal inflammation; supplements recommended to combat inflammation; and inflammation and specific diseases. There are multiple quizzes throughout the book on different causes of inflammation to allow you to see all the various ways your lifestyle may be currently promoting, or preventing, inflammation in your body. The book is written in a lively, easy-to-understand style, and the author helpfully provides a detailed table of contents, an index, extensive references, and appendices listing medical tests for inflammation and sources for anti-inflammatory products.

I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about inflammation. Its straightforward, practical suggestions are not horrendously difficult to implement, and the author includes menu plans and recipes to get you started on his eating plan. I find his quizzes especially useful as a kind of lifestyle self-diagnosis.

If you'd like to do additional reading on this subject, another excellent book is The Inflammation Cure: How to Combat the Hidden Factor Behind Heart Disease, Arthritis, Asthma, Diabetes, & Other Diseases, by William Joel Meggs. An outstanding related work is The Body Restoration Plan: Eliminate Chemical Calories and Restore Your Body's Natural Slimming System, by Dr. Paula Baillie-Hamilton. Dr. Baillie-Hamilton doesn't specifically write about inflammation, but provides very valuable insights on the damage done by environmental toxins to the body, which both Meggs and Challem indicate are strongly implicated in causing inflammation.

Full Coverage
The author does a first-class job of covering not only the
causes of most of our physical ailments, but also of how to
give yourself relief from them.
His theory is that so many of our physical problems come from
what we eat and drink, that we should be able to avoid those
problems by eating right. Not a new theory, but he outlines
all the problems affected by our poor diet, and he documents
scientific and medical studies showing the cause-and-effect,
and then, to cap it all off, he explains how we can specifically
change our diets to start improving our physical health.
He gives details for anyone truly interested in those questions,
and he has a direct and rather plain-speaking way of showing
us what items we need to eliminate from our diets, and then
he happily presents the better, more healthful substitutes.
The author covers everything in the field, and he not only outlines the problems, he shows us the way to a more healthful
life, and he does that in a way we can understand and follow.
For anyone suffering from any health problem, or who is worried
about their future health, this is a must.
Don't miss it.

He's convinced me.
I don't review books here very often, because I usually feel that other people have already said it better than I could, but as I read the reviews of this book, I got the feeling that the author called up everybody he knew and asked them to write a review for him here.

But I'm not a friend of his, just a real person, so I thought I'd tell you what I think of his book.

I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes about 2 weeks ago. I've known it was coming for many years because there's a lot of it in my family. So anyway, I immediately went to my local bookstore and started looking for books to inform me about diabetes, and as I was browsing, I ran across this book.

I bought it and read it, and I believe what he says. Since I read his book I've been thinking, "If only I'd had his book 15 years ago, or ten years ago, or even one year ago." The book says that it can help prevent or reverse(among others):
heart disease - my brother is taking drugs for high cholesterol.
arthritis - I've got that. I had to start walking with crutches in the past year.
Diabetes - I've got that.
Allergies - everybody in my family has plenty of these, including food allergies of various types.
Crohn's disease - my other brother and niece have that.
Gastritis and ulcers - my mother, myself, and my son all have problems with this.
Inflammatory bowel syndrome - yep, I've got that too and so does my son.
Obesity - I weigh 365 pounds in spite of (??because of??) 30 years of dieting. And both my brothers are pretty big too.

So it was interesting to find out that there is a single underlying cause to all these seemingly disparate problems. He explains (and backs up his explanations with plenty of scientific studies) that our modern diet is so extremely different from what our ancestors were eating even 100 years ago, that we are in effect poisoning ourselves. The answer is to eat differently - more like our ancestors ate.

This means cutting out the doughnuts and the french fries. His diet plan probably isn't going to be easy in the long run. I've only been doing it for about a week, and I'm okay with it so far. But I know from experience that in a few weeks someone is going to offer me a brownie or a doughnut and I'm going to want it a lot. However, I really don't want to spend the rest of my life as physically miserable as I am right now, and I certainly don't want to go blind and lose my legs like some of my relatives have done, so I'm determined to follow his advice. Everything he says in his book makes sense to me.

I've read plenty of reviews of diet books of one flavor or another where some person writes in and says "!!!This book has changed my life. I've been on it 3 days and I know this is the diet I'll be one for the rest of my life!!!" Well, I find that a little ridiculous. But I can say that once I got past the withdrawal symptoms from not eating sugar, I've felt much better. The last 2 days I've even been able to walk short distances without my crutch for the first time in 9 months. I'm going to give his plan the old college try! 8-) More than that, I'm sending copies of his book to both my brothers.

If you've got health problems of the type described above or a family history of such problems, I think you should read this book.

Inflammation book
I love the premise of this book: the guy has got the right idea about the inflammation thing and I would like to read the book, but all these vapid positive reviews seem like they are written by the same person and basically say nothing...very annoying. ... Read more

Book Description

Dr. Daniel J. Wallace is one of the world's leading authorities on lupus, the co-author of the leading textbook, and an eminent clinician who has treated over 2000 lupus patients, the largest such practice in America. His The Lupus Book, published in 1995, was the first book written by a leading authority specifically for patients. It immediately established itself as the most readable and helpful book on the disease.Now Dr. Wallace has completely revised The Lupus Book, incorporating a wealth of new information. This revised and expanded edition discusses the newest breakthroughs in drug treatments as well as the most recent discoveries in cellular, genetic, and immunological research--all laid out in user-friendly language that any patient could understand. Readers will discover 10 new blood tests your doctor can do, over 30 new drugs introduced since 1995, an extensive table of herbs that can be used for the disorder, and a large section on cognitive therapy and biofeedback. There are new sections on topics such as cell signaling, lupus susceptibility genes, selective cox-2 inhibitors, newer immunosuppressive therapies, and osteoporosis. And as in the first edition, the book provides absolutely lucid answers to such questions as: What causes lupus? How and where is the body affected? Can a woman with lupus have a baby? And how can one manage this disease? There is also a glossary of terms and an appendix listing lupus resource materials. Over a million Americans have lupus and some tens of thousands of patients die every year from the disease. The new edition of The Lupus Book offers these patients and their families a wealth of reliable, up-to-date information that will help them manage the disease and live a happier life. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Best book on the subject!
I was diagnosised with Lupus 27 yrs ago at age 17. Since then, I have literally seen 100's of Drs, most of whom were, to be kind, not very knowledgeble about SLE. This book has been instrumental in getting me the care and treatment that I need. I take it with me to nearly all Drs appointments and have given copies of it to Drs who need the information that it contains to competently treat my illness.

If you're looking for a factual, well written and easy to understand book about Lupus, to either read yourself or to give to family and friends, this is the book you've been looking for.

The most comprehensive lupus book available
The Lupus Book offers detailed information about lupus that is helpful for the newly diagnosed patient or, like my mother, for a lupus survivor of more than 20 years. It has become a "lupus Bible" for my mother and me, even after all the books we've read about lupus over the last 25 years. The book includes example anecdotes, useful information on treatments, and VITAL clinical information for each body system involved. Another Amazon.com customer recommended this book, and I am so grateful--we discovered a life-saving diagnostic procedure through this book that my mother's doctors had not intended to run. If you think you're getting the best care possible for your lupus, read this book and be certain of it. I can't recommend this book highly enough--it is quite literally life-preserving information for the chronically ill lupus patient.

The Lupus Book
This is a great book for newly diagnosed Lupus patients. I have learned so much about the disease, and this book has answered alot of my questions about everything from skin rashes to lupus and pregnancy. The information is logically categorized and written in plain English....no medical double-talk here. Highly recommended!

LUPUS PATIENT REFERRAL
AS NEWLY DIAGNOSED LUPUS PATIENT, THIS BOOK HAS BEEN OF GREAT ASSISTANCE TO ME. YOU CAN READ IT IN THE ORDER OF THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE, OR FROM COVER TO COVER.

a patient of dr. wallace and dr. hallegua
I had been suffering more than 6 years w/almost 30 different doctors all with different misdiagnosises and no relief when I met Dr. Hallegua who is Dr. Wallace's partner. In a week I had the blessing of a lupus diagnosis, a Dr who cared and meds that made a world of difference. I highly recomend their books to sufferers of lupus as well as their friends and family. They are the best in their feild, passionate in their work, and if you are not lucky enough to be their patient you can still be lucky enough to read their wise words.great aid in educating loved ones ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Excellent text
I found the information quite thorough. It is written in a user-friendly way, easy to understand. I bought this book because it was listed as a reference for the chiropractic practice part 2 exam. This book helped me with the locations of the trigger points. Sometimes the chiro boards like to ask questions on trigger points. However, Leonardi's book: National Board of Chiropractic Part II Study Guide: Key Review Questions and Answers and National Board of Chiropractic Part III Study Guide: Key Review Questions and Answers with Explanations are excellent for board exam preparation. These three books are needed for the part II and Part III of the boards.

The ultimate in drug-free pain relief!
As a Clinical Massage Therapist at a hospital, I use these books almost daily. In fact, I just ordered my second set. . . The first is so threadbare it's barely usable. ANYTIME I have a patient with a pain that I can't immediately identify I grab my Travell's. This set is an absolute BIBLE for anyone in the health care industry. Travell and Simons have esentially written "The Instruction Manual" for elliminating myofascial pain by going to it's source!

Janet Travell, MD and David Simons, MD were absolute pioneers when it came to myofascial pain and it's treatment. What makes these books even more amazing is that they were written a full quarter of a century before doctors even acknowledged that myofascial pain actually exsisted. . . What makes them interesting is that, in this, the most current edition, they have re-evaluated about 65% of the sites that before would only be considered for cortizone or saline injection and now recommend these areas be attended to by a Massage Therapist. They even go into strong detail as to stroke, direction and stretching. There are still plenty of sites that they recommend for injection, but only in a last resort situation.

The chapters are laid out in an incredibly easy to understand manner, though that's not even the beauty of the book's design. If you know the name of the muscle in question, you simply look inside the front cover; the muscle are all listed with their coresponding page numbers next to them. Don't know the name or not sure which muscle it is in the group? No problem. You again open the front cover and there, in 5th grade simplicity, are charts for all the areas covered in the book. Flip to the area in question and look through the diagrams. When you find (in the super well drawn diagrams) the pain you are trying to treat, you are given, not only several treatment plans, but etiology and most likely direct verve aggravation associated with the pain.

My only problem with the set is that the book are not as well bound as maybe they could be for the price. You'll notice, however, that it didn't have enough of an impact on me to give it any less that a perfect score.

I STRONGLY recommend this book for ANY health care practitioner that deals with pain control and alleviation.

A Tour de Force
Janet Travell MD and David Simons MD spent a lifetime studying the patterns and treatment of muscular and soft tissue pain in patients. It is a specialty in itself, and provides an amazingly detailed review of anatomy. These books are the bible on the subject written by the "mother" and "father" of the specialty. There will hardly be a day in the professional life of a busy primary care practitioner, rheumatologist, orthopedist, neurologist, physiatrist or physical therapist when these books will not be used. The more one knows of this field, the more revelations one gets into those difficult chronic pain patients. The etiology and muscular complexity of the huge field of "tension headache" syndromes now become clear. With these books you will have the tools to diagnose and treat effectively (usually dramatically) the entire spectrum of myofascial pain from head to toe, muscle by muscle. Why do so few physicians know of this vital area of medicine?

Essential Text
The Trigger Point Manual is a two volume set detailing the current state of knowledge of trigger points and myofascial pain for both the upper body, vol. 1, and the lower extremities, vol. 2. It also contains fascinating analysis of how muscles work in different situations, offering insight into aspects of human movement. These wonderful books are essential reading for all manual therapists.

All MD's,DDS's,PT's,DO's&DC's Should Study & Use This Book!
Literally millions of patients in pain could be helped if they and their health care professionals understood myofascial trigger points and referred pain, the concepts so thoroughly documented in the "Trigger Point Manual" by Travell and Simons. For example, over 80 percent of patients with TMJ disorder (TMD) experience myofascial pain. With a knowledgeable provider diagnosing, plus utilizing the patient's own self-help abilities for a home- care program, billions of dollars could be saved in unnecessary medications and procedures. Travell and Simons have given health care professionals a path to walk. This book should be required reading in all institutions of learning. -- This text refers to the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Among candidates for world's worst job, disease detective ranks pretty high. In Beating Back the Devil, Maryn McKenna examines the everyday fascinations and horrors faced by the CDC's Epidemic Intelligence Service. On a few hours' notice, these physicians are ready to travel anywhere in the world to track down new medical threats. McKenna writes about the group's response to such frightening incidents as the first outbreaks of Ebola and SARS. In matter-of-fact, first-person narratives, EIS doctors tell how they deal with crises brought on not only by biological threats, but by public health mismanagement, terrorism, and war. One doctor describes trying to save children while working in conflict-torn Zaire:

"We would go into a center and find kids lying on the floor, severely dehydrated, with a clogged IV," he said. "Then we would go outside and find the relief workers building a stone fireplace.... And we'd have to say, Hot meals would be great, but in a few days you're not going to have any living kids to cook meals for.... Take this oral rehydration solution and sit by this child and spoon it into his mouth.... Don't do anything else, or this child is going to be dead."

Book Description

This is one of the few medical genetics texts on a 2-year revision cycle. It provides up-to-date information that can be read, retained, and applied with ease! The 3rd Edition covers pharmacogenomics, the societal implications of technologies, the Human Genome Project, cloning, genetic enhancement, and embryonic stem cell research, new tumor suppressor genes and oncogenes, and more. Mini-summaries, study questions, suggested readings, and a detailed glossary facilitate review of the material. Clinical relevance is demonstrated in over 230 photographs, illustrations, and tables as well as boxes containing patient/family vignettes. Its coverage includes ethical, legal, and social issues and clinical commentary on important genetic diseases. A companion web site offers continuing updates and a wealth of additional features. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

An excellent preclinical book
This book was intended to prepare medical students to understand the basic science principles that form the foundation of clinical genetics. It is not intended to be a clinical handbook. It does an excellent job showing how the clinical genetic diseases illustrate the scientific principles of genetics. I think that it is very well written, and forms a foundation to pursue more clinical studies.

medical genetics
I think the book is fine,but there ought to be detailed explanations about various genetical disorders in human genes.

Medical Genetics
This book is extremely limited in discussing how these genetic disorders manifest themselves clinically. I would not recommend this book for students who plan to apply their knowledge in the clinical setting. Explanations of certain genetic terms are not always clearly defined nor are certain biologic processes such as meiosis. Overall, a poorly written book for anyone but a graduate student of genetics. ... Read more

Book Description

Fundamentals of Family Medicine, Third Edition, describes the current approach to common problems in family practice.The book tells how family physicians provide high-quality, comprehensive, and ongoing health care for patients and families, based on current evidence and time-tested methods in clinical practice.

The book is intended to be a reference source for the care of diseases family physicians are likely to see and as the course textbook for medical students in family medicine clerkships in medical school.

Clinical scenarios that include case studies and questions for group discussion reinforce the book's clinical topics.The clinical scenarios all concern members of the Nelson family- a multigenerational extended family whose members visit the family physician with a variety of health concerns and whose dynamics evolve from chapter to chapter.The discussion questions allow the group to consider both the biomedical and psychosocial aspects of problems such as headache, obstructive airway disease, diabetes mellitus, athletic injuries, domestic violence, care of the dying patient, and the family physicians's role in dealing with terrorist events.

This book will help health professionals provide up-to-date care for their patients, and will allow students to view clinical issues through the eyes of the family physician.

Fundamentals of Family Medicine, Third Edition, ideally is used as a companion to Family Medicine: Principles and Practice, Sixth Edition, edited by Robert B. Taylor et al.

"This remains the best single "rotation-sized" book for clinical clerks in family practice.Its size and scope makes it ideal for any student, regardless of whether he or she intends to enter family practice or even a primary care discipline in general. The book's approach provides a unique blend of science and humanism that is a credit to our specialty and a positive influence on all students rotating through a family practice clerkship. Finally, its logical and easy to administer format make it an ideal tool for teachers of family practice to employ."Doody's Review ... Read more

Book Description

Here's a quick, focused review of all of the core knowledge in pain medicine. Based upon Dr. Raj's PRACTICAL MANAGEMENT OF PAIN, 3rd Edition, it presents concise outline summaries of the most important concepts in the field, including anatomy and physiology • symptoms • acute and chronic pain syndromes • evaluation and investigation of pain patients • treatment modalities • special situations • and more. Board-style review questions, with answers, test readers' mastery of the material in each chapter. And, a new, comprehensive exam at the end of the book enables readers to assess their overall grasp of the subject matter. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

suprisingly DISAPPOINTED
As a non- pain specialist, i wanted a source of information that would provide useful for clinical practice rather than having to wade through a definitive text. I continually found myself with inadequate depth compared with what i had learned from other texts' chapters OR EVEN information remembered from medical school. It left me continually wanting and was a waste of my time and money. i would recommend the MGH of pain as a source that answered my questions adequately. ... Read more

Book Description

Complete Coverage of chronic fatigue syndrome

The Handbook of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome provides authoritative coverage of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). A leading group of international contributors present up-to-date information and guidance to improve the understanding, proper identification, and treatment of this debilitating disease.

The handbook’s comprehensive, multidisciplinary format draws on the medical, as well as mental health—related, aspects of CFS, including:

• History, diagnosis, and classification
• Phenomenology
• Symptomatology
• Assessment
• Treatment and intervention
• Pediatric and community issues

Topics covered include complexity of diagnosis, social effects of chronic disorders, and a variety of treatment techniques, including phase-based therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapies, exercise therapy, and nutritional approaches.

An insightful and unique resource, the Handbook of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is an enlightening book for all mental health professionals, including psychologists, social workers, and counselors, as well as medical personnel, such as nurses, physicians, and physical-occupational therapists. ... Read more

Book Description

Guidelines and Gamuts in Musculoskeletal Ultrasound

edited by Rethy K. Chhem, M.D., Ph.D. and Etienne Cardinal, M.D.

This practical guidebook provides an overview of the capability of musculoskeletal ultrasonography to assess disorders of the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hands, hip, knee, ankle, and foot.

Each chapter provides a concise overview of anatomical structure, clinical indications, scanning techniques, and possible normal and abnormal findings. Guidelines and Gamuts in Musculoskeletal Ultrasound features a highly visual and easily accessible format that makes great use of tables, schematic diagrams, gamuts, and representative images.

Individual chapters address such topics as:
* Rotator and nonrotator cuff shoulder disorders
* Disorders of the elbow, wrist, adult hip, knee, and ankle
* Muscle and fascia
* Bone
* Soft tissue masses: an algorithmic approach
* Soft tissue masses in pediatrics.

Guidelines and Gamuts in Musculoskeletal Ultrasound is an indispensable reference for radiologists and orthopedists and will also be of interest to rheumatologists, physical therapists, and physicians in sports medicine. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Musculoskeletal Scanning: Unchartered Territory
This is a great hands-on tool. I worked side by side with another sonographer while we attempted to scan pathological joints (rotator cuffs, knees, elbows, etc.). The images in this book were great references for identifying anatomy while we scanned. It would be nice, as an addition, to have side-by-side comparisons of normal versus abnormal images of joints. This is my only complaint. Otherwise, very user friendly for both the experienced musculoskeletal scanner and for the novice. ... Read more

Book Description

This comprehensive text is written by educators and experienced coders to help learners master the complexities of medical coding. The 12 modules address a variety of medical specialties including dermatology, cardiology,primary care, and orthopedics, and tackle the common coding problems encountered in the real world. Codingexercises provide practice for learners and enable them to test their knowledge.(comprehensive, insurance, coding, coding exercises, medical specialties)ALSO AVAILABLE - INSTRUCTOR SUPPLEMENTS CALL CUSTOMER SUPPORT TO ORDER Instructor's Manual ISBN: 0-7668-0105-5 ... Read more

Book Description

For more than 100 years doctors have been coming to us for advice. Now you can, too.

The Merck Manual has traditionally provided exclusive, up-to-the-minute information to doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals. Now, with this special Home Edition, the general public can access virtually the same critical data contained in the physician's version -- but in everyday language and a reader-friendly format.

With contributions from nearly 200 internationally respected medical experts, this fully revised edition offers vital, easy-to-understand information about almost every known medical issue, including:

• AIDS• cancer• eating, digestive, and nutrition disorders• heart disease• mental illness • pediatric care -- including a new chapter on early-childhood development • sexual dysfunction • terminal illness • viruses and infections

...and much more. Featuring original illustrations and diagrams, an A-Z listing of brand-name and generic drugs, and an appendix of medical resources, The Merck Manual -- Home Edition is published as a not-for-profit service by Merck, a world leader in breakthrough medical discoveries with a long commitment to making the world a healthier place. ... Read more

Book Description

This comprehensive text on human diseases is designed to be student friendly.It is organized in a logical, body system format, with each chapter starting with objectives and terminology.The chapters progress through a review of anatomy and physiology and then move into coverage of the most common diseases.It includes coverage of changes in the elderly and a summary with review questions at the end of each chapter. Special features, such as 'Health Highlights' and full color illustrations and photos have been added throughout to enhance student understanding. The appendix contains a glossary of terms with pronunciations.The text is concise, easy to follow, very portable, and highlights the essential information needed by the students.(Science, comprehensive, body system, health highlights, anatomy & physiology, human diseases) ... Read more

Book Description

Authored by the most respected clinicians and researchers in the field, THE METABOLIC AND MOLECULAR BASES OF INHERITED DISEASE, 8th Edition, is the undisputed authority on genetic inheritance.In its pages, you can explore what is currently known about every inherited disease known to exist. Here you can review genetic perspectives, basic concepts, how inherited diseases occur, diagnostic approaches, and the effects of hormones.You can research specific syndromes, or read about specific body systems affected by disease.No other reference even comes close to its authority and comprehensive scope!
* More than 50% totally new text and topics, with the remaining text totally written or updated to include the latest advances
* Expanded coverage of cancer - from six chapters to more than three dozen - advances your knowledge of this explosive disease state and cancer genetics
* New chapter on history of the inborn errors of metabolism
* New chapter on the impact of inherited disease on health
* New chapter on inherited diseases' response to treatment
* New chapters relating to newly cloned genes
* New insight on genetics' contribution to the understanding of complex traits and birth defects
* Expanded coverage of neurogenetics
* New information on comparative genomics and its relationship to the genome projects
* New sections and chapters on disorders of human somatic development
* Useful algorithms for diagnosing disorders of mitochondrial function and of mendelianclinical phenotypes ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Comprehensive heavyweight
This is a suitably vast book for a vast subject. It covers every aspect of the application of human genetics to medicine, and the reviews are not only an ideal introduction to a genetic disease, but are heavily referenced as well. This makes it ideal as a guide to the most recent literature on the subject. The introductory chapters are essential reading as well. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Nothing to rave about
I used this text for a pathology undergraduate course, along with a more complex text (Concise Pathology by Lange). The Mulvihill text did not solidify the concepts; rather, it skimmed over the topics in a cursory manner without giving each topic the attention it needs. A good book for someone with little background in the health sciences, but not enough for anyone who needs something more comprehensive. One plus in this book are the charts at the end of each chapter, which categorize diseases by signs and symptoms, treatment, etc. ... Read more

Book Description

Information on virtually every known disease (approx. 600) ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Professional Guide to Diseases
This is an excellent book, pure and simple. It covers a wide variety of diseases, and explains each one well without going into excess and causing "information overload" (as some other medical reference books tend to do). Its format is clear and easily readable. It offers sound clinical and laboratory findings, making it a great resource material for students (such as myself). What impresses me the most is its coverage of the more rare diseases, something often neglected in other texts. I have found it invaluable in my studies, and highly recommend it.

Professional Guide to Diseases
This is the BEST medical book to have in your home health care library. I have the second addition and have used it countless time to look up ailments for my family and friends. Although it is written for the medical professional, I find it very readable for a layman like myself. When I became very ill with viral encephalitis, this book helped me understand what was happening to me, how to take care of myself, and to show my family what I was going through so they wouldn't worry. ... Again, I would recomend this book to the non-medical reader as a wonderful reference they will come bact to time and time again. ... And as an author, this text offers good hard facts on medical conditions my fictional characters have. ... Good book, I'm ordering the newest version today.

Professional Guide to Diseases 6th edition
The information is given to the reader in segments that are easy to follow and concise in content. It is organized well with contents at beginning of each chapter as well as an index in back of book for more specific topics. This book covers lab findings, signs & symptoms, nursing interventions and nursing diagnosis on each topic as well as much, much more. It does not limit itself to only the most common ailments but includes information on rarer diseases, as well. It has been an invaluable tool in my nursing practice. ... Read more

Book Description

This handbook assembles a team of experts to review the special problems faced by women with epilepsy. Epilepsy treatments affect fertility and can cause pregnancy complications and birth defects, but most of the available drugs have been tested on men.Moreover, hormone effects on seizures are of particular concern to women at puberty, at menopause, and over the menstrual cycle. Many health-care providers are not informed about the unique issues facing women with epilepsy. This book, published in association with the Epilepsy Foundation of America, fills that gap and provides women with epilepsy with the information they need to be effective self-advocates. ... Read more