Best Chronic Fatigue Syndrome & Fibromyalgia
This book addresses the problem of myofascial trigger points—tiny contraction knots that develop in a muscle when it is injured or overworked. The new edition also includes postural assessments and muscle tests, an illustrated index of symptoms, and clinical technique drawings and descriptions to assist both practitioners and regular readers in assessing and treating trigger points.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Then late Dec 2012 - PT is great until one rushed day when she stretched my right leg too far too fast. I tried everything over the next few months - acupuncture, chiropractor, spine drs, orthopedist, physiatrist, neurologist, steroid shot, supplements, stretching, walking through the pain, ice, heat, epsom salt baths 3+ times a day, etc etc. I used to run, bike 40 miles a week, garden, now I was reduced to a cane and suggestions of back surgery in less than a couple of months of being in great shape and NO pain?? So I was going through a review of what, I do not remember, maybe a supplement that might alleviate pain, and it mentions looking into trigger point therapy. I come home and my husband comes out to help me, worried that I am going to be in a bad place pain wise. For low back pain, your glutes carry some heavy duty trigger points. It's is some work to keep up with all the trigger points that crop up but I do it while watching TV or listening to music. BTW, if you stretch a tired or cold muscle too fast/too hard it can set off a trigger point. If I had known about trigger point therapy, I could have saved myself from a year of hell on me and my family, as well as the bills. I recommend a cleaner diet, exercise, fresh air and constant movement versus just sitting. Excessive sitting and lying around make soft tissue pain worse. I love Tiger Balm for night time stiffness or to help get your circulation going on a painful spot. There are also some good videos and a Ted Talk on the science of pain in the brain that are worth watching. I took a nasty fall on my bike last week and was totally panicked, as I have not fully recovered from this past year's trauma. I got into the habit of using the lacrosse ball and it works well, but I started to get more pain in the hips & tightness in lower back. YouTube has many instructional videos on how to work out TrP if the book is too technical or if you need a visual. You have to be careful with the QL muscles (most of us have TrPs there but don't know it until you get in there with a small TrP ball) or you might cause back spasms. I had a chiropractor overwork my QL's and set off a horrific week of spasms before I discovered TrP therapy. I joined a gym for the 1st time in a decade to get me through this hard Boston winter and was surprised how many people at the gym were ending their workouts with trigger point therapy methods - rolling out on balls or foam rollers, trainers using them on clients, etc. )I have found great pain release from working these hard to reach glute points. For some women in major hormone flux it can be severe enough for you to be diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome or fibromyalgia. Yes there are some true cases of those diseases that are not related to hormones or trigger points, but there are also women being misdiagnosed & sent home with RX's for anti-depressants & way too strong pain meds. A balanced - KEY WORD IS BALANCED - hormone therapy (like bio hormone replacements) as well as exercise, diet, TrP, and improved digestion (which diminished greatly around 40-45 in women) will make a difference in your pain levels.I am working with a gifted endocrinologist who tests my blood 2x a month so we can get the best picture how to manage my perimenopause. I do not have CFS or fibromyalgia, but I do notice that trigger points crop up more often now that my blood tests reveal I am primenopausal. I travel with 2 sizes of balls when I fly so that I can roll out those knots that can happen after being cramped on a plane. *UPDATE* August 31, 2016. I am still actively and successfully using TrP therapy to manage my low back, as well as misc aches and pains that crop up. About 3 times a week I spend a half hour or more with my super bounce rubber ball and a concrete wall. I ruptured my L4-L5 disc in my late 20's, which puts my low back at a higher risk for aches and pain when I sit too long on something soft, or work too hard in the garden. Before I found this therapy, I used to get so tight, manage my aches with Advil, and wait for it to pass, usually a few days. Now that I know what to do, I roll out my calf trigger points right away & find relief within a day. I wish physical therapists would introduce a home regimen of TrP in addition to the exercise plan for recovery and relief. Just an interesting anecdote - JK Rowling (author of Harry Potter series for the handful of those that might not know) has tweeted this year about having back pain that feels better when she digs into it with the corner of her sofa."
"I'm from Argentina so excuse me if I make some mistakes in writing this English since it is not my native language. Today I was recommending the Trigger Point Therapy to some friends over facebook, so looking for the link, I found the website, and suddenly I remembered. Years back I was diagnosed with a small, tiny displacement of a vertebra on my neck. I found a book about TMJ self treatments, and Amazon had an offer for the Trigger Point Therapy along with this one. And thanks to the AMAZING illustrations (I'm a graphic designer, so I can testify on their perfection) I decided to begin searching for the trigger point. My neck was feeling like before the roller coaster ride, I felt perfectly healthy and good. Every time myself or a family member experience this type of pain, I take my book out and teach them how to treat it."
"It is not a cure all, and definitely won't work for everything, but if you were buy one book on the subject of eliminating your musculoskeletal pain, this is it."
"Very helpful locating source of and relieving actual pain."
"One can gain both a broad and detailed understanding of Trigger Points including causation of pain, source vs. actual location of pain, and various manner of therapeutic treatment approaches and options."
"really good info!"
"Excellent book, however much too technical for me and probably for most people who need help with modalities."
This book addresses the problem of myofascial trigger points—tiny contraction knots that develop in a muscle when it is injured or overworked. The new edition also includes postural assessments and muscle tests, an illustrated index of symptoms, and clinical technique drawings and descriptions to assist both practitioners and regular readers in assessing and treating trigger points. "―Bernie S. Siegel, MD, author of Love, Medicine, and Miracles and Prescriptions for Living and former student of Janet Travell, MD, author of Travell & Simons’ Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual. ―Scott M. Fishman, MD, chief of the Division of Pain Medicine in the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at the University of California, Davis and author of The War on Pain. I believe this book, revealing that trigger point therapy may safely relieve chronic pain, should be in the hands of every doctor." "Trigger point massage therapy may be the most effective treatment known for a wide variety of pain problems, including fibromyalgia and myofascial pain syndrome." "As a chiropractor for twelve years and an instructor of trigger point therapy at the Utah College of Massage Therapy for ten years, I found the Davies’ book very accurate and complete. Now deceased, Clair Davies, NCTMB (Nationally Certified in Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork) , specialized in trigger point massage for the treatment of pain. Mr. Davies’s interest in massage began when he successfully self-treated a frozen shoulder with trigger point massage. Her interest in trigger point therapy began in the mid-1990s when she and her father, Clair, successfully ended her six-year long battle with chronic low back pain. Now deceased, foreword writer David G. Simons, MD , coauthored of Travell & Simons Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Then late Dec 2012 - PT is great until one rushed day when she stretched my right leg too far too fast. I tried everything over the next few months - acupuncture, chiropractor, spine drs, orthopedist, physiatrist, neurologist, steroid shot, supplements, stretching, walking through the pain, ice, heat, epsom salt baths 3+ times a day, etc etc. I used to run, bike 40 miles a week, garden, now I was reduced to a cane and suggestions of back surgery in less than a couple of months of being in great shape and NO pain?? So I was going through a review of what, I do not remember, maybe a supplement that might alleviate pain, and it mentions looking into trigger point therapy. I come home and my husband comes out to help me, worried that I am going to be in a bad place pain wise. For low back pain, your glutes carry some heavy duty trigger points. It's is some work to keep up with all the trigger points that crop up but I do it while watching TV or listening to music. BTW, if you stretch a tired or cold muscle too fast/too hard it can set off a trigger point. If I had known about trigger point therapy, I could have saved myself from a year of hell on me and my family, as well as the bills. I recommend a cleaner diet, exercise, fresh air and constant movement versus just sitting. Excessive sitting and lying around make soft tissue pain worse. I love Tiger Balm for night time stiffness or to help get your circulation going on a painful spot. There are also some good videos and a Ted Talk on the science of pain in the brain that are worth watching. I took a nasty fall on my bike last week and was totally panicked, as I have not fully recovered from this past year's trauma. I got into the habit of using the lacrosse ball and it works well, but I started to get more pain in the hips & tightness in lower back. YouTube has many instructional videos on how to work out TrP if the book is too technical or if you need a visual. You have to be careful with the QL muscles (most of us have TrPs there but don't know it until you get in there with a small TrP ball) or you might cause back spasms. I had a chiropractor overwork my QL's and set off a horrific week of spasms before I discovered TrP therapy. I joined a gym for the 1st time in a decade to get me through this hard Boston winter and was surprised how many people at the gym were ending their workouts with trigger point therapy methods - rolling out on balls or foam rollers, trainers using them on clients, etc. )I have found great pain release from working these hard to reach glute points. For some women in major hormone flux it can be severe enough for you to be diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome or fibromyalgia. Yes there are some true cases of those diseases that are not related to hormones or trigger points, but there are also women being misdiagnosed & sent home with RX's for anti-depressants & way too strong pain meds. A balanced - KEY WORD IS BALANCED - hormone therapy (like bio hormone replacements) as well as exercise, diet, TrP, and improved digestion (which diminished greatly around 40-45 in women) will make a difference in your pain levels.I am working with a gifted endocrinologist who tests my blood 2x a month so we can get the best picture how to manage my perimenopause. I do not have CFS or fibromyalgia, but I do notice that trigger points crop up more often now that my blood tests reveal I am primenopausal. I travel with 2 sizes of balls when I fly so that I can roll out those knots that can happen after being cramped on a plane. *UPDATE* August 31, 2016. I am still actively and successfully using TrP therapy to manage my low back, as well as misc aches and pains that crop up. About 3 times a week I spend a half hour or more with my super bounce rubber ball and a concrete wall. I ruptured my L4-L5 disc in my late 20's, which puts my low back at a higher risk for aches and pain when I sit too long on something soft, or work too hard in the garden. Before I found this therapy, I used to get so tight, manage my aches with Advil, and wait for it to pass, usually a few days. Now that I know what to do, I roll out my calf trigger points right away & find relief within a day. I wish physical therapists would introduce a home regimen of TrP in addition to the exercise plan for recovery and relief. Just an interesting anecdote - JK Rowling (author of Harry Potter series for the handful of those that might not know) has tweeted this year about having back pain that feels better when she digs into it with the corner of her sofa."
"I'm from Argentina so excuse me if I make some mistakes in writing this English since it is not my native language. Today I was recommending the Trigger Point Therapy to some friends over facebook, so looking for the link, I found the website, and suddenly I remembered. Years back I was diagnosed with a small, tiny displacement of a vertebra on my neck. I found a book about TMJ self treatments, and Amazon had an offer for the Trigger Point Therapy along with this one. And thanks to the AMAZING illustrations (I'm a graphic designer, so I can testify on their perfection) I decided to begin searching for the trigger point. My neck was feeling like before the roller coaster ride, I felt perfectly healthy and good. Every time myself or a family member experience this type of pain, I take my book out and teach them how to treat it."
"It is not a cure all, and definitely won't work for everything, but if you were buy one book on the subject of eliminating your musculoskeletal pain, this is it."
"Very helpful locating source of and relieving actual pain."
"One can gain both a broad and detailed understanding of Trigger Points including causation of pain, source vs. actual location of pain, and various manner of therapeutic treatment approaches and options."
"really good info!"
"Excellent book, however much too technical for me and probably for most people who need help with modalities."
The management techniques found in Fibromyalgia and Chronic Myofascial Pain include targeted bodywork for painful trigger points and strategies to help you cope with the chronic pain, sleep problems, and numbing effects of 'fibrofog' that occur as a result of the disease. The guidance in this book an serve both practitioners who have yet to understand the nature of their own musculoskeletal aches and pains, and patients who are unable to find a practitioner adequately skilled in this neglected subject. The message of this book is a voice crying out in a wilderness of neglect.”. —David G. Simons, M.D., Clinical Professor of Medicine at Emory University. “In a 1997 book review, I extolled the extraordinary features of the first edition of Starlanyl and Copeland’s Survival Manual.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"My Pain Dr recommended this workbook to me."
"Learned a lot from this book."
"Good in-depth info and advice."
"A must read for all Fibromyalgia/Myofascial Pain disorder sufferers."
"great resource material for Fibromyalgia."
"For more than a decade I have suffered with many of the symptoms; the worst being the fatigue, heightened pain sensitivities, migraines, sinusitis, allergies and unexplainable weight gain which no diet would decrease. I went to dozens of dr's and spend untold amounts of money on diagnostic tools (mri's, xrays, cat scans ect)...all of which were wasted because none of these physicians believed in FMS or could put together the huge list of symptoms. The only thing I wish it had more of is the dietary steps needed and foods required to cleanse, detox and purify your body...for long term lessening of symptoms and pain."
"The survival manual helped me piece together many things which have happened. over my lifetime and which i had not understood were part of the condition. of fibromyalgia, which, i have recently been diagnosed with."
Best Acupuncture & Acupressure
This book addresses the problem of myofascial trigger points—tiny contraction knots that develop in a muscle when it is injured or overworked. The new edition also includes postural assessments and muscle tests, an illustrated index of symptoms, and clinical technique drawings and descriptions to assist both practitioners and regular readers in assessing and treating trigger points. ―Bernie S. Siegel, MD, author of Love, Medicine, and Miracles and Prescriptions for Living and former student of Janet Travell, MD, author of Travell & Simons’ Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual. The detail and clarity of the book’s format will also make it invaluable to pain physicians who want to be able to teach their patients useful, simple strategies to manage soft tissue pain problems." ―Scott M. Fishman, MD, chief of the Division of Pain Medicine in the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at the University of California, Davis and author of The War on Pain. I believe this book, revealing that trigger point therapy may safely relieve chronic pain, should be in the hands of every doctor." "Trigger point massage therapy may be the most effective treatment known for a wide variety of pain problems, including fibromyalgia and myofascial pain syndrome." "As a chiropractor for twelve years and an instructor of trigger point therapy at the Utah College of Massage Therapy for ten years, I found the Davies’ book very accurate and complete.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Then late Dec 2012 - PT is great until one rushed day when she stretched my right leg too far too fast. I tried everything over the next few months - acupuncture, chiropractor, spine drs, orthopedist, physiatrist, neurologist, steroid shot, supplements, stretching, walking through the pain, ice, heat, epsom salt baths 3+ times a day, etc etc. I used to run, bike 40 miles a week, garden, now I was reduced to a cane and suggestions of back surgery in less than a couple of months of being in great shape and NO pain?? So I was going through a review of what, I do not remember, maybe a supplement that might alleviate pain, and it mentions looking into trigger point therapy. I come home and my husband comes out to help me, worried that I am going to be in a bad place pain wise. For low back pain, your glutes carry some heavy duty trigger points. It's is some work to keep up with all the trigger points that crop up but I do it while watching TV or listening to music. BTW, if you stretch a tired or cold muscle too fast/too hard it can set off a trigger point. If I had known about trigger point therapy, I could have saved myself from a year of hell on me and my family, as well as the bills. I recommend a cleaner diet, exercise, fresh air and constant movement versus just sitting. Excessive sitting and lying around make soft tissue pain worse. I love Tiger Balm for night time stiffness or to help get your circulation going on a painful spot. There are also some good videos and a Ted Talk on the science of pain in the brain that are worth watching. I took a nasty fall on my bike last week and was totally panicked, as I have not fully recovered from this past year's trauma. I got into the habit of using the lacrosse ball and it works well, but I started to get more pain in the hips & tightness in lower back. YouTube has many instructional videos on how to work out TrP if the book is too technical or if you need a visual. You have to be careful with the QL muscles (most of us have TrPs there but don't know it until you get in there with a small TrP ball) or you might cause back spasms. I had a chiropractor overwork my QL's and set off a horrific week of spasms before I discovered TrP therapy. I joined a gym for the 1st time in a decade to get me through this hard Boston winter and was surprised how many people at the gym were ending their workouts with trigger point therapy methods - rolling out on balls or foam rollers, trainers using them on clients, etc. )I have found great pain release from working these hard to reach glute points. For some women in major hormone flux it can be severe enough for you to be diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome or fibromyalgia. Yes there are some true cases of those diseases that are not related to hormones or trigger points, but there are also women being misdiagnosed & sent home with RX's for anti-depressants & way too strong pain meds. A balanced - KEY WORD IS BALANCED - hormone therapy (like bio hormone replacements) as well as exercise, diet, TrP, and improved digestion (which diminished greatly around 40-45 in women) will make a difference in your pain levels.I am working with a gifted endocrinologist who tests my blood 2x a month so we can get the best picture how to manage my perimenopause. I do not have CFS or fibromyalgia, but I do notice that trigger points crop up more often now that my blood tests reveal I am primenopausal. I travel with 2 sizes of balls when I fly so that I can roll out those knots that can happen after being cramped on a plane. *UPDATE* August 31, 2016. I am still actively and successfully using TrP therapy to manage my low back, as well as misc aches and pains that crop up. About 3 times a week I spend a half hour or more with my super bounce rubber ball and a concrete wall. I ruptured my L4-L5 disc in my late 20's, which puts my low back at a higher risk for aches and pain when I sit too long on something soft, or work too hard in the garden. Before I found this therapy, I used to get so tight, manage my aches with Advil, and wait for it to pass, usually a few days. Now that I know what to do, I roll out my calf trigger points right away & find relief within a day. I wish physical therapists would introduce a home regimen of TrP in addition to the exercise plan for recovery and relief. Just an interesting anecdote - JK Rowling (author of Harry Potter series for the handful of those that might not know) has tweeted this year about having back pain that feels better when she digs into it with the corner of her sofa."
"I'm from Argentina so excuse me if I make some mistakes in writing this English since it is not my native language. Today I was recommending the Trigger Point Therapy to some friends over facebook, so looking for the link, I found the website, and suddenly I remembered. Years back I was diagnosed with a small, tiny displacement of a vertebra on my neck. I found a book about TMJ self treatments, and Amazon had an offer for the Trigger Point Therapy along with this one. And thanks to the AMAZING illustrations (I'm a graphic designer, so I can testify on their perfection) I decided to begin searching for the trigger point. My neck was feeling like before the roller coaster ride, I felt perfectly healthy and good. Every time myself or a family member experience this type of pain, I take my book out and teach them how to treat it."
"It is not a cure all, and definitely won't work for everything, but if you were buy one book on the subject of eliminating your musculoskeletal pain, this is it."
"Very helpful locating source of and relieving actual pain."
"One can gain both a broad and detailed understanding of Trigger Points including causation of pain, source vs. actual location of pain, and various manner of therapeutic treatment approaches and options."
"really good info!"
"Excellent book, however much too technical for me and probably for most people who need help with modalities."
Best Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Adrenal-related issues are seemingly epidemic today—many people complain of some degree of “adrenal fatigue” or “burnout.” This is hardly surprising given the incredibly stressful world we live in today.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I have followed Nora's podcasts and read all of her books."
"I gave this book a 5-star rating because I truly appreciate the contents and the amount of research involved and I believe everyone with a adrenal dysfunction should give it a good read. (5) it includes some sound advice like going to sleep to a good hour and sticking to a healthy schedule, turning off your wi-fi router, "taking" vitamins like B6 (i am not at peace with the whole idea of popping pills even if it's plain vitamins and i think a healthy diet and some whole-food supplements should do more good than pills), avoiding working on a computer late at night (it fails to mention that even watching TV late at night is bad because seeing many, different faces can trigger the need to socialize and this awakes you instead of letting you get a good sleep). (6) it clearly presents the sections of the brain involved with regulating your adrenal function and this is the best part of the book because it points so well to why taking adrenal gland supplements or simply popping vitamins and minerals the adrenal glands need will not provide a permanent cure to the fatigue caused by adrenal dysfunction - the book even provides a second most likely cause for fatigue: mitochondria damage; going back to the role of the brain, the book stresses the fact that we should all focus on its health. some of the most important points made in the book as regards the interaction between the brain and the adrenal glands are: (a) the hippocampus mitigates the stress response and helps regulate adrenal cicadian rhythms; the hippocampus holds the highest number of cortisol receptors in the brain; there is also a list of symptoms of hippocampal dysregulation provided. (b) the midbrain controls the amplitude of the adrenal/cortisol response and it has the highest number of IL6 receptors in the brain; there is so much detailed info on the symptoms associated with an overactive midbrain and on the importance of breath!!! Despite all the negatives, there is still a lot of good info in this book and it's this that makes me give it a good rating. Unfortunately for us all in the search for health, there is no shortcut - we still need to eat a good diet, maintain good sleep hours, exercise and take any required measures to manage stress."
"This is a very interesting book."
"I do feel, however, that a person wanting to follow these suggestions for improving their health, should have a personal /professional guide who is experienced in this way of healthy living and who understands lab results and symptoms."
"Nora Gedgaudas is an exciting writer; she's taken a very scientific subject and made it read like a top-notch mystery novel."
"I have been most appreciative of the insights on the specific areas of the brain and their functions."
"wow, even with all the big words, this is a great read, although I haven't put any thing into practice yet (only just finished it), I intend too and feel so informed."
"This book is not only amazing, but in parts quite funny."
Best Craniomandibular & Temporomandibular
Covering both new and proven techniques in this rapidly changing field, this classic text helps you provide solutions to many common occlusal and TMD problems. Clear descriptions and a new full-color design promote a complete understanding of normal, abnormal, and dysfunctional occlusal relationships and masticatory function and dysfunction. With its conservative, cost-effective approach, this book shows you how to achieve treatment goals while keeping your patients' best interests in mind.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"One of the definitive works for TMJ diagnosis and treatment."
"I have returned to school for a master's degree in orofacial pain...this is my TMJ Bible!"
"Management of tempromandibular disorders Is a great read, it was helpful and informative!"
"Full-color pictures throughout."
"this book is written in very detailed explanation , and moreover you have well ilustrations which help you remember more quickly the subject is interesting to you."
"Excellent for coursework."
"Excelent book, very complete in the topics, just an excelent choice to be updated. A good recomendation to every dentist."
Best Canadian Cooking, Food & Wine
Discover 250 Keto Recipe for Instant Pot Recipes for breakfast, dinner, lunch, snacks, desserts Save you time, money and energy: all recipes are easy to cook Improve your health: all recipes are healthy and well balanced Increase your happiness: happiness and food are highly connected.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I would recommend this cookbook (Informational guide) to anyone who is hoping to eat better, feel better and look healthier."
"This book deals with all sorts of recipes for pot cooking."
"That’s by far the best book on instant pot cooking I now have, out of the five I recently purchased."
"Simple, easy to follow recipes with ingredients you have on your shelf or pantry."
"I love this book!"
"Not only are the recipes amazingly easy and delicious, the other half of the book is packed with information on how the diet works, tricks and tips for fitting it into your every day life, and lots of encouragement from someone who has been there, done that when it comes to food addiction."
"I thought that the recipes we're good and do able but why switch sweeteners from solid to liquid?"
"SOOO many interesting options and simple recipes and they need only a few simple ingredients!"
Best Acupuncture & Acupressure
This book addresses the problem of myofascial trigger points—tiny contraction knots that develop in a muscle when it is injured or overworked. The new edition also includes postural assessments and muscle tests, an illustrated index of symptoms, and clinical technique drawings and descriptions to assist both practitioners and regular readers in assessing and treating trigger points. "―Bernie S. Siegel, MD, author of Love, Medicine, and Miracles and Prescriptions for Living and former student of Janet Travell, MD, author of Travell & Simons’ Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual. ―Scott M. Fishman, MD, chief of the Division of Pain Medicine in the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at the University of California, Davis and author of The War on Pain. I believe this book, revealing that trigger point therapy may safely relieve chronic pain, should be in the hands of every doctor." "Trigger point massage therapy may be the most effective treatment known for a wide variety of pain problems, including fibromyalgia and myofascial pain syndrome." "As a chiropractor for twelve years and an instructor of trigger point therapy at the Utah College of Massage Therapy for ten years, I found the Davies’ book very accurate and complete. Now deceased, Clair Davies, NCTMB (Nationally Certified in Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork) , specialized in trigger point massage for the treatment of pain. Mr. Davies’s interest in massage began when he successfully self-treated a frozen shoulder with trigger point massage. Her interest in trigger point therapy began in the mid-1990s when she and her father, Clair, successfully ended her six-year long battle with chronic low back pain. Now deceased, foreword writer David G. Simons, MD , coauthored of Travell & Simons Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Then late Dec 2012 - PT is great until one rushed day when she stretched my right leg too far too fast. I tried everything over the next few months - acupuncture, chiropractor, spine drs, orthopedist, physiatrist, neurologist, steroid shot, supplements, stretching, walking through the pain, ice, heat, epsom salt baths 3+ times a day, etc etc. I used to run, bike 40 miles a week, garden, now I was reduced to a cane and suggestions of back surgery in less than a couple of months of being in great shape and NO pain?? So I was going through a review of what, I do not remember, maybe a supplement that might alleviate pain, and it mentions looking into trigger point therapy. I come home and my husband comes out to help me, worried that I am going to be in a bad place pain wise. For low back pain, your glutes carry some heavy duty trigger points. It's is some work to keep up with all the trigger points that crop up but I do it while watching TV or listening to music. BTW, if you stretch a tired or cold muscle too fast/too hard it can set off a trigger point. If I had known about trigger point therapy, I could have saved myself from a year of hell on me and my family, as well as the bills. I recommend a cleaner diet, exercise, fresh air and constant movement versus just sitting. Excessive sitting and lying around make soft tissue pain worse. I love Tiger Balm for night time stiffness or to help get your circulation going on a painful spot. There are also some good videos and a Ted Talk on the science of pain in the brain that are worth watching. I took a nasty fall on my bike last week and was totally panicked, as I have not fully recovered from this past year's trauma. I got into the habit of using the lacrosse ball and it works well, but I started to get more pain in the hips & tightness in lower back. YouTube has many instructional videos on how to work out TrP if the book is too technical or if you need a visual. You have to be careful with the QL muscles (most of us have TrPs there but don't know it until you get in there with a small TrP ball) or you might cause back spasms. I had a chiropractor overwork my QL's and set off a horrific week of spasms before I discovered TrP therapy. I joined a gym for the 1st time in a decade to get me through this hard Boston winter and was surprised how many people at the gym were ending their workouts with trigger point therapy methods - rolling out on balls or foam rollers, trainers using them on clients, etc. )I have found great pain release from working these hard to reach glute points. For some women in major hormone flux it can be severe enough for you to be diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome or fibromyalgia. Yes there are some true cases of those diseases that are not related to hormones or trigger points, but there are also women being misdiagnosed & sent home with RX's for anti-depressants & way too strong pain meds. A balanced - KEY WORD IS BALANCED - hormone therapy (like bio hormone replacements) as well as exercise, diet, TrP, and improved digestion (which diminished greatly around 40-45 in women) will make a difference in your pain levels.I am working with a gifted endocrinologist who tests my blood 2x a month so we can get the best picture how to manage my perimenopause. I do not have CFS or fibromyalgia, but I do notice that trigger points crop up more often now that my blood tests reveal I am primenopausal. I travel with 2 sizes of balls when I fly so that I can roll out those knots that can happen after being cramped on a plane. *UPDATE* August 31, 2016. I am still actively and successfully using TrP therapy to manage my low back, as well as misc aches and pains that crop up. About 3 times a week I spend a half hour or more with my super bounce rubber ball and a concrete wall. I ruptured my L4-L5 disc in my late 20's, which puts my low back at a higher risk for aches and pain when I sit too long on something soft, or work too hard in the garden. Before I found this therapy, I used to get so tight, manage my aches with Advil, and wait for it to pass, usually a few days. Now that I know what to do, I roll out my calf trigger points right away & find relief within a day. I wish physical therapists would introduce a home regimen of TrP in addition to the exercise plan for recovery and relief. Just an interesting anecdote - JK Rowling (author of Harry Potter series for the handful of those that might not know) has tweeted this year about having back pain that feels better when she digs into it with the corner of her sofa."
"I'm from Argentina so excuse me if I make some mistakes in writing this English since it is not my native language. Today I was recommending the Trigger Point Therapy to some friends over facebook, so looking for the link, I found the website, and suddenly I remembered. Years back I was diagnosed with a small, tiny displacement of a vertebra on my neck. I found a book about TMJ self treatments, and Amazon had an offer for the Trigger Point Therapy along with this one. And thanks to the AMAZING illustrations (I'm a graphic designer, so I can testify on their perfection) I decided to begin searching for the trigger point. My neck was feeling like before the roller coaster ride, I felt perfectly healthy and good. Every time myself or a family member experience this type of pain, I take my book out and teach them how to treat it."
"It is not a cure all, and definitely won't work for everything, but if you were buy one book on the subject of eliminating your musculoskeletal pain, this is it."
"Very helpful locating source of and relieving actual pain."
"One can gain both a broad and detailed understanding of Trigger Points including causation of pain, source vs. actual location of pain, and various manner of therapeutic treatment approaches and options."
"really good info!"
"Excellent book, however much too technical for me and probably for most people who need help with modalities."
Best 45-Minute Health, Fitness & Dieting Short Reads
This manual describes the practical details of a low carbohydrate, ketogenic diet as used by nutritional and medical professionals.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I was worse, gained weight! I realized then that my patients were not lying to me when they continued to get worse: more weight, higher BP, worse cholesterol and triglycerides DESPITE my recommendations. I strongly recommend that anyone who wants to follow this regimen become very familiar with the contents, and bring the manual to their health care provider. If there are any medical conditions present, as there usually are, then this regimen should be done under the supervision of a health care provider who is familiar with Low Carbohydrate Ketogenic nutrition. If your health care provider is willing to go along with you, but has not had experience with a ketogenic diet bring a copy of this manual along with a copy of the book "The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living" as a gift."
"This manual is a simple and effective low carb diet program; the same one used at the Duke Lifestyle Medicine Clinic."
"Gets right to the meat of it... lol ...I like stright forward, get to the point stuff and this delivers."
"Good information and has helped me and my mother to maintain a low carb diet and shed a few pounds."
"I had been looking for a quick reference guide as I frequently need reminders of what are the best foods for the LCHF lifestyle."
"This little gem is a wonderful, quick read about a healthy ketogenic way of eating."
"I purchased this booklet to see if there was something new in it."
"Slowly but surely, Dr. Westman's guidelines are working for me."
Best Pain Management
Dr. John E. Sarno's groundbreaking research on TMS (Tension Myoneural Syndrome) reveals how stress and other psychological factors can cause back pain-and how you can be pain free without drugs, exercise, or surgery. Healing Back Pain promises permanent elimination of back pain without drugs, surgery, or exercise. It should have been titled Understanding TMS Pain , because it discusses one particular cause of back pain--Tension Myositis Syndrome (TMS)--and isn't really a program for self-treatment, with only five pages of action plan (and many more pages telling why conventional methods don't work).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"John Sarno's diagnosis is the truth, medicine is WAAY far behind in understanding the connection between emotions and illness, especially chronic pain. My biggest advice is HANG IN THERE, the book says it takes 6-8 weeks to heal completely and it has taken me much longer than that, don't be discouraged if you are still in pain after that time frame. Feed yourself POSITIVE ENERGY as much as you can, believe in your healing, no matter what the pain is telling you. Listen to My Morning Jacket, spend time in nature, get off Twitter and Instagram and all that noise, pet your dog, think about great things that have happened to you. I would oftentimes feel the repressed rage boiling up to the surface as I wrote. Lay on your bed and breathe deeply into your belly, make a sound as you exhale, this helps to rouse the old emotions, bringing them to the surface. I was afraid I would never heal, but the fact that you can get it moving up and down like that at all shows that things are changing. Keep practicing, hold strong, and eventually the pain starts to lose the fight."
"I've spent tens of thousands of dollars on different kinds of alternative health therapies and spent years of my life going to regular doctors and specialists to try to get back to where I was in life. Sometime down the line, maybe 100 years from now, Dr. Sarno will be remembered as one of the most influential and greatest doctors this planet has ever seen."
"I do know that it was after a year of entirely disabling, perplexing, and shifting symptoms that culminated with a "herniated disc" diagnosis, an epidural steroid injection that made things worse, and ever-increasing dispair that I would ever have my once very active life back. Since these reviews are what led me to read this book (despite the fact that I'm scientifically minded and inclined to believe and trust doctors in general, maybe too much), I thought I would add my own story. After a backpacking trip in November 2010, I developed severe, debilitating knee pain. It was a blissful three days in the wilderness, and on the hike out (i.e. back to my job as a corporate lawyer), the knee pain started. I waited a week, thinking it was an overuse injury related to my spin classes, hiking, etc., and when it did not get better, I went in for an MRI. The first orthopedic surgeon diagnosed me with "knee strain" and sent me to physical therapy, which I ended up doing twice a week for six months. Two months later, things were not improved, so I switched doctors and ordered a second MRI. My knee was actually warm to the touch, which (of course) led me to believe that there was some physical injury. My new doctor, feeling the extreme soreness I had on my hip and outside of my quad and outside of my knee, diagnosed me with IT (iliotibial band) syndrome. At some point, my physical therapist suggested that maybe I had a pinched nerve. The back MRI showed a herniated L4/L5 vertebrae (diagnosed by my new spine surgeon), and I scheduled an epidural. I went for the epidural, and afterward I couldn't sit, stand, or lie comfortably. While I waited for it to arrive, I read other things about Sarno, and about his theories, on the internet. I am pain free when six weeks ago I was on disability and headed for back surgery."
Best Pharmacy
What Stamets has discovered is that we can capitalize on mycelium’s digestive power and target it to decompose toxic wastes and pollutants (mycoremediation), catch and reduce silt from streambeds and pathogens from agricultural watersheds (mycofiltration), control insect populations (mycopesticides), and generally enhance the health of our forests and gardens (mycoforestry and myco-gardening). --From the foreword by Andrew Weil, MD, author of Eating Well for Optimum Health “Stamets is a visionary emissary from the fungus kingdom to our world, and the message he’s brought back in this book, about the possibilities fungi hold for healing the environment, will fill you with wonder and hope.“. --Michael Pollan, author of The Botany of Desire “This is the kind of book I love: highly factual and practical and mixed with the spiritual content that sets the great writers apart from all the rest.“. --John Norris, former deputy commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration and founder of the Bioterrorism Institute. “This is the first book to give the Kingdom of the Fungi its proper place in the scheme of things. Stamets’s visionary insights are leading to a whole new understanding of how mushrooms, scarcely seen and rarely appreciated, regulate the earth’s ecosystems.“. --John Todd, founder and president of Ocean Arks International. “This visionary and practical book should be an instant classic in... A manual for healing the earth and creating sustainable forests through mushroom cultivation, featuring mycelial solutions to water pollution, toxic spills, and other ecological challenges.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Fabulous book on using mushrooms to help your plants, as well as medicinal information."
"If you had no idea how important mycelium / fungi are to natural ecosystems and humanity, this is a good place to start."
"Very interesting read."
"This book is truly fascinating!"
"Paul Stamets is the "go to Guru" about mushrooms."
"Paul Staments knowledge and understanding documentation of Mushrooms and it's benefits is a worthy resource for all us."