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Tell Me Where It Hurts

The Science of Pain and How to Heal

Leading expert Rachel Zoffness bridges the gap between medicine and psychology to get to the heart of treating pain

Every one of us will experience pain, be it back pain, the pain of childbirth, or living in an ageing body. Not a single one of us will escape. But what if everything you thought you knew about pain was wrong?

We’ve been told that pain is purely physical, something to do just with bones and body parts. The truth is that pain is constructed by the brain – influenced not just by injuries, but also by emotions, expectations and environment. This means you have infinitely more control over pain than you ever imagined: because if the brain can change, pain can change.

Drawing on cutting-edge neuroscience and rich patient stories, Rachel Zoffness completely upends the myths we’ve been told – finally reconnecting physical and emotional pain, and providing a roadmap for healing. The fact is that chronic pain is treatable. But to do that, we must target the whole person, not just a body part.

Whether you live with chronic pain or know someone who does, this book offers more than insight – it offers an empowering way forward.

What if pain isn’t just a signal—but a story your body is trying to tell? In this powerful, compassionate book, Dr. Rachel Zoffness blends science and stories to reveal why pain lingers and what to do when medicine has no answers. As a physician, I was humbled by how much I didn’t know. This book is essential—for anyone living with pain, and for those who care for them

Lisa Sanders, MD, Professor, Yale School of Medicine, author of Every Patient Tells a Story

About Rachel Zoffness

Dr Rachel Zoffness MS, PhD is a leading pain expert and pain psychologist. She’s an Assistant Clinical Professor at the UCSF School of Medicine, lectures at Stanford, and is a winner of the prestigious Mayday Fellowship. She has served on the Board of Directors of the US Association for the Study of Pain and the Society of Pediatric Pain Medicine, and consults on the development of integrative pain programs around the world.
Details
  • Imprint: Allen Lane
  • ISBN: 9780241657300
  • Length: 336 pages
  • Price: £25.00
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