Part of what gets us into trouble is thinking we know more about pain than we do.  As a patient and a physician, Dr. Smalley has captured, through true stories, many answers and principles that tackle some of the most difficult, chronic pain problems in our muscles and joints.  The book addresses the question, “Why do we have pain?”

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       Musculoskeletal chronic pain is an epidemic.  Opioid medication abuse is an epidemic.  Dr. Smalley is an orthopedic surgeon with years of experience dealing with pain, personally and professionally.  Pain relief can sometimes be achieved by surgery, but most often pain can resolve without surgery if we know what to do and what not to do.

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       Dr. Smalley describes practical, mechanical tools.  There are ways to keep good tools from becoming bad or marginal tools.  Choosing a better way and learning about pain are not difficult if we are curious and willing to learn.  Part of growing older is learning to deal with pain well and getting over it.