Pain is Really Strange

Steve Haines is a trainer, bodyworker and author. He has studied Yoga, Shiatsu, Craniosacral Therapy, TRE® (Trauma Releasing Exercises) and is a UK registered Chiropractor.Steve is the bestselling author of Pain is Really Strange, Trauma is Really Strange and Anxiety is Really Strange, which was Highly Commended by the BMA in 2018. He lives between London and Geneva.www.bodycollege.netSophie Standing is an illustrator and designer, specialising in human sciences. Her style combines digital and hand-made, with an emphasis on rich colour, textures and metaphorical concepts.https://www.sophiestandingillustration.com/

This seemingly innocuous picture book on pain is so much more. Steve Haines has compiled a brilliant little volume of insights. Its colorful images invoke a playful approach to unlearning old patterns. Its rich scientific information helps disassemble, piece by piece, the way we've come to think about pain as a culture. Haines takes the next step, too; he doesn't leave us wondering what to do next, but offers practical tools we can use to rewire our mind-body response to pain. This tiny book packs a powerful punch!

• 1. Introduction. Pain is really strange. Acute versus chronic pain, definitions and some history of pain. Your brain's assessment of danger is essential to the pain experience. 2. Pain is Complex. Your brain often makes mistakes, chronic pain is a fault in the alarm system. 3. It Is Not About The Tissues. Sensitisation in the nervous and immune systems and how tissues heal in a few months. 4. How Do Nerves Work? Knowing how nerves work helps understand chronic pain. 5. There Is Something You Can Do To Change Your Pain Experience. Creativity, visualisation, movement, body awareness, and skillfull language are tools to change pain. 6. References are in footnotes in the book and in more detail on www.painisreallystrange.com.