The Neck Pain Handbook: Your Guide in Understanding and Treating Neck Pain by Grant Cooper

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

The Neck Pain Handbook is a very short and concise book detailing the causes of neck pain and possible ways to cure it. The authors stress proper posture before more agressive treatment, such as medication or surgery, so I felt comfortable reading this book. It really didn’t feel like propaganda for a new medication out there on the market.

Through most of this book, the authors use their experience and describe different scenarios which a patient might find themselves in, what steps they follow to fix the problem, and plenty of sound advice. One chapter is devoted to how to perfecting posture, while another is devoted to simple — really, I tried them! — exercises to strengthen and stretch the neck, upper back, and chest.

Over all this book reminds people that they should, and really need to, take the time to respect their necks to reduce pain as much as possible. However, the authors also note when it is necessary for actions beyond the basics and what are the underlying causes of those times.

I also learnt a lot about the various medications, what they are used for, how they are used, and why doctors may or may not chose them. For instance, I now know when to choose Tylenol over Ibprophen for my own uses.

While much of this book was common sense and I already knew the exercises, I did find value in the medical diagnosis part of the book. It was informative as to how doctors should, but not always, treat their patients.

Further your knowledge:

Interested in human anatomy and physiology? This course by Dr. James Ross and the following books are highly recommended by some of our former Insanitekians currently in med school.