This small booklet is packed with information and facts about pain. Perhaps the most surprising point about pain is the way we individually interpret pain depending on our circumstances, the context of the given pain, past experiences and perception of the event. Whether the pain is felt or telt, as the saying goes, is immaterial, for it is always real to the person.

Persistent pain is a challenge to the patient and the professional and Smith does an excellent job of bringing together various treatments, enfolding them all in a biblical framework, without losing sight of the psychological reality that accompanies pain which will not go away.

My personal view on pain information is that the person experiencing severe pain will fall into one of two camps. Either they will embrace all the world’s information in an effort to find the right one for them, or they will build a protective wall around themselves to prevent further fear of treatment failure. It takes wisdom therefore to decide who should receive such a booklet and it is unclear as to where this booklet would be placed to be best received.

Ruth Aird, ETS