Best Pain Medicine Books of 2025

Prescriber's Guide - Children and Adolescents: Volume 1: Stahl's Essential Psychopharmacology is a comprehensive guide for clinicians and nurse practitioners on the range of psychotropic drugs prescribed for children and adolescents. The book offers a user-friendly step-by-step manual, with each drug broken down into sections on therapeutics, safety and tolerability, dosing and use, what to expect, special populations, and the art of psychopharmacology. The author, Stephen M. Stahl, is an expert in the field, having conducted various research projects awarded by the National Institute of Mental Health, Veterans Affairs, and the pharmaceutical industry. Overall, this book is an essential resource for anyone working with children and adolescents in the field of psychopharmacology.

Stoelting's Pharmacology & Physiology in Anesthetic Practice, Sixth Edition, is a comprehensive and clinically oriented guide to all aspects of pharmacology and physiology relevant to anesthesia practice. The book has been thoroughly updated by experts in the field, providing detailed information to make informed clinical decisions about patient care. It covers topics such as new drugs and findings on established drugs, antimicrobials and chemotherapeutic drugs, and the physiology and pharmacology of resuscitation. This book is a must-have for trainees and practitioners in anesthesiology.

Demystifying Opioid Conversion Calculations: A Guide for Effective Dosing, 2nd Edition is a comprehensive reference for clinicians involved in pain management. Written by pain management expert Mary Lynn McPherson, this book covers the entire spectrum of opioid analgesics used to manage patients with moderate-to-severe pain and life-limiting illnesses. The book features learning objectives, practice problems, and clinical cases throughout. It also includes expanded information on less commonly used opioids, including levorphanol and nalbuphine. Overall, this book is a must-have for clinicians who want to develop a high level of skill in performing the required mathematical calculations associated with opioid conversions.

This book, Basic Psychopharmacology for Mental Health Professionals, is a practical and engaging guide that provides up-to-date information on the latest medications in easy-to-understand language. It includes numerous case studies that illustrate the skills needed for successful practice in the field, and the 3rd Edition is updated to the DSM-5. The author, Richard S. Sinacola, PhD, is a licensed psychologist who maintains a private consulting and psychology practice in Pasadena and the Palm Springs area. Timothy Peters-Strickland, MD, is Vice President, Global Clinical Development, CNS and Digital Medicine, at Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development and Commercialization. This book is an excellent resource for non-medical helping professionals who want to gain a better understanding of psychopharmacology.

Managing the Side Effects of Psychotropic Medications is an excellent resource for clinicians seeking to better understand the effects of psychotropic drugs and how to manage their complications. The second edition includes updated information on newer drugs and strategies to manage adverse effects. The book is a thoughtful balance of art and science, providing a comprehensive and practical guide for healthcare providers, students, and those academically interested. It is a must-have for any practitioner's bookshelf and a very welcome addition to their armamentarium.

Electromyography and Neuromuscular Disorders, 4th Edition is an excellent resource for clinicians interested in neuromuscular medicine. The book provides an easy-to-understand, user-friendly explanation of complex subject matter and includes numerous case studies, cross-sectional anatomy drawings, and online videos. It also covers newly defined genetic neuromuscular conditions and iatrogenic complications of electrodiagnostic studies. The addition of new chapters on Neuromuscular Ultrasound makes this book a comprehensive guide for electrodiagnostic evaluation. Overall, this book is an essential tool for clinicians at all levels of experience and a must-have for those studying for the AANEM board exam.

Travell, Simons & Simons’ Trigger Point Pain Patterns Flip Charts, Second Edition is an essential reference for occupational therapists. The book includes detailed illustrations of muscles and pain point patterns, which are organized in six sections following the structure of the Clinical Considerations chapters in the manual. This spiral-bound book with a built-in easel for display and patient presentation allows for a quick clinical reference to include TrPs as part of the clinical examination. Each section contains Trigger Point (TrP) pain referral patterns that may cause or be associated with a clinical condition commonly seen in clinical practice. Overall, this book is an invaluable resource for occupational therapists looking to expand their knowledge and improve their clinical practice.

The fifth edition of "Buzzed: The Straight Facts About the Most Used and Abused Drugs from Alcohol to Ecstasy" presents a comprehensive guide to understanding the effects of drugs on the body and behavior. It covers the latest discoveries on drug use, including electronic smoking devices, prescription stimulant abuse, and the opioid crisis. The book is neither a "Just Say No" treatise nor a "How to" manual, but a reliable source of information for making informed decisions. The book is well-written, well-organized, and highly recommended for healthcare professionals, health educators, and parents.

The Atlas of Image-Guided Spinal Procedures, 2nd edition, is an essential medical reference for relieving patients' pain. It features a highly visual atlas format that provides step-by-step guidance for each technique, including trajectory view, multiplanar confirmation views, and safety views. The book includes special chapters on needle techniques, procedural safety, imaging pearls, and radiation safety. The Expert Consult eBook version includes videos of procedural set-up and contrast flow. The book also covers new ultrasound techniques and procedures for spine masqueraders. Overall, this book is an excellent resource for healthcare professionals seeking consistent, easy-to-follow guidance for image-guided spinal procedures.

Psychopharmacology for Mental Health Professionals: An Integrative Approach, Second Edition, provides a concise yet comprehensive overview of the basic principles of psychopharmacology. This counseling textbook covers commonly prescribed psychotropic drugs for adults and children, as well as psychological, cultural, and social issues related to psychopharmacology. The book includes case examples, study questions, key terms, and a glossary to help readers understand and apply the material. The new edition also features expanded discussion of medication for children and the elderly, a new chapter on drug replacement therapies, and reference to changes in the DSM-5. Overall, this book is a valuable resource for mental health professionals seeking to integrate psychopharmacology into their practice.