Why We Hurt: A Complete Physical & Spiritual Guide to Healing Your Chronic Pain [Paperback]

Dr Greg Fors (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 8, 2007

After seeing his teenage daughter disabled with fibromyalgia, Dr. Fors was compelled to return to academia to find answers for those whose lives are frustrated by chronic pain. In this health and wellness book, Dr. Fors describes the development of chronic pain as a result of our lifestyle of convenience and the roadblocks put in place from our modern approach to healing. He discovered the primary culprits behind chronic pain are not only our diet and lifestyle choices but also the environmental toxins in our food, air, water, and cosmetics, as well as our own perceptions that lead to psychological stress.

In this comprehensive, metaphysical approach to healing from the inside out, Dr. Fors dispels common misconceptions about conventional and alternative therapies and explains how the whole person must be treated—body, mind, and spirit.  He prescribes a "triangle of healing," with practical physical, nutritional, and spiritual solutions. This science-based alternative approach includes sound dietary recommendations, use of supplements, suggestions for healthy living, and proper detoxification strategies for living in a toxic world.  Dr. Fors includes an entire section on self-administered therapy for myofascial trigger points, with diagrams and instructions relating to specific pain conditions.  Most importantly, this approach puts you in charge of your health.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. This compassionate investigation into the multiple factors leading to pain disorders and the conditions associated with them should be required reading for health-care providers, patients with chronic pain and their families. According to neurologist Fors, patients with such disorders, from back pain and arthritis to chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia, frequently experience allergies, headaches, digestive problems, anxiety and depression, leading many physicians to equate chronic pain with chronic patient rather than hunt for a constellation of cause and effect. Fors identifies primary culprits: the typical American diet, laden with sugar and saturated fats and low on nutrient-dense whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and fish; anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDS); environmental toxins; and physical and psychological stress. By making positive lifestyle changes, Fors says, even patients who are suffering most severely will decrease their pain enough to then release neuromyofascial lesions (NMLs, or pain-causing trigger points) that have formed in the fascia (connective tissue) that encases muscle tissue and connects muscles to the rest of the body. In an extensive section on self-care, Fors instructs readers on how to manipulate NMLs; subsections with diagrams map trigger-point locations in specific areas of the body. (Dec.)
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Review

"Dr. Fors' book, Why We Hurt is the most detailed, thoroughly peer-reviewed and evidenced-based guide for understanding the biochemical, physical and spiritual roles in sickness and in health available to date. It is written for both the practitioner and the 'walking wounded,' providing information addressing the cause and treatment of chronic pain in its many forms. I whole-heartedly recommend it!" -- Thomas F. Bergmann, D.C., F.I.C.C.

"Finally! A holistic, comprehensive book that not only understands pain but shows you what to do to alleviate it. Dr. Fors sets out a thorough program--physical, nutritional and spiritual--that guides the reader through the layers of healing. Why We Hurt is a godsend to all of us who have suffered with chronic pain. This book should be on the shelf of every massage therapist in the country and in the hands of all their clients." -- Mary Swander, L.M.T., author of The Desert Pilgrim: En Route to Mysticism and Miracles

"Why We Hurt is an excellent, well-organized and understandable complete guide to a science-based natural approach to chronic pain. It inspires people not to just seek pain relief, but to heal their pain. It is not only an excellent self-help book for anyone who suffers from chronic pain, but a primary reference guide for the health care professional for understanding and treating the neurological and metabolic causes of chronic pain. Why We Hurt certainly has my heartiest recommendation." -- W. Karl Parker BA DC FICC FACC

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Llewellyn Publications (December 8, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0738710652
• ISBN-13: 978-0738710655
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #523,050 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #74 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Disorders & Diseases > Chronic Pain

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book, July 4, 2008

By 

Flyinfree - See all my reviews

This review is from: Why We Hurt: A Complete Physical & Spiritual Guide to Healing Your Chronic Pain (Paperback)

Great book. Easy to understand. I am a nurse but it does not take any medical knowledge to understand the material. He explains how the body works and how things can go wrong and cause chronic pain and many of the other symptoms people complain about. He goes on to explain alternative ways to treat the problems (not using medications that a lot of people are sensative to). Also gives a great resource chapter at the end of the book where you can get the treatments he talks about.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Book, January 9, 2009

By 

Neil Gibson "rlstjs" (Cleveland, OH United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Why We Hurt: A Complete Physical & Spiritual Guide to Healing Your Chronic Pain (Paperback)

This is an excellent book for people with fibromyalgia and myofascial pain. The techniques really do work if you are willing to apply them. If your trigger points are extremely sensitive and cannot even be touched lightly, however, the suggested methods of myfascial release will probably not be practical. Book is very well-written, and very helpful.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of those "life-changing" books, February 24, 2010

By 

Gary Schemnitzer "\m/" (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Why We Hurt: A Complete Physical & Spiritual Guide to Healing Your Chronic Pain (Paperback)

Without a doubt - this is one of the best books I have read in regards to dealing with chronic pain and going deeper than traditional medical viewpoints. Dr. Fors does a great job of not only explaining the science behind his research, but also providing a spiritual approach to manging what you put into your body. We've all heard about bad things like high fructose corn syrup, saturated fats, etc. - but when you grasp the scope of just how much we are poisoning ourselves with processed foods and pharmaceutical panaceas, you will be shocked at how much effect that has on your chronic pain. It is very hard to make dietary changes, but once you read this, you can't help but to be terrified at just how bad the average human diet is. I consider myself to be an educated consumer, but this book really forced me to take stock in how my habits have contributed to my chronic pain. You will learn about supplements and trigger points, and a host of other things - but nothing will be more important than the realization that you have to want to change and sacrifice some things short-term to get to lasting healing. This will be the best $20 you've ever spent on a book if you care about your body and your pain.