THE NEUROSCIENCE OF PAIN, ANESTHETICS & ANALGESICS: A Complete Clinical Reference - Softcover

F. RIDGE, KELLAN

Softcover

ISBN 13: 9798180639479

Publisher: Independently published, 2026

Synopsis

Pain is among the most complex and clinically significant phenomena encountered in medicine. From the activation of peripheral nociceptors to the intricate neural networks of the brain, understanding pain requires a deep knowledge of neuroscience, pharmacology, anesthesiology, and clinical medicine. Yet many resources address these disciplines separately. This book brings them together into a single comprehensive reference.

The Neuroscience of Pain, Anesthetics & Analgesics provides a rigorous, evidence-based exploration of the biological mechanisms that generate pain, the neural systems that modulate it, and the pharmacologic and interventional strategies used to treat it. Designed for clinicians, trainees, researchers, and advanced healthcare professionals, this text bridges foundational science with real-world clinical application.

Beginning with the anatomy of pain pathways, nociceptor biology, dorsal horn physiology, and central sensitization, readers gain a clear understanding of how pain signals are generated, amplified, transmitted, and perceived. The book then examines the diverse mechanisms underlying acute, chronic, neuropathic, nociplastic, visceral, cancer-related, and postsurgical pain syndromes.

A major focus is placed on the pharmacology of analgesia and anesthesia. Detailed chapters explore opioids, NSAIDs, acetaminophen, gabapentinoids, antidepressants, local anesthetics, ketamine, alpha-2 agonists, and emerging therapeutic targets. Mechanisms of action, clinical indications, safety considerations, adverse effects, and evidence-based applications are presented in a practical and accessible format.

Readers will also discover comprehensive coverage of:

• Pain neurobiology and nociceptive processing
• Peripheral and central sensitization
• Descending pain modulation systems
• Opioid pharmacology, tolerance, and opioid-induced hyperalgesia
• Local anesthetics and sodium channel physiology
• Ketamine and NMDA receptor antagonism
• Regional anesthesia and neuraxial analgesia
• Multimodal analgesia and ERAS protocols
• Chronic pain medicine and interventional pain management
• Cancer pain treatment strategies
• Migraine neuroscience and headache pharmacology
• Pediatric and geriatric pain management
• Acute pain services, ethics, and the future of pain medicine

Written with both scientific depth and clinical relevance, this reference integrates current concepts from neuroscience, anesthesiology, pharmacology, and pain medicine into a cohesive framework that supports informed decision-making and improved patient care.

Whether you are an anesthesiologist, pain specialist, CRNA, physician, resident, medical student, pharmacist, nurse practitioner, researcher, or healthcare professional seeking a deeper understanding of pain and analgesia, The Neuroscience of Pain, Anesthetics & Analgesics offers an indispensable guide to one of medicine’s most important and rapidly evolving fields.

Edition details

• Publisher: Independently published
• Publication date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 13: 9798180639479
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 361