The Song of Our Scars: The Untold Story of Pain

Physician Warraich’s (State of the Heart) very well written book looks at all aspects of acute and chronic pain: its history, its biology, medical treatment and mistreatment, and disparities in pain management and care that stem from racism and other biases. Warraich, who himself has chronic pain, draws from his own experiences in addition to scientific research. His book begins with historical views of pain (how some in earlier eras connected pain to sin; how societies treated and viewed people who were in pain). Warraich also details how paternalistic white medical establishments have often ignored the pain of women and people of color (for instance, the pain of childbirth). He goes on to discuss the biology of pain, including new studies in neurobiology that aim to learn how the environment and the context of pain can change patients’ perception of it; later chapters cover recent studies in alternative ways to treat pain, including hypnosis and exercise. There are also several chapters on the opioid crisis in the United States and the social, commercial, and medical factors that contributed to overprescription of opioids.