Head and Face Pain Syndromes.

Head and Face Pain Syndromes describes the prevalence and significance of head and face pain and the musculoskeletal disorders related to this region.

An in-depth review of the anatomy and pathophysiology in chapter 1 is followed by a description of migraine, cluster headaches, and the common headache. Chronic facial pain and cervicogenic headache symptomatology are explained clearly, and myofascial pain syndromes are identified and classified appropriately.

Physical therapists may be particularly interested in the author's description of the clinical manifestations of temporomandibular arthralgia and the various modalities used in the management of head and face pain. An impressive aspect of this text is the explanation of the neurological mechanisms responsible for pain production.

The final two chapters cover psychological testing and clinical aspects of depression in patients experiencing chronic pain.

This book is detailed and current, and discourse is supported by a wide scope of references. As with the other books in the Cailliet pain series, numerous figures are used to expand on the written text.

One negative aspect of this book is that the chapters do not follow a logical sequence. The review of headache is interrupted by myofascial pain syndrome, which is then followed by a chapter regarding the neurosurgical aspects of headache. The chapter on temporomandibular joint pain comes later, but may have been better served if associated with the cervicogenic head and neck pain chapter.

Head and Face Pain Syndromes serves as an excellent review of neurology, headache, and the physical therapy modalities used in chronic pain management. Physical therapists treating temporomandibular joint dysfunction and cervicogenic headache will find it a useful reference.