I haven't read the book, but am familiar with the story. The pain origins don't need to be "psychosomatic" for the mind to override it; the pain may be real.

I haven't read the book, but am familiar with the story. The pain origins don't need to be "psychosomatic" for the mind to override it; the pain may be real. The back surgeon interviewed patients long after back surgery. They reported some help, but some pain / discomfort remained. He looked at Xrays of painful vs pain-free, & found Xrays looked very similar. That's when he started teaching 'pain management'. IMHO teaching 'pain management' would be helpful for all. Could prevent some surgeries, but even if they got corrective surgery, the self-help management could still prove useful.