What do People say about Winners' Guide?

Hal S. Blatman, MD is the founder and medical director of the Blatman Pain Clinic, and a nationally recognized specialist and speaker in treating myofascial pain. He spent 13 years working to write a manual for the body that people could use to demystify pain and learn how to help themselves. He is board certified in Pain Management, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, and Holistic Medicine.He is the current President of the American Holistic Medical Association.

What do our readers say about using the techniques for chronic and acute pain?

"Win over Pain" has been very successful with my "at home program" to keep pain at bay. Since beginning the ball and stretch routine my body is more relaxed and I have more energy. Those who have myofascial pain understand the tightness and restricted range of motion of muscles that have TPs. I cannot stress that the massage of the ball and the stretching must be done very gently. It is best to only roll over the areas lightly and just a few times before stretching. Be sure to read instructions in the book before attempting any new program. I use the beginner's ball over the bony parts of my body like neck, upper back and mid back, etc. On the muscles of the buttocks and hips I use a lacross ball because those muscles are thicker and this ball works well for me. When I first started I only massaged and stretched once a day. After a week, I was massaging and stretching in the morning (most important time of the day) and in the evening after dinner, drinking lots of water to flush out my system. I continue to do this routine only twice a day with the exception that I massage and stretch, then I massage and stretch a second time in the morning and again I do this same routine twice at night. This works for me. You must do what works for you. Any added activity during the day like sitting too much or walking, I do my massage and stretch routine immediately after the activity to keep those muscles elongated. Tip 1: concentrate on only the parts of the body that house TPs in the beginning . I usually start with the neck and work down. Concentrate on massaging all the muscles with the ball that will be affected with the appropriate stretch. For example, when doing my Neck I massage the upper back along with the scalene muscles as those muscles need to be worked to get a good stretch doing the three routines listed in the book for the neck muscles. Tip 2: In the morning upon waking or there abouts and throughout the day drink water with a tablespoon or so of fresh lemon juice which is a wonderful detox for your system. If you have flu symptoms from the lactic acids or other toxins this will alleviate these symptoms as it has for me. Tip 3: don't forget to journal what you do and the results. You can win over pain as I have. Also remember the mind-body connection. Try to reduce stress in your life, enjoy those acitivities that give you pleasure, and remain positive. Good luck, Rosemarie."

"Hello, Dr. Blatman .......... I just wanted to drop you a short note to thank you for fixing my low back pain via your book "The Art of Body Maintenance: Winner's Guide to Pain Relief. Your book stated that the gluteal muscles were the "cornerstone" to the lower back. I used ball massage on my gluteals and had immediate relief to the lower back pain I'd been experiencing for days. I was absolutely amazed !!!!!! Thank you, Bryant Callaghan."

"Over the weekend my leg gave out and I fell on the floor as I walked into my garage. The pain in my hip, lower back, and thigh was severe and my pain medicine did not help. I cannot read, so I used the pictures in the book to see where my pain was coming from and learn what to do to stop it. The pictures were very helpful, and I was able to use the ball and stretch to reduce my pain and make it through the weekend. H Ray Hall."

In 1988, Dr. Blatman established Cincinnati’s first clinic specifically dedicated to providing traditional and holistic pain treatment solutions.