Tell Me Where It Hurts

What if pain isn’t just a signal—but a story your body is trying to tell? In this powerful, compassionate book, Dr. Rachel Zoffness blends science and stories to reveal why pain lingers and what to do when medicine has no answers. As a physician, I was humbled by how much I didn’t know. This book is essential—for anyone living with pain, and for those who care for them

Lisa Sanders, MD, Professor, Yale School of Medicine, author of Every Patient Tells a Story

What I have learned from Dr. Zoffness has changed my life. In the grasp of life-altering pain, it’s easy to wonder if anyone really gets it. Who can solve a Rubik’s cube with so many sides? Demystifying this is Dr. Zoffness’s life’s work. Tell Me Where It Hurts is science-backed insight from a practitioner who tackles the toughest cases. This book parts the clouds

Henry Abbott, award-winning journalist, author of Ballistic

This is the book we’ve all been waiting for. Dr. Zoffness is a gifted writer who makes learning about pain science feel like reading a mystery novel – and yet Tell Me Where It Hurts contains the depth and knowledge of a medical school class

Kim Clarno, physical therapist, Stanford Medicine Orthopedic and Sports Physical Therapy Care Team

This book is a must read for anyone struggling with chronic pain. Filled with moving stories and the latest science, Zoffness explains how pain works and why so many treatments fall short. Her message is ultimately a hopeful one: by changing our brains we can lessen our pain. I highly recommend

Anna Lembke, MD, Professor and Medical Director, Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic, Stanford University, author of Dopamine Nation

There are many self-help books aimed at the pain sufferer – but this one is superb, as it is both educational and action-oriented. Dr. Zoffness’s marvellous book should be part of every chronic pain patient’s treatment before they’re referred for the myriad interventions that characterize pain medicine. Those who treat chronic pain would be wise to base their care on this book

John D. Loeser, MD, Professor Emeritus, Neurological Surgery and Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, University of Washington

The path of mastery demands we challenge outdated models — and pain medicine is long overdue. In Tell Me Where It Hurts, Dr. Zoffness offers a radically human, science-backed reframe: pain isn’t just physical, but emotional, social, and deeply personal — a signal to understand, not a problem to fix. A masterclass in healing

Michael Gervais, psychologist, author of Finding Mastery

The must-have book every doctor and patient didn’t know they were missing. With beautiful stories and practical science, Tell Me Where It Hurts offers a clear and hopeful roadmap for healing chronic pain. Engaging and essential

Judson Brewer, MD, Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University, author of Unwinding Anxiety

Pain is too often overtreated, undertreated, or mistreated. Zoffness solves many the mysteries of pain and provides practical advice how best to reduce and live with it. The writing has my highest praise - not a wasted word, wasted paragraph, or wasted chapter. Equally useful for patients, clinicians, and families

Allen Frances, MD, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, author of Saving Normal

In this groundbreaking book, Dr. Zoffness dismantles outdated myths about pain and brilliantly reveals new ways to overcome it. Filled with the latest science, this is a must read for both doctors and patients, and frankly anyone grappling with chronic pain

William W. Li, MD, author of Eat To Beat Disease

If you follow the recommendations in this book, I can assure you that it will change your life

Layne Norton, doctor of nutritional sciences

For anyone who has ever felt dismissed by the medical community or told that pain is 'all in their head,' Tell Me Where It Hurts finally offers science-based truth: it reconnects physical and emotional pain, validates the reality of suffering, and demonstrates true hope for healing. Brilliant, timely and important

Lori Gottlieb, author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone

Every young physician can benefit from a dose of "Zoffness training." (Give early and often. Side effects include: awareness, empathy, less over-treatment, improved outcomes, and higher patient satisfaction.)

Ron Turker, MD, Associate Clinical Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at Oregon Health and Sciences University

As a physician taught by one of the forefathers of pain science, Dr. Ron Melzack, I'm pleased there's finally a resource I can share with my chronic pain patients. Dr. Zoffness writes in an accessible, affable style, skillfully deconstructing the destructive mind vs. body dichotomy of pain in ways everyone can understand and appreciate

Keith J. Loud, MD, Physician-in-Chief of Dartmouth Health Children's

A seminal text that enlightens both chronic pain sufferers AND all healthcare providers. Drawing from decades of neuroscience and bedside experience, Dr. Zoffness demystifies pain and constructs an actionable path toward healing. This is THE missing link for patients seeking empowerment and clinicians seeking efficacy. This book should be core medical school curriculum

Nancy Chang MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center