Features
Headache
Some people have severe headaches only once or twice a year, while others may have frequent or even daily attacks.
If left untreated, a tension headache can go on for days or weeks without relief. Despite the discomfort, most people can continue with their usual activities.
What causes a tension headache?
A tension headache is thought to be due to muscle tightness in the scalp, forehead and the back of the neck. This can be triggered by:
• Tension and stress.
• Tiredness.
• Long periods of reading, typing or concentration (eye strain).
• Poor posture.
• Spine and neck injuries.
• High blood pressure.
• Physical or emotional stress.
What are the symptoms?
A tension headache may feel like a tight band around the head or a dull ache on both sides of the head. There may also be aching and tightness in the neck and shoulders. Tension headaches tend to worsen as the day goes on.
Treatment
You will be assessed by a doctor or nurse and advised of the best treatment. Tests are not normally needed. Most people find pain relief eases the severity of a tension headache. Pain relief is safe when used as directed. Ask your doctor or health care professional which of the following is the most appropriate for you:
• Paracetamol on its own.
• Aspirin (do not use in children).
Once treatment starts you should be able to return to your everyday activities.
If your headaches are caused by neck problems, you may be helped by the following therapies:
1. Emotional Surgery
2. Physiotherapy /Massage
Medication may be needed on a daily basis. Your doctor can refer you to other health care professionals for treatment, depending on your needs.
If you suffer from frequent headaches, see your doctor. Writing your symptoms in a diary can help in working out a treatment plan. Although a headache may be a warning sign of a more serious problem, this is rare.
Home care: When you have the headache, take pain relief and rest in a dark room. Sometimes having a warm bath or shower, or applying a warm or cold cloth over the aching area can help. You should not solely rely on pain relief medication. The most effective long-term treatment is to make simple lifestyle changes that reduce the frequency of your headaches.
Be guided by your doctor or health care professional, but some helpful tips include:
• Learn ways to manage your stress.
• Find ways to relax, go for emotional surgery, massage or meditation.
• Have a healthy diet.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Exercise regularly – you release ‘feel good’ chemicals (endorphins) from your brain when you exercise.
• Maintain a good posture when you are upright, try not to slouch when sitting as this puts strain onto neck and back muscles.
See your local doctor or return to the emergency department if:
You get a headache that is severe and out of the blue (a sudden onset).
• The pain is worse when you cough, sneeze or strain.
• The pain is getting worse, despite taking pain relief.
• The pain is worse when you lie down.
• You become drowsy, or confused.
• Your vision becomes blurred, or you have any visual disturbance.
• You are generally unwell, including vomiting.
In a medical emergency go to the nearest hospital emergency department or call an ambulance. For other medical problems see your Doctor or health-care professional.
By Robert Ekow Grimmond-Thompson
One of the issues we have been grappling with as a nation is corruption, and it has had such a devastating effect on our national development. I have been convinced that until morality becomes the foundation upon which our governance system is built, we can never go forward as a nation.
Our traditional practices, which have shaped our cultural beliefs, have always espoused values that have kept us along the straight and the narrow and have preserved our societies since ancient times.
These are values that frown on negative habits like stealing, cheating, greediness, selfishness, etc. Our grandparents have told us stories of societies where stealing was regarded as so shameful that offenders, when caught, have on a number of instances committed suicide.
In fact, my mother told me of a story where a man who was living in the same village as her mother (my grandmother), after having been caught stealing a neighbour’s cockerel, out of shame committed suicide on a mango tree. Those were the days that shameful acts were an abomination.
Tegare worship, a traditional spiritual worship during which the spirit possesses the Tegare Priest and begins to reveal secrets, was one of the means by which the society upheld African values in the days of my grandmother and the early childhood days of my mother.
Those were the days when the fear of being killed by Tegare prevented people from engaging in anti-social vices. These days, people sleeping with other people’s wives are not uncommon.
These wrongful behaviour was not countenanced at all by Tegare. One was likely going to lose his life on days that Tegare operates, and so unhealthy habits like coveting your neighbour’s wife was a taboo.
Stealing of other people’s farm produce, for instance, could mean certain death or incapacitation of the whole or part of the body in the full glare of everybody. People realised that there were consequences for wrongdoing, and this went a long way to motivate the society to adhere to right values.
Imagine a President being sworn into office and whoever administers the oath says, “Please say this after me: I, Mr. …., do solemnly swear by God, the spirits of my ancestors and the spirits ruling in Ghana, that should I engage in corrupt acts, may I and my family become crippled, may madness become entrenched in my family, may incurable sicknesses and diseases be my portion and that of my family, both immediate and extended.”
Can you imagine a situation where a few weeks afterwards the President goes to engage in corrupt acts and we hear of his sudden demise or incapacitation and confessing that he engaged in corrupt acts before passing or before the incapacitation—and the effect it will have on his successor? I believe we have to critically examine this option to curb corruption.
My grandmother gave me an eyewitness account of one such encounter where a woman died instantly after the Tegare Priest had revealed a wrong attitude she had displayed during the performance on one of the days scheduled for Tegare spirit manifestation.
According to her story, the Priest, after he had been possessed by the spirit, declared that for what the woman had done, he would not forgive her and that he would kill. Instantly, according to my grandmother, the lady fell down suddenly and she died—just like what happened to Ananias and his wife Sapphira in Acts Chapter 5.
NB: ‘CHANGE KOTOKA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TO KOFI BAAKO
By Laud Kissi-Mensah
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Emotional distortions can indeed have a profound impact on an individual’s mental health and well-being. These distortions can lead to a range of negative consequences, including anxiety, depression, and impaired relationships.
Emotional surgery is a therapeutic approach that aims to address and heal emotional wounds, traumas, and blockages. This approach recognises that emotional pain can have a profound impact on an individual’s quality of life and seeks to provide a comprehensive and compassionate approach to healing.
How emotional surgery can help
Emotional surgery can help individuals:
Identify and challenge negative thought patterns: By becoming aware of emotional distortions, individuals can learn to challenge and reframe negative thoughts.
Develop greater emotional resilience: Emotional surgery can help individuals develop the skills and strategies needed to manage their emotions and respond to challenging situations.
Improve relationships: By addressing emotional wounds and promoting emotional well-being, individuals can develop more positive and healthy relationships with others.
The benefits of emotional surgery
The benefits of emotional surgery can include:
Improved mental health outcomes: Emotional surgery can help individuals reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Enhanced relationships: Emotional surgery can help individuals develop more positive and healthy relationships with others.
Increased self-awareness: Emotional surgery can help individuals develop a deeper understanding of themselves and their emotions.
A path towards healing
Emotional surgery offers a promising approach to addressing emotional distortions and promoting emotional well-being. By acknowledging the impact of emotional pain and seeking to provide a comprehensive and compassionate approach to healing, individuals can take the first step towards recovery and improved mental health.
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BY ROBERT EKOW GRIMMOND-THOMPSON
