By Adiza Bawa & Jacob Aggrey
Deputy Managing Director for Tobinco Pharmacy, Christopher Mensah has advised Ghanaians to frequently change their mattresses and postures in order to reduce chronic pain. He said pain is an unpleasant emotional experience from damaged tissue.
According to Mr. Mensah, pain is a complex experience even though it can be managed. In an interview on the GTV Breakfast show, the Managing Director added that if all these activities prove futile, medication recommended by a Doctor can be resorted to.
“Pain is an unpleasant sensory or emotional experience that we go through and it’s usually because of an actual or potential damage to a tissue or a part of a body’’.
Myths or Misconceptions of Pain:
No pain, no gain. He said one of the commonest misconceptions of pain is one has to go through pain before he or she can gain. He said, in doing that, medically, one is willing and ready to stretch the body. According to Mr. Mensah, stressing the body too much can also lead to something serious. He attributed the myth to Athletes who claim they have to exercise every day to get what they want.
“There is a limit to it. As long as you start feeling the pain you have to stop. Most of the time, you’re not toning your muscles, to get used to that kind of exercise. But after you become a regular trainer, there should be a limit to which you can go with your training. So the no pain no gain thing does not work fully in our context of medical pharmacy practice”, he stressed.
Pain is part of the aging process:
Mr. Mensah said no one should accept that myth. The World Health Organization states that pain is an indicator of an underlying problem. Mr. Mensah noted that if an aging person is in pain, he or she should seek medical care as soon as possible. He said one shouldn’t be relaxed thinking it’s normal because there could be a bigger problem which needs to be managed.
Most Pain medications are addictive:
He said most people complain that once they take painkillers, they get addicted.
The Deputy Managing Director of Tobinco refuted those claims saying that, once they follow the prescribed instruction, it does not get addictive.
“You take it as prescribed, you stop it when instructed to”.
Mr. Christopher Mensah noted that pain is complex and advised that when it persists after trying the tips given, one should consult a Medical Practitioner.
Watch the full interview below;
