Fresh Cholera Outbreak In Kano Kills 11 People

 

File Photo

A fresh cholera outbreak in Kano State, has claimed 11 lives, while 47 others are currently hospitalised at Hanya Madaki, Halin Sarki, and Kunchi villages in Bebeji Local Government Area of the state.

One of the youth leaders in the affected area, Ubali Dawud Abubakar, who confirmed the outbreak, said the three villages had been battling the suspected cholera outbreak for over one week, adding that despite reporting to the appropriate authorities, there had been no response.

According to him, the last victim, who died as a result of the suspected cholera outbreak was buried yesterday evening.

"One of the people that died of the cholera has been buried yesterday. We want the government to come quickly and intervene" he said

Also, a parent of one of the victims, Musa Abdullahi, said about 47 persons had been treated at homes, as well as at some patent medicine outfit, within the affected communities, since the villages hit by the suspected cholera outbreak have no hospitals or clinic.

In his reaction, the Public Relations Officer of the State Health Ministry, Ismail Garba Gwamaja, claimed that the Ministry was unaware of the outbreak of cholera in the affected villages but promised to investigate the incident to enable the Ministry to take appropriate action.

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Sanitation Law Nullification: Edo Govt complies, to challenge judgement

…to rely on public health Law, Bye-Law for sanitation activity

The Edo State Government has said it would respect and comply with the recent judgement delivered by the High Court of the state, which nullifies the Edo State Sanitation and Pollution Management Law No. 5, 2010.

Open defecation is one of the factors contributing to poor sanitation

In a statement, Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie Esq., noted that “the government is aware of the Judgement in Suit No. B/460/2014 in the case of Johnson Oasogie Igbinedion and Another vs. Edo State House of Assembly and 6 Ors, recently delivered by the High Court of Edo State in which a declaration was made, nullifying the Edo State Sanitation and Pollution Management Law No. 5, 2010.”

Ogie disclosed that “the state government and its lawyers are currently studying the pronouncement and also making effort to obtain a certified true copy of same.”

He maintained that “in line with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999), as amended, the Edo State Government intends to challenge the said decision at the appropriate Appellate level.”

He assured that “in the interim, Government intends to respect and comply with the pronouncement of the court concerning the said law.”

The SSG further said that to exercise its primary duty of ensuring an orderly and decent society and to prevent a catastrophic collapse of public health and sanitation system, “it is the intention of Edo State Government to continue to enforce all other unrepealed statutes and provisions relating to public health, nuisances and sanitation as currently provided for in the following laws: the Public Health Law; the Criminal Code; the Bye-laws of the different Local Government Councils in Edo State; and the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law relating to nuisances.”

He urged all citizens to continue to be law abiding, particularly on matters which affect sanitation, cleanliness, health and decent living of the generality of the people.

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NAFDAC destroys counterfeit products worth N650m in Kaduna

As part of its efforts towards eradicating fake drugs in the society, the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control, (NAFDAC) has destroyed goods worth N650 million at its Buruku dumpsite in Kaduna.

Speaking to newsmen shortly after the exercise in Kaduna Thursday, the Director General of NAFDAC, Prof. Christian Mojisola Adeyeye, said the exercise was to get rid of spurious NAFDAC regulated products from circulation in Nigeria.

According to Prof Adeyeye, “The products being destroyed today are made of substandard and falsely labelled medicines, unwholesome foods products, costimetics and other counterrfeited products.

“Drug counterfeiting is an act of economic sabotage and also terrorism against public health.”

While commending the Federal Government over the ban on the use codeine syrup, the D.G. who was represented by the Acting Director, North-West Zone, Pharm. Gimba Dauda said, “the decision is to ensuring the reduction in the abuse of the substance.

“We have continued to aggressively pursue the goal tht only genuine medicines and wholesome foods of the right qualities are imported, exported, manufactured and distributed.

“We commend the President Muhammadu Buhari for re-instating NAFDAC personnel to our ports of entry and borders.”

Christian admitted that the relentless effort of the Federal Government had helped in the increased seizure of counterfeited and substandard NAFDAC Regulated products smuggled through the land borders.

Part of the drugs, food, cosmetics and chemicals destroyed include: antibiotics, antimalarial, anti- hypertensive, anti-cancer, herbal remedies and controlled substances.

Others are: Mom’s Tomato paste, Non- alcoholic beverages, Maize flour, Eva complexion soap, hair cream and fake insecticides.

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7 Signs You Don't Drink Enough Water

7 Signs You Don't Drink Enough Water 

Daily water consumption is a healthy habit that every person should incorporate into her routine. But, how do you know if you drink enough water?

This liquid, which is the base of all of our drinks, plays a fundamental role in our health. First off, water is present in the functions of all of our organs.

Its absorption in the body optimizes circulation. Also, it improves the oxygenation of cells. And, it helps to keep our tissues in good condition.

Also, it is essential for the detoxification processes of the excretory system. And, it combines with waste in the body to facilitate its elimination.

The problem is that many people do not drink enough water. And, as a consequence, the body must work much harder to perform its functions.

While at first there are not any side effects, little by little, dehydration starts to cause symptoms. And, these symtoms can affect your quality of life.

Because of this, it is very important to recognize the signs that you don’t drink enough water. And, after identifying them, increase your liquid intake as soon as possible.

Take note of these signs!

1. Constipation

Constipation is a digestive disorder that has to do with one’s inability, or difficulty, to eliminate feces from the body on a regular basis.

This triggers an inflammatory reaction in the intestine, alternating the activity of healthy bacteria and provoking the accumulation of excess gas.

It can appear because of poor diet choices. But, it is also frequent in those who do not drink enough water.

This liquid acts as an intestinal lubricant that facilitates the transport of wastes until they are eliminated.

2. Dry skin

The first signs that you don’t drink enough water show in the appearance of dry, dull skin.

Sure, it is true that these symptoms can be produced by external factors. However, you shouldn’t ignore the fact that if you don’t drink enough water, that may be the problem.

Water participates in the correct transport of blood through the veins.This is the key to maintaining optimal production of oils in the skin.

Without water, skin cells start to dry and the regeneration process cannot take place.

3. Dry tongue and mouth

If you don’t drink enough water, dehydration can cause dryness of the tongue and mouth. And, dehydration can reduce saliva production.

This usually starts without a constant feeling of thirstiness that, in general, can be taken care of by drinking water.

4. Under Eye Bags

Another esthetic issue that comes from drinking too little water is the appearance of bags under our eyes.

This symptom is caused by dehydration since it causes liquid retention and inflammation.

Additionally, if you don’t drink enough water, this interferes with the circulatory system. Basically, dehydration prevents blood from oxygenating the cells correctly.

In conclusion, this inevitably affects your skin health.

5. Muscle Pain

Drinking too little healthy liquids, like water, is a factor that influences the recurrence ofmuscle pain.

Water is essential for balancing the electrolytes in the body, a substance the regulates our muscle health.

Muscles need to be kept hydrated to make them strong and inflammation free.

6. Migraines

Strong head pain, like those you get from migraines, may originate because you don’t drink enough water. .

This is because dehydration affects the body’s ability to oxygenate the cellsand transport nutrients. This increases stress and tension in the skull.

Liquids are necessary for keeping the nervous system functioning properly and for keeping hormonal activity regular.

7. Changes In Urination

It isn’t necessary to have a professional take your urine sample to know that the body is dehydrated and urgently needs liquids.

Just analyzing your urination habits can help you see if you are drinking too little water and it is affecting your kidneys.

The person starts to go to the restroom less regularly and, when doing so, the urine has a strong yellow color.

It is possible that, due to the lack of liquid, the smell is stronger than usual.

Sometimes the feeling of needing the restroom may come about, only to get there and have nothing come out. 

The tendency to get urinary infectionsincreases an alarming amount.

Do you identify yourself with any of these symptoms? If so, it would do a lot for you to start to drinking more water throughout the day.

Be sure to drink between 6 and 8 glasses a day, in addition to eating hydrating foods like fruits and vegetables.

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Breast Cancer: Breaking the cycle of risk through social support

When Benedicta Egejuru got married, her dream was to have a happy home. Just as she wished, she was lucky to be married into a family that adored her. She had no inclination that one day; she would be a source of pain to her family.

The Wall of Fame recently launched by C.O.P.E

Her dream was to see her three children graduate from the university. Suddenly, all these were short-lived as Benedicta was diagnosed of breast cancer at a late stage of three. The news of her condition changed the narrative of the family.

Like the saying, ‘diagnosis of cancer is a family experience that changes the lives of all members’, her condition brought an immense stress and many challenging situations. It was obvious that the daily routine, common activities and distribution of duties in her family took a different turn. Her family members suffered greater distress than her.

Her condition did not spare the relationship with her and her husband. It also confirmed the fact that breast cancer is a couple’s illness and not a disease of the wife’s breast. Their family became at risk. Their sex life became zero. Her children were traumatised. Family caregivers were also not spared as they were overloaded with additional obligations and roles.

Executive Director, Mrs Ebunola Anozie.

Unfortunately, while treatment advances have changed the course of cancer, making it much easier to offer patients hope at the time of diagnosis even in smaller neighbouring countries like Ghana, the situation is still bleak in Nigeria. Treatments are hampered due to lack of diagnostic equipment for proper management, non- availability of comprehensive cancer centres, and financial incapability of families affected.

Sadly, a few months after, Benedicta died of breast cancer, apparently due to late presentation.

Today, hundreds of women like Benedicta are being lost to breast cancer largely due to lack of any form of social support or systems that promotes a culture of early diagnosis of cancer.

Statistics from cancerindex.org show that breast and cervical cancers account for 60.4 per cent of all cancers in women, with breast cancer – Age Standardized incidence Rate, ASR, of 35 per 100,000, almost twice as common as cervix cancer with ASR 21 per 100,000 and occurring in rather younger women.

According to a renowned Consultant Oncologist and Radiotherapist at the University of Nigeria College of Medicine, UNCM, and Teaching Hospital, UNTH, Enugu, Prof. Ifeoma Okoye, Africa has the worst cancer mortality with 4 out of every 5 patients dying from the disease.

Okoye blamed the high death rate on the low level of awareness, late presentation at hospitals as well as the high cost of screening and treatment.

For Okoye, who is also a member of the team of medical experts that packaged the National Cancer Control Plan 2018-2022, there is a need to address cultural challenges, investigate cases, prevent, where possible, ensure early detection, which is key, and provide optimal management, palliative care and screening to the entire country.

To check these increasing deaths from cancer, ensure early detection, and increase the chance of survival of patients like Benedicta, a nongovernmental organisation, Cope. Organisation. Public Enlightenment, COPE, recently launched a corporate social support system tagged “Wall of Fame”, a campaign that allows organisations and companies to get involved in the early diagnosis of breast cancer nationwide.

COPE, the first cancer awareness organisation established 23 years ago to champion the cause of women with breast cancer has been contributing to the reduction of the mortality rate of breast cancer through offering information and services to combat the disease and make treatment affordable.

Findings from a recent tour of the Wall of Fame by Good Health Weekly revealed hope on the horizon for Nigerian women if the benefits targeted to be achieved by the corporate campaign against the disease is anything to go by.

From afar, a first timer to the wall of fame will conclude it was an art galleria as logos of companies who have bought into the programme were displayed in a stylish manner.  But on the contrary, it was designed to offer hope and bring the country closer to achieving a reduction in breast cancer deaths.

The Wall of Fame visibly displayed what they tagged as “TheBig10 sponsors” for the public to appreciate their partnership in fighting breast cancer as corporate social responsibility.

File Photo: Breast examination

Explaining how it works, the Chief Executive of COPE, Mrs Ebun Anozie, said an annual contribution of N1 million by a company or organisation can make a positive difference in the lives of 333 Nigerian women at an individual cost of N3,000 for a breast ultrasound scan screening.

Under the Wall of Fame campaign, members of staff and customers will be beneficiaries, women will equally have the opportunity to get screened regardless of their location and socio-economic status.

For Anozie, with the initiative, the perception that cancer is a death centre will be a thing of the past as early detection gives a better chance of surviving breast cancer and is also cheaper.

“Prompt screening with efficiency is assured. It will also facilitate broad networks of cancer control partners and experts at the national level. It will also help develop standards and tools to guide the planning and implementation of interventions for prevention, early diagnosis, screening, treatment and palliative care,” she explained.

“For instance, if a bank keys into it, apart from giving the vouchers to customers to use, there are also female bank staff that can also use the voucher for their screening. It does not necessarily mean that a customer must have breast cancer before the voucher is given to a customer as a thank you gift.”

Further, Anozie who stated that her dream was to take breast cancer screening and diagnosis to the next level maintained that wall of fame was to achieve most importantly early detection.

Listing some of the companies that have keyed into the initiative to include; Skye Bank, Access Bank, Citi Bank, variant Advisory, Union Bank Plc., and Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA), she further appealed to more companies to come on board and partner with COPE to sow back into the lives of people who are doing business with them.

“If they are not alive and healthy, they can’t do business with you, that is just the essence but if they are alive and healthy they can do business with you so a token of N3, 000 to your client is nothing compared to what the people have invested into your own organisation.”

“For Nigerians who may not be patronising any of the fortunate companies or organisations, they can benefit from COPE’s every first Saturday of the month’s breast Ultrasound scan. For good 16 years, we did it free for women. I believe that if I can afford aseobi, I can afford an ultrasound scan with just N1, 000 and have my breast examined.”

She further called for the inclusion of breast self-examination into the curriculum of schools as part of efforts to nip the disease in the bud.

“Breast self-examination should be done a week after a young girl has finished her menstruation so that, if there is anything unusual happening it can easily be noticed and see a doctor. Some of the lumps can be cancerous.”

Lamenting high cost of drugs, she said: “I am also appealing to pharmaceutical organisations to reduce the cost of breast cancer drugs as some medication cost as high as N700, 000 and the patient may be required to up to 13 of it.”

She further urged Nigerians to go back to natural foods than westernised foods, maintain a heart of forgiveness as it breeds various diseases when they have venom inside, exercises more, take a lot of water but stop or minimise intake of cold water and other coloured waters among others.

However, health watchers are of the opinion that if more organisations will key into the programme, it would increase political commitment for prevention and control accessibility in screening, thereby preventing deaths of women like Benedicta.

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Fertility Expert Advises Husbands to go for Regular Genital Check-ups

Managing Director, Nordica Fertility Centre, Dr. Abayomi Ajayi, has appealed to men to go for periodic genital check-ups since they are active players in cases of infertility in marriage.  Ajayi made the call against the backdrop of a general tendency to blame women for infertility when childlessness occurs in marriages. He stressed that most saddening was the fact that the woman took the blame when in actual fact it was the male that is at fault.

He said, “A lot of times, men don’t come out to be tested and then they keep blaming the woman until it becomes a major issue in the marriage. The notion that women are always the culprit when it comes to delay in childbearing should be dispelled.

“There is therefore was an urgent need for men to begin to come out early enough for genital check-ups before their wives grow beyond childbearing age.“Males have a 50 per cent chance of being responsible for infertility in marriages as there were a lot of activities and things they get involved with and indulge in which have a way of depleting their sexual and productive capability.

“We have realised that a lot of women are so angry that by the time they find out that it is the man that actually has the problem; the woman has grown beyond childbearing age, when she would have gotten pregnant with donor sperm when she was still very young.

“Interestingly all these advancements for fertility are available in Nigeria, so it is your fault if you don’t get knowledge and seize the opportunities available.

“Of course, we are all aware that male infertility appears to be on the increase all over the world. We looked at our own figure here too from a study we conducted four years ago and we found out that when we compare the sperm count of men 10 years before now with sperm count of men three years ago and to the present time, we found a decline of about 30 per cent.

“So we said sperm count appears to be declining at three per cent per year.  And because we are so interested in male fertility, we also looked at our figures again in the last five years and what we also saw again was that 12 per cent of our men had no sperm at all while 38 per cent present had low sperm count.

“Out of every two sperm samples that we took, one had a problem. And therefore we thought that we needed to further ensure that men were aware, so that they can quickly make decisions that will help them out.”

Ajayi added, “You may see a man with a fine body physique but after examination you realise that he has no sperm at all.

“This is rampant these days, so we thought it is our responsibility to continue to put it on the front burner so that you don’t waste valuable time doing the stupid things within that period.”

Enumerating probable causes of sterility in men, Ajayi said, “We do not know precisely what is responsible for low sperm count in men but we know some contributing factors part of which is genetic, environment, the way that the men these day spend their time – drugs and anabolic steroids have become something that you get everywhere and I see some young men go to clubs and drink all sorts of concoctions and through this singular act, they do a lot of damages to their reproductive organs.

“So it is incredible what we do to ourselves. Of course we also know that when you are overweight, there is likelihood that your sperm will also be affected negatively.”

He said therefore that there were so many things that needed to be brought into the forefront in order for men to take precautions, adding, “There are so many things going on around us that we really need to point out to people as we cannot say it is one particular factor that is responsible for this but there are lots of factors responsible.

“That is why we said that we should use the Nordica Fertility Awareness month to draw attention to this particular issue of male infertile because we want many men to become fathers and they also have to do the right things to achieve this,”

Ajayi, who said however that the male infertility issues is a big challenge in world and may get worse, added, “We don’t understand the main cause yet. Some of the things that we do are ridiculous and at the same time you can never avoid them. A thing like even toothpaste is incriminated.

“So does that mean we would not brush our mouths again? So there are so many things now that they world is confused about male factor in infertility. The truth is that we don’t really know the cause of male infertility, the only thing we can do now is to treat cases as they come.

“So we have available here all the methods available anywhere in world to help men with sperm that don’t function.”

He reinstated further that all variants of male factor infertility are now treatable with a good chance of becoming a father after applying assisted reproductive techniques, which are all available at the Nordica Fertility Centre.

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When a Headache Needs Urgent Care

When we have any kind of pain or discomfort in the head, we call it headache. This feeling could be mild and transient, medium and heavy, and can extend to excruciating pain. Then medically, depending on the accompanying symptoms, it can be classified and graded.

Headaches are usually harmless but can create concern about their origin. Very occasionally headaches are a pointer to a serious disease such as brain tumour or stroke. This is why many people seek advice from their doctors and, in some cases, are referred to specialist neurologists. Normally the severity of the headache bears no relation to the gravity of the diagnosis.Headache is one of the commonest symptoms experienced by humans. In fact, it is quite unusual not to have at least an occasional headache. Why some people never experience headache is not known.

It’s not just stress and nasty colds that cause headaches. Cleaning your home or sleeping late can cause them too. Nearly everyone has had headache pain, and most of us have had it many times. A minor headache is little more than a nuisance that’s relieved by an over-the-counter pain reliever, some food or coffee, or a short rest. But if your headache is severe or unusual, you might worry about stroke, a tumor, or a blood clot. Fortunately, such problems are rare. Still, you should know when a headache needs urgent care and how to control the vast majority of headaches that are not threatening to your health. Doctors don’t fully understand what causes most headaches. They do know that the brain tissue and the skull are never responsible since they don’t have nerves that register pain. But the blood vessels in the head and neck can signal pain, as can the tissues that surround the brain and some major nerves that originate in the brain. The scalp, sinuses, teeth, and muscles and joints of the neck can also cause head pain.

10 headache triggers and their remedy

1. Relaxing after stress

You put in 10-hour days from Monday to Friday and you feel fine, only to wake up after a lie-in on Saturday with a pounding headache. Why is that? It’s because as the tension of the week subsides, your levels of stress hormones drop, which causes a rapid release of neurotransmitters (the brain’s chemical messengers). These send out impulses to blood vessels to constrict and then dilate, which causes a headache.

Remedy: Avoid the temptation to sleep in at weekends. More than eight hours’ sleep at a time can bring on a headache. Introduce some relaxation time, such as a yoga class, into your working week, rather than squeezing it all into the weekend.

2. Pent-up anger

When you’re angry, muscles in the back of your neck and scalp tense up, causing a tight band-like sensation around your head. This is a sign of a tension headache.

Remedy : When you start feeling angry, breathe deeply and slowly. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth, This should relax your head and neck muscles.

3. Poor posture

Poor posture causes tension in your upper back, neck and shoulders, which can lead to a headache. Typically, the pain throbs in the base of the skull and sometimes flashes into the face, especially the forehead.

Remedy: Avoid sitting or standing in one position for a long period of time. Sit up straight and support your lower back. Consider using a special headset if you spend a lot of time on the phone, as holding a handset between your head and shoulder can strain muscles and cause headaches.

You could also see a physical therapist, such as an osteopath or Alexander technique practitioner. They may be able to help you identify and correct any posture problems.

4. Perfume

If you think housework is giving you a headache, you could be right. Household cleaners, along with perfumes and fragranced air fresheners, contain chemicals that can bring on headaches.

Remedy: If you’re susceptible to headaches brought on by certain smells, avoid heavy perfumes and strong-smelling soaps, shampoos and conditioners. Use fragrance-free air fresheners and household cleaners, and keep your doors and windows open as much as possible at home. If a colleague’s perfume is bothering you, put a fan on your desk at work.

5. Bad weather

If you’re prone to getting headaches, you could find that grey skies, high humidity, rising temperatures and storms can all bring on head pain. Pressure changes that cause weather changes are thought to trigger chemical and electrical changes in the brain. This irritates nerves, leading to a headache.

Remedy: There’s not much you can do to change the weather. However, by looking at the forecast, you can predict when you’re likely to have a headache and take a preventative painkiller a day or two in advance.

6. Grinding teeth

Grinding your teeth at night (the medical name is bruxism) makes your jaw muscle contract, causing a dull headache.

Remedy: Your dentist can fit you with a mouth guard to protect your teeth while you sleep.

7. Bright lights

Bright lights and glare, especially if flickering, can induce migraines. This is because bright and flickering lights boost the levels of certain chemicals in the brain, which then activate the migraine centre.

Remedy : Sunglasses are great at reducing light intensity, and you can wear them inside and outside. Polarised lenses can also help to reduce glare.

At work, adjust your computer monitor or attach a glare screen. You may be able to turn off certain lights or move them. If you can’t, change where you sit in the office. Fluorescent lighting tends to flicker, so if you’re able to, substitute it with some other form of lighting.

8. Food triggers

Your turkey and cheese sandwich and small bar of dark chocolate might be a tasty lunch, but beware of the headache that could follow it. All these foods contain chemicals that can bring on a migraine. Other culprits include aged cheeses like stilton and brie, diet fizzy drinks, and processed meats and fish.

Remedy: Keep a migraine trigger diary and once you suspect a certain food may be the cause of your headaches, eliminate it from your diet for a couple of months to see if you get fewer headaches.

If you’re concerned about avoiding any food-related trigger factor, see your GP or practice nurse or ask to be referred to a dietician for specialist advice. Remember to eat regularly, because skipping meals can bring on a headache.

9. Sex headaches

It’s a standing joke that headaches are used as an excuse to avoid sex, but for many men and women, coital headaches that come on at the height of passion are a real and distressing problem. Doctors think sex headaches are due to pressure building up in the head and neck muscles. The headaches can happen during foreplay or just before orgasm, and can last for a few minutes or up to an hour.

Remedy: They’re inconvenient, but these headaches are usually harmless and don’t mean you have to avoid sex. Take a painkiller a few hours beforehand to block the headache.

10. Ice cream

Do you get a sharp, stabbing pain in your forehead when you bite into an ice cream cone? Then you’re susceptible to ice cream headaches, caused by cold material moving across the roof of your mouth and the back of your throat. Ice lollies and slushy frozen drinks have the same effect.

Remedy: The good news is that ice cream headaches don’t need treatment. In fact, they’re over in a flash, rarely lasting more than a minute or two.

When to be Concerned :

When to worry about a headache. You can take care of many types of headaches by yourself, and your doctor can give you medication to control most of the tougher ones. But some headaches call for prompt medical care. Here are some warning signs for when you should worry about headaches:

• Headaches that first develop after age 50
• A major change in the pattern of your headaches
• An unusually severe “worst headache ever”
• Pain that increases with coughing or movement
• Headaches that get steadily worse
• Changes in personality or mental function
• Headaches that are accompanied by fever, stiff neck,

confusion, decreased alertness or memory, or neurological symptoms such as visual disturbances, slurred speech, weakness, numbness, or seizures

• Headaches that are accompanied by a painful red eye   • Headaches that are accompanied by pain and

tenderness near the temples

• Headaches after a blow to the head
• Headaches that prevent normal daily activities
• Headaches that come on abruptly, especially if they

wake you up

• Headaches in patients with cancer or impaired immune

systems.

Types of headaches : Tension-type headaches :

Occurring in about three of every four adults, tension headaches are the most common of all headaches. In most cases, they are mild to moderate in severity and occur infrequently. But a few people get severe tension headaches, and some are troubled by them for three or four times a week.

The typical tension headache produces a dull, squeezing pain on both sides of the head. People with strong tension headaches may feel like their head is in a vise. The shoulders and neck can also ache. Some tension headaches are triggered by fatigue, emotional stress, or problems involving the muscles or joints of the neck or jaw. Most last for 20 minutes to two hours.

If you get occasional tension-type headaches, you can take care of them yourself. Over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, other brands) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories) such as aspirin, naproxen (Aleve, other brands), or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, other brands) often do the trick, but follow the directions on the label, and never take more than you should. A heating pad or warm shower may help; some people feel better with a short nap or light snack.

Migraine: Migraines occur less often than tension-type headaches, but they are usually much more severe. They are two to three times more common in women than men, but that’s small consolation if you are among the six to eight per cent of all men who have migraines. And since a Harvard study of 20,084 men age 40 to 84 reported that having migraines boosts the risk of heart attacks by 42 per cent, men with migraines should take their headaches to heart.

Neurologists believe that migraines are caused by changes in the brain’s blood flow and nerve cell activity. Genetics play a role since 70 per cent of migraine victims have at least one close relative with the problem

• Changing weather: rising humidity, heat
• Lack of sleep or oversleeping
• Fatigue
• Emotional stress
• Sensory triggers: bright or flickering lights, loud

noises, strong smells

• Dietary triggers:
• missing a meal
• alcohol, especially red wine
• chocolate
• nitrates in cured meats and fish
• aged cheese
• an increase or decrease in caffeine
• MSG (often present in Asian and prepared foods) .

Cluster headaches:

Cluster headaches are uncommon but very severe headaches, and they occur five times more often in men than women. Although anyone can get cluster headaches, the typical patient is a middle-aged man with a history of smoking.

The problem gets its name because the headaches tend to come in clusters, with one to eight headaches a day during a one- to three-month period every year or two, often at the same time of year. The pain always strikes one side of the head and is very severe. The eye on the painful side is red and watery, the eyelid may droop, and the nose runs or is blocked. The attack starts abruptly and lasts for 30 to 60 minutes. Most sufferers become restless and agitated during the attack; unable to sit still, they pace, jog in place, or beat their head against a wall. Nausea and sensitivity to light and sound may accompany the pain. Inhaling pure oxygen can help the attack.

Testing headaches :

Modern medicine depends on tests to diagnose many problems. For most headaches, though, a good old- fashioned history and physical will do the job. In fact, CT scans, MRIs, and EEGs (brain wave tests) look normal in tension-type headaches, migraines, and cluster headaches. Still, these tests can be vital in patients with warning signs or other worrisome headaches.

Living with headaches : For most of us, an occasional headache is nothing more than a temporary speed bump in the course of a busy day. Even so, most men can ease the problem with simple lifestyle measures and nonprescription medications. Relaxation techniques, biofeedback, yoga, and acupuncture may also help. But for some of us, headaches are a big problem. Learn to recognise warning signs that call for prompt medical care. Work with your doctor to develop a program to prevent and treat migraines and other serious headaches. And don’t fall into the trap of overusing medications; for some gents, rebound headaches are the biggest pain of all.

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