Dr Bibbi Oluranti
Dear Dr.,
I want to thank you and tell the whole world how you helped me get rid of my excruciating pains in the waist and lower back that tormented for 15 years. This pain was coming down to the muscles of the laps more often at two points of the buttocks beside the point of the spinal cord. I had knee pains also and there was worm-like movement too. The pains were experienced daily and was persistent in the morning so that walking became very difficult and walking was disabled.
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Two different x-rays claimed it to be lumbosis, but the vertebral bodies were intact and fitted as reported by the x-rays. If I could accurately describe the pains it was like fluid pain was poured from one end to the other. When the pains came I always had to assume a very ugly posture. The x-ray report summarised the ailment as pains in the bones.
When I first involved you in the case, you asked me if any doctor had called it arthritis before. I told you many had done so but that I was confused and wanted a solution and that I was even afraid that the trouble was spiritual. You then told me not to jump to conclusions. You explained that many troubles in the body could be truly arthritis or rheumatic; that is originating from disease (inflammation) in the joints but that there were many differentials of arthritis or rheumatism. I’m sure you can explain better, but I must thank you because my pain is totally gone now. I am well now.
- Danlami Dantsoho, Kano
Dear Danlami,
Whenever the word rheumatic/rheumatic or arthritis comes up, its right to think joints and pains but there are other considerations- like: a) Muscles, ligaments and tendons, especially those attached to the joints that we are particularly complaining about; b) Nerves that pass by or are associated with the joint or area of concern; c) Bones that articulate at the said joint; d) Any combination of these particular elements of the musculoskeletal system; e) Malaria, especially in the elderly who, as they grow older, tend to have bouts of malaria without the signal symptom of high fever; but have just muscle and joint pains; f) Foods eaten that must be recognised as enemies of health in the condition. For example anyone with arthritis who wants relief and cure must beware of the night shade vegetables, which are garden eggs, tobacco, tomato, eggplant, potatoes. They exacerbate arthritis suffering; g) Wrong posture leading to fatigue of a set of muscles and pains from such muscles or area of the body; h) Metastatic or referred problems – meaning the trouble came from another organ far away or nearby as the case may be; i) The actual joint that has been of concern; j) There are situations when there are spiritual root problems, which must first be recognised and tackled else all interventions fail.
The key to the correct recognition of this category of problems is the dreams and their content. And of course, spiritually inflicted problems must engage prayers to bow. When we work with people, we have all these at the back of our mind. For a very good example, Danlami, in your case we were dealing with sciatica, a condition of the sciatic nerve, which comes on with getting older and runs the course of the sciatic nerve which course fits the description you gave. That was the key to solving your problem.
Any such sufferer of rheumatic/arthritic pains can get the benefit of our help as they call the helplines. You can also visit www. mediamedix.blogspot.com.
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Rape survivor or rape victim?
Dear Dr.,
I was gang-raped three days ago by some boys and I am seriously confused; I don’t know what to do. Please advise me
- Linarita, Lanlate, Oyo State
Dear Linarita,
Very sorry about your plight but these things happen and everyone— (all women especially since children and men can also be raped) has to listen well and learn what to do about rape because it
is getting increasingly common. I’ll call this write-up the ABC of rape. First is A for APART—you need to go settle down somewhere safe and compose yourself – that’s of course after crying and being shocked and numbed and feeling like suicide. All that is normal. You need to think and review the situation and make important decisions. So find a safe place and make up your mind on some issues. Do you want to keep quiet about it or get justice or just want an apology—the whole choice is yours but you must set APART all the evidence so you can make your point well when you decide to do so. Don’t wash, don’t clean up, don’t remove your clothes or any torn clothing or pants; don’t do anything that will change the evidence. Keep all evidence apart; sit down; set time apart and even WRITE what happened –so you can recall it better when and if you need to.
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Maybe you are so confused you don’t know what to do? That brings us to B—BULWARK or support. You need a bulwark – strong support in the situation you find yourself. Which friend, sister, relative or acquaintance do you want to call and confide in and rely upon for help and general emotional, physical and other kinds of support at this time? This brings us to the next point, C—CALL
or calling the police. If you need to call us and we’ll help you – see the numbers below. It is a good thing to have some- one go with you to the police; at times you must be warned—they can be very funny and the reason is, generally men (most police are men) believe that any woman reporting rape was complicit in the act. In other words, they may not be too sympathetic because they tend to feel you were careless. But when you go with somebody else they may be forced to be more humane.
Bits of the rapist‘s hair or strands of fabric or maybe a belt or shoe or torn shirt etc. will definitely interest the police as evidence. D. DOCTORS. In their search for evidence, the medical will come into play so they will arrange for you to be seen by a doctor and the evidence you preserved will come in very handy. Any semen or male discharge even if dried on your body or genitals, blood, bruises, etc. will be detailed by the doctor who will take care to examine you after taking specimens for lab tests of STDs/HIV etc. The doctor may need a urine specimen to check out if you were drugged in cases where this happened. Apart from these, it’s only a doctor that can help you make sure you do not get pregnant and bring a rapist’s bastard into the world. Again, you can call or e mail us or visit our blog at www.mediamedix. blogspot.com to access quality help. E stands for EXPEL or expelling the evil from your system. Any woman who has undergone rape needs to be mended emotionally and even spiritually of her wounds which are internal. It is only a counselor that can help you expose and expel whatever psychological or spiritual demons are lurking in your inner man.