Pain Can Be Managed

ALLOW me to briefly highlight some aspects of pain relief in general, and of maternal labour pain management in particular.

Pain in generally is very difficult to make measure accurately as it can only be described objectively, the way Laurika Williams did in her article in The Weekender on childbirth. However, it is well established that the pain threshold is different with each individual.There are those who can tolerate severe pain better than others, and it might be true that women in general have a higher pain threshold than men.The human body possesses natural mechanism through which it can relieve pain, by producing hormones (endorphins) to fight pain.China has long been using acupuncture to relieve pain through the above-mentioned mechanism, stimulating the body (points) to enhance the production of endorphins during operation, or even at birth.Strong and safe analgesics (painkillers) are currently utilised, facilitating surgery (operations) and in the management of chronic and acute pain situations.Also maternal labour pains can be managed highly successfully in experienced hands of the anaesthesiologist (the doctor who puts people to sleep for operations).The method is called segmental lumber epidural analgesia (nerve block), which can be utilised to completely abolish maternal labour pain, while the strength to push is totally intact.Indeed in Europe and the USA, as well as in major medical centres across our borders, in South Africa, maternal labour can be free of screams and fathers can be present to encourage the pushing and render general support during pain free labour.Naturally, such highly specialised procedures can only be performed in medical institutions that support and maintain high medical standards.Our women should not continue to suffer from this Biblical curse forever.Pain-free maternal labour should be offered in Namibia so that it can be their choice, and indeed their basic right.Schivute Marcus Walvis BayHowever, it is well established that the pain threshold is different with each individual.There are those who can tolerate severe pain better than others, and it might be true that women in general have a higher pain threshold than men.The human body possesses natural mechanism through which it can relieve pain, by producing hormones (endorphins) to fight pain.China has long been using acupuncture to relieve pain through the above-mentioned mechanism, stimulating the body (points) to enhance the production of endorphins during operation, or even at birth.Strong and safe analgesics (painkillers) are currently utilised, facilitating surgery (operations) and in the management of chronic and acute pain situations.Also maternal labour pains can be managed highly successfully in experienced hands of the anaesthesiologist (the doctor who puts people to sleep for operations).The method is called segmental lumber epidural analgesia (nerve block), which can be utilised to completely abolish maternal labour pain, while the strength to push is totally intact.Indeed in Europe and the USA, as well as in major medical centres across our borders, in South Africa, maternal labour can be free of screams and fathers can be present to encourage the pushing and render general support during pain free labour.Naturally, such highly specialised procedures can only be performed in medical institutions that support and maintain high medical standards.Our women should not continue to suffer from this Biblical curse forever.Pain-free maternal labour should be offered in Namibia so that it can be their choice, and indeed their basic right.Schivute Marcus Walvis Bay