I AM an 83-year-old retired but physically active person who has had pain in his left hand going up to the chest area for many years. Many tests were conducted but revealed all was well. Subsequently, the occasional pain was controlled with minor pain-killers.

However, a quicker treatment was suggested by a friend a few years ago. He said I should cough as strongly as I can at the first sign of a developing pain. It works wonderfully for me every time. I hope this will help others.

Mohammed Hasan

Karachi

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2019