London - A woman was correctly told she had a brain tumour by voices in her head, doctors in Britain have said. The woman, who had no previous psychological problems, first heard a voice while at home reading, which asked her not to be afraid and said it and a friend wanted to help her. Fearing she had gone mad, she sought medical help.
Consultant psychiatrist Mr Ikechukwu Azuonye wrote about his treatment of the woman in the British Medical Journal. He said she appeared to be cured after receiving counselling and medication, but while on holiday her hallucination returned. This time there were two voices. They told her to return to England immediately because there was something wrong with her. Back in London, the voices gave her an address to go to - the brain scan department of a large London hospital. The woman persuaded her husband to drive her there.
A brain tumour was discovered, which was duly removed, after which she made a full recovery. As she regained consciousness after the operation she heard the voices for the final time. They told her: “We are pleased to have helped you. Goodbye.” One explanation put forward at a medical conference where Mr Azuonye described the case was she had sensed a feeling in her head which led her to fear she had a tumour.