[Oral Health #9] Self-Medication...An Established Threat.
Hello Steemers!!!
It is been a while now since i have posted about health. Today I want to highlight the Risks of Self Medication! So Lets start with traditional Discussion Starting Questions.
What medicines do you keep spare at home?
How well do you know the action and interaction of those drugs?
What is the proper amount and time to take a drug?
Is Every fever having same cause?
What do you know about Drug Abuse and Drug Resistance?
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Self-Medication
Self medication is a human behaviour of selecting and using medication to treat self diagnosed conditions. This is a common practice and many a times the person taking these medications dont know the side effects or interactions of the drug to the body.
I remember a case where a boy suffered from typhoid. The family self medicated the boy for symptoms like fever and sore throat. However, his condition deteriorated and when admitted to the hospital, it was already too late for the boy. 😔
Though the Symptoms are similar, the Assumptions that the Conditions or Infections are Similar can prove very Dangerous.
This practice is seen mostly in developing countries.
In India, self medication is a common practice and has become an established threat to the Health Organisations.
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The Drugs/Medicines can be Prescription Drugs and Over the Counter (OTC) Drugs.
Almost all the Self medicated drugs are OTC drugs and were once the Prescription drugs.
Switching from Prescription to OTC Drugs
The transfer of Prescription(Rx) Drugs to Non-Prescription Drugs is reffered to as "Rx to OTC Switch"
Almost Every medicine is generally a Prescription medicine at first. With success, time, use, research of the Medicine over time, the manufacturer company supplies the application for the OTC status of the Drug. So, a Rx drug changes to OTC drug.
Reason for The Self Medication
Modern consumers are generally unwilling to submit to the inconvenience of visiting a doctor. Some Other reasons for this practice are Urge of Self care, feeling of sympathy towards family members during sickness, lack of time, lavk of health services, financial constraints, ignorance, Misbelieves, ectensive advertisements, previous prescription, availability of spare drugs at home (OTC).
Commonly used Drugs for Self Medication
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These include:
- Pain Killers or Analgesics
- Cough Remedies
- Anti-biotics
- Anti allergies
- Laxatives
- Antacids
- Vitamins
These all are sold OTC in one or other place. Even Antibiotics Resistance have been seen as a major threat for common population due to its OTC availability in India.
Effects and Dangers of Self medication
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It can cause Allergy, Habituation, and Addiction.
The Dangers may include:
Misdiagnosis:
Like above case of a typhoid boy, various life threatening diseases are misdiagnosed causing fatal loss to the person or even death.Habituation
Addiction may arise from the OTC drugs such as cough syrups or analgesics.Allergic Reactions
Self medicating person generally doesn't have any idea about the interaction of certian drugs if taken along together, so many a times causes the allergic reactions.
img sourceProper Dosage
Incorrect and insufficient dosages are going to be of no avail in any condition, thus worsening the condition more and more.
Risk of Shock
Analgesics increase the risk of Stroke 4 times in patients with HIGH BP.Insult to various vital organs
The liver, kidneys, heart and other vital organs are affected by the indiscriminate use of medicines.
History of Self Medication
In 1975, WHO stressed the role of individual in primary care by "self-care".
In 1980, "RX to OTC drugs Switch" began and first product to become OTC drug was Ibuprofen in UK and US.
In 1993, the self medication was seen as an emerging challenge in the Medical and Health Sector.
Thus in 2000, Responsible Self-medication term was introduced which aimed at reducing usual improper and dangerous self medication.
Prevention of Potential Risks of Self Medication
Role of Health Professionals
Health professionals work on three main aspects: Information, therapeutic advice, and Education.
So they have a potential role in Preventing Risks of Self medication.
INFORMATION - Proper instructions should be explained and given at the patients comprehensive level in order to make the patient understand what medicine will be helpful for.
Therapeutic Advice Patient should be advised the proper directions of use, dosage, frequency, course, and how to take the medicine.
EDUCATION Proper Health Educationregarding the Risks and Dangers of Self medication on him and his Family should be imparted to the patient.
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Role of Pharmacist
Pharmacist should guide the customers for proper physician consult before taking any medication. They should supply a quailty drug.
Promotion of Responsible Self Medication
The OTC committee in India is working towards promoting the responsible Self medication by holding awareness among general masses.
WHO has also made some important statements regarding the promotion of Responsible Seld Medication.
Concluding Thoughts
Self medication has been accepted as an important and key component of improving the primary health sector. But at the same time it is also an alarming concept.
Self medication would be safe if the people using it have a proper and sufficient knowledge about it. In India, the basic knowledge of Medicines is far less than the developed countries, so the use of self medication should be limited or somewhat restricted.
Proper Dispensing sources of the medicines is very important for making the drugs cost effective and more efficient. Health education is a must in Countries like India for Awareness among people regarding the Self medication.
Health professionals should spend an extra time in educating patients regarding the medication.
Rationale use of Self medication is thus gonna limit the emergence of the antibiotic resistance issues.
So this is it for today!!!
Till next time...
Steem On!!!
MAY THE STEEM BE WITH US
self medications causing allergies and adverse drugs reactions are surely dangerous, acute or delayed hypersensitivity can occur, please use reference links for statistics and data , nice post :)
Thanks... I think i have used source of the images with each of them. I haven't used any statistics or numbers though. Othervise i would have.
I don't know in which country do you live, but in USA doctors are useless. For 7 years which I'm here, I didn't get ANY right diagnosis.
Right as you mentioned, our family doctor one year treated my sore through and cough without any result, and then I insist to check (BTW, after my own research on internet) my tyriod, he found a big neoplasm there. I would be already dead if I would continue to hear my doctor and take medicines against caugh
So I need to do my own research and heal my family my own because neighter doctor nor any nurse are responsible for our health more than we are.
Sorry, doctors are useless until they work for farmaceuticals companies.
I am sorry for what you have been through... There are many reasons for what could have happened wrong. Doctors negligence could be one among many. I also believe doctors being useless who have sold their soul to pharma companies but there is pretty much good percentage of doctors who work upto the mark of Ethical Code of Medicine. Do internet research for them rather looking for some net advice for a sign you observe. As already said, A sign and Symptom can be same for pretty much 10's of diseases and internet (sometimes can co-relate the S/S to correct Dx) can be deceiving in telling you exactly what you have based on just one sign. A single apthous ulcer (heals on its own mostly) will be prompted as Neoplasm coz ulcer occurs in Most Oral Neoplasms as well. So proper Physical Examination and Diagnosis is important which is only possible when you approach a medico who is specialist in that field.
I believe one unethical and Wrong doctor doesn't make all doctors Wrong.
P.S. Doctors are still humans not Gods, prone to make mistakes (not justifying), however, Strive to minimize this mistake rate. My professor used to say "when a doctor makes a mistake, a person dies. Thus strive to minimize it to almost zero."
so right, but me , family, my friends , we all still do self medication, such a practice that we learn from everyone around. :\
Sad, it is Ghar Ghar ki Kahani...I would advice you othervise...The risk of consequences is very high. If i were you, i would make all these members understand and try to help the practice to stop hereafter.
Yeah i will try being aware from now.
@mirhimayun great post! Saw more from your blog and loved your pics and health summaries:) am following you for more, keep it up! 🤗
Yeah you are right. Taking medicines without consulting a doctor is really dangerous.
Actually self-medication is a big problem in developing countries like India, especially in villages, where everyone thinks himself to be a chemist. Ha ha. :Dear
But taking medication without suggestion of a doc may lead to side-effects and adverse effects.
Great informative article @mirhimayun. Keep it up bro. :)
There is a well known quote in our country..."Neem hakeem khatrai Jaan". Hope you understand urdu.
Yeah, I understand. :D
your post is no longer undervalued :) and you can engage with @ocd in the comments, but curators select posts at their own discretion! keep up the good work....
Surely am gonna engage in the comments with some curators :) Anyways Thanks!!!
@mirhimayun yeah! Why I have never considered that until eventually now. Tend to be the animals immortal in advance of male fully commited sin???.
@mirhimayun Thanks for your work sir.... Love it.
@mirhimayun Really intriguing and insightful submit. Want you the most effective with all of your potential endeavors.