Self-medication is something that all of us are guilty of, at some point of time or the other. While it is not bad to try out some proven home remedies for those common illnesses or take a Crocin or Dolo for a fever, it is important to know that there are serious implications and limitations of self-medication.
Prescribed medicines are almost always done so by doctors on the basis of certain tests and considering your body’s conditions. Hence, what works for one may never really work for another. There is also the possibility that it could actually backfire and cause you more harm than good. Hence, for any slightly serious issue, it is always better not to go in for self-medication or even on the basis of anybody’s suggestion, other than a qualified doctor. Let’s take a look at what all could go wrong if you self-medicate.
Incorrect diagnosis
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There was once an episode wherein a parent took her kid to a doctor, and informed the doctor, that she thought that her daughter, who had stomach pain, had food poisoning. The doctor sternly looked at the parent and said, “Please tell me the symptoms and the course of events, and allow me to diagnose what the problem could be”. As it turned out, the issue was something far more serious, which had to be diagnosed through scans and tests. This is a typical example of how wrong we usually are about understanding health issues. We presume that we know and understand the symptoms and why it happened and we could actually be grossly wrong.
Hence, when we medicate ourselves, we could actually be doing so on the basis of a totally wrong diagnosis and may end up complicating the problem. It also means that we have delayed in seeking the right treatment, which if it was done on time could have saved so much trouble for all.
Allergy or adverse reactions
When we normally visit a doctor for a particular issue, the doctor carefully listens to the symptoms, checks them out, prescribes a few tests if necessary, checks our medical as well as family history and then prescribes the medicines. It is quite possible that we are allergic to certain medicines or few other regular medicines that we are taking when taken in a combination with something else can cause some adverse reactions. This is another reason why self-medication should not be attempted. In fact, at times, it can prove to be quite disastrous than we can envisage.
Incorrect dosage
The doctor is also the best judge of what could be the right dosage for your body. Just like how kids are usually given a different dosage of the same medicine, most people also would need different dosages. Incorrect dosages also can cause lots of trouble, needing medical intervention.
Side effects
Almost all medicines have some kind of side effect or the other. When we do not know about these, we may end up creating more problem for the actual issue and distress for us as well. The doctors who prescribe the medicines clearly know the side effects and would have either warned us or prescribed some alternative or relief for such things as well.
What are the alternatives?
The first and foremost thing is to ensure that you always have your prescriptions ready for your regular medications. If you find any other issues, visit the doctor or if you have tied up with us as a member with specific benefits, check out home visits. On the brighter side, is the fact that you need not step out to buy the medicines if you are a member with us. Our membership benefits provide you with an option to order medicines from the comfort of your home.
Just use the ‘Order Medicines’ option from under the Save menu on our website. Fill in the details and upload a copy of your prescription and the medicines will be delivered to your doorstep. What is more, you will even end up saving on your medicines as compared to what you might have purchased outside. If there are any special instructions, there is an option to even provide the same. So, avoid self-medication, join hands with Samarth and live a healthier, safer life.
