Self-medication has increased dramatically in Germany and will continue to do so. Studies confirm this trend: Germans are increasingly foregoing visits to the doctor and at the same time increasingly treating themselves with over-the-counter medications. According to their own statements, more than one in three Germans (35%) now go to the doctor less often due to the elimination of reimbursement for non-prescription drugs. Also long waiting periods with the physicians as well as Zuzahlungen for medicaments let many concerning only in the pharmacy go. But self-medication also has its limits. These are reached when health disorders are more than just mild, temporary disturbances or the cause can no longer be clearly assessed by the person affected. In such a case, the cause may be more serious – then it is essential to always consult the doctor.
Possibilities of self-medication
- A prerequisite for any self-medication is that one recognizes the disorder at hand and is able to deal with it. Conversely, this means: All disorders that one does not know where they come from or about which one is unsure, must be examined by a doctor.
- Before buying an over-the-counter drug that you do not know, it is advisable to seek advice from a doctor or pharmacist. Before taking a drug, it is advisable to read the package insert carefully and follow the instructions for taking.
- If medicines are not dosed correctly or taken at the wrong time, it can affect their effect.
- Does the preparation taken help? Do the symptoms recede or perhaps other complaints are added? Observing the body and the complaints is an indispensable requirement of self-medication.
Limits of self-medication
- Anyone who is not sure that his own diagnosis is correct should always consult the doctor. If the symptoms persist unabated for more than three to four days, the doctor must also be consulted.
- Do not take leftovers from the medicine cabinet! Eye drops or the antibiotic of the sister you can but also use yourself? Basically no: antibiotics do not belong in the medicine cabinet at all, because firstly, they should always be used up and secondly, every infection must be treated with the right antibiotic at the doctor. Eye drops have a shelf life of only 6 weeks and must not be used thereafter, because they contaminate bacterial.
- Restraint in pregnant women, nursing mothers and children. Special precautions apply to pregnant women, nursing mothers and infants and young children. Therefore, these groups of people are best to go straight to the doctor.
- Children require different medications than adults. Children – especially infants and toddlers – have a different metabolism, their immune system is not yet mature and many enzymes and hormones are not as effective as in adults. The absorption of the drugs, the effect in the organism as well as the excretion also function differently. Therefore, medications for children are not the same as for parents. Be sure to talk to a doctor or pharmacist beforehand.
- Natural medicine is always thought to be harmless. However, this is not so in many cases. One example is the herbal cardiac glycoside digitoxin, which in higher doses can lead to cardiac arrest. Another example is herbal laxatives, which are nowadays less recommended than their chemical counterparts.
Examples of limits in self-medication
- Stomach problems such as heartburn can be treated well with gastric therapeutics. However, if a more serious condition is present – for example, inflammation of the stomach and esophagus, peptic ulcers, or stomach cancer – it may be masked by self-medication. Therefore, do not wait too long with the clarification of symptoms!
- Painkillers in long-term use increase the risk of drug-induced headaches.
- Sleeping pills are also available without a doctor’s prescription. Long-lasting sleep disorders over several weeks, however, belong in medical treatment, their cause belongs clarified.
- Anti-allergic drugs, which are no longer prescribed on cash prescription, should be taken absolutely, otherwise the allergy could worsen. In the worst case threatens a floor change – namely allergic asthma.
