From cough to sleep disorders
Germans most frequently turn to cough and cold remedies for self-treatment. Over-the-counter painkillers and remedies for digestive problems are also often bought in pharmacies.
Self-medication – common uses:
- Cough and cold
- Pain
- Stomach and digestive problems
- Skin problems and wounds
- Food supplements (vitamins, minerals, etc.)
- Heart, circulation and vein problems
- Rheumatism and muscle pain
- Mental problems and sleep disorders
Self-medication – The rules
- Prescription drugs are taboo for self-medication! Do not take any prescription medication that you still have at home – even if your doctor prescribed the medication for similar complaints at an earlier time.
- Before you reach into the medicine cabinet, ask yourself the following questions: Do I know what kind of discomfort I have? Do I know the cause of these complaints? Only if you know exactly what is wrong with you can you take the right remedy for it. Ask for advice at the pharmacy if you are unsure.
- Over-the-counter medications are not necessarily harmless. Even over-the-counter medicines have side effects and interactions. Read the package insert carefully and observe warnings and contraindications. Otherwise, the drug may do more harm than good.
- Caution is also advised with herbal medicines (phytotherapeutics). Herbal does not automatically mean free of side effects and risks. For example, St. John’s wort increases the skin’s sensitivity to light, and an overdose of eucalyptus can cause nausea.
- The correct dosage is also important when self-medicating. Never take more of a medication than recommended and do not exceed the intended duration of use.
When to see the doctor?
Self-medication has its limits. For example, you should always have some of the body’s alarm signs clarified by a doctor – regardless of whether there are over-the-counter remedies for them or not. Examples include sudden onset of eye pain with impaired vision, earache with fever, sudden onset of severe pain or shortness of breath.
Do not treat symptoms on your own that you have never had before. A visit to the doctor is advisable even if an illness recurs at short intervals. If the symptoms do not improve within two to three days, if they worsen or if new symptoms occur, you should also consult a doctor.
No self-medication during pregnancy and breastfeeding! Pregnant and breastfeeding mothers should not take any medication without consulting their doctor.
Great care should also be taken with children. Never give your child medicines that the doctor or pharmacist has recommended for yourself. What helps adults can harm children under certain circumstances. Discuss with the pediatrician in advance how you can react to signs of illness in your offspring in an emergency.
General warnings
- In addition to the actual active ingredient, medicines almost always contain a whole range of additives and adjuvants. Allergy sufferers and people with intolerances to certain substances (for example lactose) should therefore study the composition of the drug carefully.
- Avoid medicines that are inhaled if you suffer from a chronic respiratory disease (such as asthma). Inhalants and essential oils for application to the skin are problematic.
- Infants and young children must not be given products for inhalation or rubbing that contain camphor or menthol. These substances can cause spasms of the glottis, larynx and airways and thus trigger life-threatening respiratory distress.
- People with liver disease, epileptics, and alcoholics should generally not take alcohol-containing medications, certainly not as part of self-medication.
