It is surprising that many individuals do not see any issue with self- medication, but the issue remains ; why would individuals participate in self-medication, are they conscious of the health hazards that it presents?
These drugs are often referred to as over – the-counter or non- prescription drugs and can be discovered in pharmacies, supermarkets and other outlets.
Examples of over – the- counter medication include, but are not limited to, painkillers such as paracetamol, ibuprofen, low-dose codeine and aspirin, and cough suppressants such as dextromethorphan.
Medical specialists, however, argue that self- medication, which basically purchases medicine without a doctor’s prescription, is not secure.
Dr. Floribert Biziyaremye, Rwanda Biomedical Center’s division responsible for tuberculosis and other pulmonary communicable illnesses, claims that in most instances, individuals use over – the-counter medication without a prescription, with one goal — to relieve mild to moderate suffering in the short term.
Headache, cramps, muscle and joint ache, and even toothaches, are among the ailments. For instance, if you have a cold, some use them to reduce a fever.
People take drugs without a doctor’s prescription for a variety of purposes. While some aim to reduce the time and price of clinical consultation, others merely trivialize illnesses and resort to self-medication. Due to diagnosed disease, mental illness, fast pain relief, depression or even ignorance, other factors may be triggered by personal insecurity and fear of job loss.
Dr. Biziyaremye says research shows that self- medication can lead to side effects and should always be avoided. Prescribing medicine is dangerous for non-medical staff.
He claims self- medication is the use of medicines for indication, dosage, and length of therapy without previous medical consultation.
He points out that individuals need to understand that self-medication is not risk- free, which can boost the burden and out – of-pocket expenses as it can lead to negative health impacts requiring medical intervention.
He describes that this is possibly an unsafe practice with many hazards when it comes to self-medication.
The dangers, says Dr. Biziyaremye, include inaccurate self- diagnosis, delays in seeking medical advice when required, infrequent but serious negative responses, hazardous drug-drug interaction, improper drug administration, inaccurate dosage, inaccurate treatment selection, serious disease masking, and risk of reliance and abuse, among others.
Self- medication may at first seem correct, but the potential side effects of such uninformed actions need to be considered. Self-medication can also lead to allergy, habituations, aggravation of illness, or even disability and premature death.
A point to note is that pharmacists also play a enormous part in the problem of self-medication, according to RedCare, a health information platform. Some pharmacists are urging individuals to purchase their drugs without a doctor’s prescription in a hurry to make a lot of cash. And they even prescribe their customers ‘ medicines in some instances. This is incorrect because it is the responsibility of the pharmacist.
According to Dr. Biziyaremye, the main dangers from irrational self- medication include bad diagnosis and inaccurate drug choice and non-compliance with instructions.
“What happens is that many people rely on their own previous experiences, or their choices based on the recommendations from friends. This is one of the reasons one will prefer to self-medicate than seek a proper diagnosis,” he says.
However, he points out that if the diagnosis of their condition by the patient is inaccurate, their consequent drug choice may aggravate their condition or even cause extra issues that may pose a problem for subsequent medical action.
Dr Janvier Rusizana, a general practitioner at La Nouvelle Clinic in Remera, says understanding the pharmaceutical
properties of distinct drugs is a critical foundation for proper drug choice as needed.
He suggests individuals can randomly prolong drug use, misuse, or combine treatment with other contraindicated medicines, resulting in negative interactions and responses, improper, inaccurate, or undue therapy.
This may also lead to missed diagnosis, delay in inappropriate therapy, pathogen resistance, enhanced morbidity, and reliance on certain medications, according to Dr. Rusizana.
In instances of mere headaches, flu, fatigue, and other mild pains, Dr. Rusizana says that the sensation of physical pain is most often a sign of a disease ; therefore, it is advisable to seek medical care from medical staff to provide appropriate medication.
Self- medication is not a healthy practice and should be prevented at any price, according to Dr. Rachna Pande, an internal medicine specialist.
She suggests individuals should understand that many acute circumstances such as flu spontaneously subside and there is no need for medication. People should therefore leave the practice of getting over – the-counter medication without a prescription.
For example, she notes that in case one has flu, drinking hot water always provides relief in symptoms on pharma -cological procedures such as steam inhalation.
“When one self-medicates, they inadvertently expose themselves to adverse effects of drugs, which may be severe at times,” she says.
For instance, she claims some anti- vomiting drugs can lead to one side of a face (dyskinesia) being stiff and deviating. Anti-cold drugs can trigger excessive drowsiness.
Dr. Pande adds that it can lead to blurred vision, dry mouth, or drowsiness for individuals taking cough syrups without a prescription.
Dr. Pande suggests this can increase the danger of drug interactions for individuals who like or prefer to mix different tablets, while one drug affects another in such a manner that it affects its effectiveness or increases its toxicity.
Self-medicating with anti- diabetic medicine, such as glibenclamide, on antacid drugs (used to decrease stomach acid), she claims she can boost blood concentrations leading to low blood sugar.
When self-mediation is applied, Dr Pande says one is likely to take an incorrect dose, thus not getting desired results or suffering more from adverse effects.
Dr. Francis Kazungu, a general practitioner in Kigali, warns against self- medication by stating that a minor health problem that can be readily solved with the guidance of an expert can become a significant problem over time.
He says the problem with using over – the-counter medicine without a prescription is that the symptoms tend to decrease temporarily, but when complications occur, it becomes difficult for a health practitioner to properly diagnose and treat the problem later.
Another severe issue when it comes to self- medication, he says, is that some drugs, such as antacids, cough syrups, and pain relievers, could also become addicted.
He adds that for some individuals, some antibiotics can cause serious responses in the body, such as penicillin or sulpha drugs.
Where antibiotics are concerned, Dr Biziyaremye says taking them when not necessary and or taking an incorrect dose, increases the risk of making the infectious microbes resistant to them; which according to him, is a serious global concern.
He states that antibiotic resistance happens naturally, but human and even animal abuse of antibiotics speeds up the process.
“The irrational self-medication leads to the abuse of antibiotics and consequently increases the risk of developing the resistance,” Dr Biziyaremye says.
He also describes that suppressing the symptoms with self- medication for acute circumstances can lead to a severe underlying disorder and also delay the diagnosis.
For instance, Dr Biziyaremye says, one may take paracetamol for a fever and headache, which may be due to a serious underlying infection, like meningitis.
Pande describes that it will decrease pain mildly with self- medication, thereby delaying detection and timely therapy of the disease.
“A person practicing self-medication in a bid to avoid visiting a doctor due to lack or fear of expenses in the hospital may end up being hospitalised, which will see them spending more and at the same time, in a critical condition,” she says.