Self Medication

CONCEPT OF SELF MEDICATION: A REVIEW

ABSTRACT:

This article presents a review on self-medication, which can be defined as the use of medicine without any professional supervision. It aims to find the reason of self-medication and make public aware about its effects and side effects. People use it for the treatment of any disease symptoms or minor ailments by their self-initiative. The most commonly available Over the Counter (stocks) medications are pain killers, cough and cold remedies, anti-allergy medicines, vitamins and energy tonics. Although these medications are considered risk free and useful for the treatment of common health problems, their excessive use can also lead to serious side effects and unfavorable reactions. The percentage of self-medication might be changes with locality and region. Prevalence of self-medication is high in professional students. Many of the national and international journals on the self-medication were reviewed for their findings and report on different parameters. There are several drug stores, which provide the medicine without any prescription and its percentage is increasing day to day in Pakistan. Presently the frequency is high of self-medication by the young ones and literate people who do not have much time to go to physician. This review conclude the benefit (when drug is used in limit and its use, characteristics are known), drawback (when people have no idea about its use and limitations) of drugs and their safe use.

Instructions.

• Please avoid taking any medicine without consultation of a physician.
• Consult a professional physician for a Specific disease.
• Check the expiry date of medicine while purchase then use after consultancy of a physician.