There’s a meme about ‘when you Google your symptoms and WebMD says you’re dead’. The photo shows a man lying on the toilet floor cringing in pain. It’s funny but how many of us do it? Then take it further by self-medication. I mean, why go see a doctor when the internet has figured out what disease I have? It might not seem like a big deal to you but it’s more dangerous than you think.
Antibiotics Tolerance
Taking antibiotics that aren’t specified for your current illness could make the bacteria resistant to medicine. The same goes for using antibiotics when you don’t have an infection. Bacteria could end up multiplying and you’ll get worse instead of better.
Expired Medicine
In your rush to handle your symptoms, you may end up consuming medicine that’s past the expiry date. They won’t help since they are weakened. Some may even undergo chemical reactions as they expire, exposing you to harm.
Wrong Dosage
Self-medication puts you at risk of consuming the wrong dosage. This is especially true if you’re using a medicine for the first time. Underdosing means your body isn’t receiving enough to fight off the disease. Taking an overdose can cause serious complications, even death.
Side Effects
Some drugs have serious side effects and those consuming them should be aware before commencing treatment. This is usually not the case especially when medicine is bought over the counter, without taking time to read information on the packaging.
Dangerous Mix
When you have many symptoms and aren’t sure what’s ailing you, mixing medications sounds like a good idea to cover all the bases, right? Absolutely not! Some drugs shouldn’t be used together since they trigger body reactions that shouldn’t happen simultaneously.
Underlying Causes
In the end, self-medication is ineffective since it only deals with symptoms. A trained physician is best placed to analyse your symptoms and get to the root problem. You may feel relief on self-medication but the real disease goes untreated. If this goes on for long it may be too late when you finally go to a doctor.
