Hesperian Health Guides
Deciding to Use Medicine
For examples of how people decide when to use medicine and questions you can ask, see Chapter 2, âSolving Health Problemsâ, and Chapter 3, âThe Medical Systemâ.
Some people think medicines are always the best treatment. Others try to avoid medicines. Whether medicines will help you depends on the illness and and if the right medicines are available. Some health problems go away without medicine. A person with a cold, for example, will get better after getting rest and drinking lots of liquids. For other health problems, medicines may be necessary to save a personâs life, keep the illness from getting worse, or keep the illness from spreading to other people.
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Before taking medicine, ask yourself or a health worker:
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To the health worker:
When giving medicine, remember these guidelines:
- Medicine alone is not good health care. Good health care means explaining why people have a health problem, what they can do to get better, and how they can prevent that problem in the future. Encourage people to ask questions and respond to their concerns.
- Medicine is safe and helpful only if you clearly explain how to take it. It takes practice and care to give instructions in ways that people are sure to understand and likely to follow.
- Consider the personâs beliefs and experiences with medicine. If someone believes more medicine will make them heal faster, they may take extra and harm themselves. If they are afraid a medicine will harm their body, they may not take it at all. Talk through their questions and concerns as you explain how the medicine works, how to take it, and any side effects to expect.
- Help people avoid fake or dangerous treatments, or ones that are costly. Explain where they can find the best treatment and not pay too much, for example, by buying a generic instead of a brand name.
Harmful uses of medicines
Used correctly, medicines are needed to treat dangerous illnesses, manage other health conditions, and save many lives. However, using the wrong medicine, using medicines the wrong way, or taking too much can hurt or even kill. To avoid harm, know what the medicine is, if it is necessary, and how to use it safely.
Here are some examples of harm from using medicines:
- Sometimes people try to end unplanned pregnancies by taking medicines meant to treat other health problems. This usually does not work. Instead, it can cause serious problems, such as poisoning and death. See Chapter 15 to learn about medicines used for safe abortion.
- While oxytocin, ergometrine, misoprostol are lifesaving drugs when used to stop heavy bleeding AFTER birth, they are often misused BEFORE birth. Only use them to strengthen labor if you have been trained to do so and are in a medical center in case something goes wrong. They can cause the womb to burst, which could kill both the baby and the person giving birth.
- Do not try to stop the flow of breast milk with bromocriptine. It is very dangerous. When you are no longer breastfeeding, the milk will dry up naturally.
- People are often sold medicines or supplements to calm fears, improve your mood, or help with sleep. If you have difficulty getting through each day, talk to a trained mental health worker before trying a treatment so you do not spend money on something that does not help. Sometimes talking with others or finding ways to calm the mind is the best medicine.
- Avoid buying vitamins or nutrition supplements unless you need them to treat a specific condition such as anemia or you are pregnant. During pregnancy, the body needs extra vitamins and minerals like iron and folic acid. Otherwise, people can usually get enough vitamins and minerals by eating a variety of nutritious foods, and this costs less.