India over the past 20 years has seen a drastic change in its healthcare system. The country has been successful in making good quality healthcare accessible to all, though a lot still needs to be done. Over the last 2 decades, India has also become the most preferred medical tourism hub for the patients of various African as well as South Asian countries. The progress that the country has made in the field of medical science and technology has been commendable.
A large number of medical helpline services have been introduced countrywide and the states are also coming up with their own establishments for the welfare of their people. However, despite the easy availability of the best general surgeon in Delhi NCR and other parts of the country, India still faces a big challenge in the field of healthcare. This challenge is nothing but the practice of self-medication. This practice is prevalent across the country among people of almost all age groups and claims thousands of lives every year.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is of the view that self-medication has currently become one of the most commonly practiced behavioral traits, which is alarming and poses a wide range of health concerns not only in India but also across the globe. Before going deeper into the topic, let’s take a look at what self-medication exactly is.
Self-medication – the definition
Self-medication can be defined as a practice in which an ailing individual starts buying and consuming some particular medicines without consulting any good general surgeon in Delhi NCR or other parts of the country. It is one of the most popular forms of self-treatment the people across the globe are practicing. The medical fraternity believes that self-medication may lead to various life-threatening health problems. There might be so many reasons behind this practice but self-medication can never be justified from the medical point of view. Some of the most commonly observed outcomes of self-medication include the following:
- Misuse of over-the-counter (OTC) medication
- Concurrent use of several medications
- The overuse of home remedies or other alternative medicines to treat potentially harmful diseases
- Deterioration in the health concerns of the consumer.
Self-medication: Scenario in India
The practice of self-medication in a country like India carries over from generation to generation. Some of the most common health problems to treat which the OTC medicines are taken include fever, headache, and different types of spasmodic abdominal pains. Usually, the most glaring reason behind self-medication is the desire to save money. The factors that give even more encouragement to this practice include the following:
- Hard-to-reach areas where doctors are not easily accessible
- The desire to save both time and money
- Family traditions where children see their elderly ones practicing self-medication
- Low level of awareness
- Fear of going for treatment due to perceived negative stigmas
- Hiding or denying a particular condition
- Inefficient medications used for treatments in the past.
There are some certain chronic health conditions also in which people have been found treating themselves through self-medication. These include type-2 diabetes, disturbed lipid profile, and arthritis. In India, it is believed that one out of three people visiting any medical store buys medicines without consulting the best general surgeon in Delhi NCR or other parts of the country.
Dangers of Self-medication
When it comes to the dangers associated with the practice of self-medication, the list is quite long. And, the most disconcerting aspect of this seemingly harmless practice is that there is widespread ignorance concerning these dangers. Self-medication can lead to an unnecessary delay in finding a medically perfect treatment for a particular condition. The drugs being used during self-medication might not be ideal for a particular condition, and as a result, can cause severe side effects. After all, the best general surgeon in Delhi NCR or other parts of the country prescribes a medicine for you after analyzing your existing conditions.
Self-medication shortens the windows of time for the ideal treatment
Self-medication not only leads to a paradoxical economic loss but also shortens the windows of time for the ideal treatment to be started and the measures to be implemented. This practice can also result in a very fatal interaction between restricted medicines which can be prevented by consulting any good general surgeon in Delhi NCR. In various cases of self-medication, it almost becomes impossible to tackle the disastrous side effects caused by inappropriate medicines.
Long-term use of particular drugs can prove to be ineffective
Antibiotics are the most important part of this popular culture of self-medication across the globe. These medicines play a crucial role in the misdiagnosis of certain health conditions that can, later on, claim the life of an individual. Over time, the drugs like antibiotics start developing resistance to certain pathogens exacerbating the problems manifold. When consumed without consulting any good general surgeon in Delhi NCR or other parts of the country, most patients practicing self-medication start finding them ineffective at serving the purpose.
Excessive use of sedatives bring down the effectiveness of anesthetics
Various sedatives are also a part of the self-medication regimen. When used for a long time without any prescription from the best general surgeon in Delhi NCR or other parts of the country, these sedatives start losing their efficacy making it complicated in case the patient needs immediate surgery. Under this scenario, the entire procedures and processes become more difficult and risky.
Concluding Remarks
The Sadhu Vaswani Medical Centre came into existence at Shantiniketan in New Delhi on 19th February 1992. The center was founded to serve the entire community, irrespective of caste and creed. As of now, SVMC Delhi has earned the distinction of being one of the most recognized medical facilities in the National Capital Region (Delhi-NCR).
The center is backed by an able team of doctors that provides services in various medical domains. Some of them include General Medicine, General Surgery, Paediatrics, Gynaecology, Obstetrics, Ophthalmology, Orthopaedics, Dermatology, Cardiology, Endocrinology, Homeopathy, ENT, Dental, Preventive Health Check, Physiotherapy, and Pulmonology. Get in touch with the best general surgeon in Delhi NCR for a consultation right today.