The situation of self-medicating with painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs often occurs in people with headaches, musculoskeletal pain, even stomachaches... leading to unpredictable health consequences.
Incorrect working posture, unscientific eating and drinking or the influence of the weather causes many people to experience pain such as: back pain, knee pain, wrist pain, ankle pain, neck pain or headaches due to stress, dull abdominal pain... Instead of going to the doctor for examination or consultation, many people buy painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs to take, seeing it as the fastest way to overcome the pain and continue working.
The habit of self-medicating is most common among manual laborers - those who have to do heavy work and have unstable income. A prolonged pain means the risk of taking time off work and losing income, so they still prioritize using instant pain relief.
Mr. K.D.G., 55 years old, a construction worker in Thach Ha commune, has suffered from muscle and joint pain for many years. Sometimes he goes to the doctor and takes medicine as prescribed, but during peak work hours, he has to use painkillers.
“If the pain is too much, I take a pill to relieve it. If I take a day off, I will lose a day of work and will not be able to keep up with my work. I also know the side effects of painkillers and was once hospitalized for a stomach ulcer. Later, I took other medicines to “coat” my stomach before taking painkillers,” Mr. G. shared.
In reality, many patients are hospitalized with gastrointestinal bleeding, increased liver enzymes or kidney failure just because they arbitrarily use painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs for a long time. Doctors all recommend that these drugs help relieve pain and reduce symptoms quickly, but at the same time, they erode the stomach lining, cause water retention, increase blood pressure, and affect kidney function, but not everyone listens to that advice.
The most dangerous thing is to use painkillers without permission when having a stomachache. The drugs can obscure the symptoms, delaying the diagnosis of appendicitis, intestinal obstruction or pancreatitis. Doctor CKII Nguyen Ngoc Thuan - Deputy Head of the Department of Digestive Surgery (Provincial General Hospital) said: "There are many cases where people come to the hospital late, the appendix has ruptured, the infection has spread just because they took painkillers to endure more. When experiencing increasing abdominal pain, accompanied by fever, vomiting or bloating, people need to see a doctor immediately, do not use painkillers without permission, the consequences will be very unpredictable."
On the supply side, pharmacies are also under great pressure from this habit. Ms. Phan Thi Linh - a pharmacist at a pharmacy in Thanh Sen ward said: "Every day, dozens of people come to buy painkillers. If I give gentle advice, they will brush it off, saying the pain is unbearable. Some people with severe stomach pain still ask to buy painkillers. I have to firmly advise them to go to the doctor, because selling medicine at that time is dangerous."
Experts warn that painkillers only address the sensation, not the cause. When pain is masked by painkillers, patients tend to continue to strain themselves to work, causing silent damage to muscles, joints, and ligaments. To limit the consequences, people first need to change their perception and understand that pain is a warning signal. Instead of taking painkillers, people should choose temporary solutions such as taking short breaks between shifts, stretching, applying cold or warm compresses depending on the type of pain, changing working positions, and paying attention to water intake, etc. These are safer ways to support. When pain persists or recurs, it is necessary to see a doctor early to find the cause and get proper treatment.
Source: https://baohatinh.vn/he-luy-khi-tu-y-su-dung-thuoc-giam-dau-chong-viem-post300075.html
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