Most potent medications require a doctor's prescription and need to be dispensed by a pharmacist. Other lesser products may be obtained at supermarkets and other stores.

WHAT DO MEDICATIONS LOOK LIKE?

Medications come in many different forms, including the following:

Tablets, capsules and syrups.
Tablets are usually chewed, capsules swallowed whole and syrup drunk for effect. The colour coding for different medications is important. (If the pharmacist dispenses a different coloured tablet to that which you normally received - query it - you are entitled to receive the product your doctor prescribed. Similar products are not the same).

Topical medications.
These are used on your skin, and other body surfaces and come in a variety of forms, including creams, ointments, powders, crystals, and liquid mixtures. There are minor differences in how these medications work, so as always when taking or using medications, carefully read both the label on the packaging and the instructions that come with the medication.

Inhalers, sprays and puffers.
As the names suggest these medications are used through the nose and mouth. The most common of these medications are used for asthma,. Your doctor will teach you how to use these devices correctly.

Others

Common medications
Some examples of medications young people may take include:

CARE AND STORAGE

When you are taking or storing medication:

TYPES OF MEDICATION

There is a bewildering array of medications that are currently being used to treat illness. The following is a quick guide to some for the most common types of medications:

ANALGESICS
Pain is one of the means by which our body tells us something is wrong. Analgesics mask the pain and allow us to continue with our daily activities, albeit at a reduced level. Sometimes the reduced level of activity will resolve the pain. If pain persists consult your doctor.

Headaches
Headaches are one of the most common types of pain people experience. Management of a headache depends on what caused the headache.

If you have a headache it is sometimes helpful to:

Menstrual pain
Menstrual (or period) pain is one of the most common pains experienced by young women. For relief, you could try a period pain analgesic. Having a warm drink and putting a hot water bottle on the painful area can also help. Some gentle exercise such as walking is also good.

When should analgesics be used?
Sometimes, analgesics may be the most appropriate short-term treatment of pain.

A number of points should be remembered when using analgesics.

It is important to read the instructions on the label. Like any medication, analgesics can have unwanted side-effects. The "recommended dose" has been worked out to minimise these negative side-effects and maximise the desired effects. Taking more than the recommended dose does not increase the positive effects and is not recommended. Analgesics should not be taken for more than three days in a row without seeing a doctor, or if the expiry date on the packet has passed.

For More Help If you would like more information about pain or analgesics, contact your doctor or local pharmacist.

Analgesics will not:

When not to take Analgesics
Analgesics should not be taken when bleeding or undiagnosed causes are present. The use of analgesics makes it difficult for your doctor to diagnose the cause of your pain.

ANTIBIOTICS
Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections (eg pneumonia), they have no effect upon viral infections (which will be treated by antiviral medications).

Antibiotics generally work by damaging the bacteria so that the body's immune system can get on with destroying them. The main reason for taking antibiotics is to speed your recovery and reduce possible complications from the infection.

Side Effects
All medications can have side effects, and antibiotics are no exception. Some of the more common side effects include nausea, vomiting, rash, stomach pains, and diarrhoea. Many women also develop thrush. These side effects can occur because the antibiotics can kill not only the 'bad' germs but the 'good' germs as well. If you are concerned about any side effects you are experiencing , please see your doctor immediately.

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE

People, and especially young people, have become more interested in the area of alterative medicine in the past few years. This section is designed to answer some of the questions that you may have on alternative medicines.

What is "Alternative Medicine"?
A simple one-line definition of alternative medicine, is "the use of non-western traditional medicine to treat medical illnesses/symptoms in a western society".

Alternative medicines comprise a range of techniques, systems and subsystems that are generally unfamiliar to the majority of the population and as such are considered by most to be 'alternative' even though some of the components are used by 'traditional doctors'.

Most of what we call 'alternative medicine' refers to management techniques which come to us from other cultures or from ancient traditions, eg

Many of us use alternative medical techniques without necessarily realising it. Massaging your temples to ease your headache, putting an ice pack on a sprained ankle, or listened to your car radio to de-stress during a traffic jam, are all examples of natural healing techniques.

An essential part of medical care, (conventional or alternative), is that a person is treated as a individual not just as a diagnosis, by their healers.

Alternative medicine often takes longer

If you consider the need to use alternative medicine consult with your doctor beforehand.

Alternative medicine's aim is to stimulate the body's natural healing response and to let nature take its course. If accustomed to immediate results from conventional medical treatments, some may find the slower rate of recovery frustrating.

Is alternative medicine safe
There are dangers in self-referral to 'alternative medical practitioners'. The Government recognises this and insists that some alternative medicine practitioners are licensed and regulated.