02/02/2023 / Health and Fitness

Best way to take your Medicine

The knowledge of how to take medicines correctly is very important as improper intake can prove dangerous.

Best way to take your Medicine
Keerthana A PKeerthana A P

Keerthana A P

Food Technologist, Engineer & Research Associate

Table of Content

Introduction

Medicines are very important in our lives as they are the ones which help in diagnosing, treating and preventing various illnesses. Though the purpose of all medicines is the same, they all come in different forms and you take them in different ways. 

Even though the drugs are meant to support your health, they can end up being harmful if the medication intake is improper or unsafe. In the article, you will learn about proper medication management and medication intake. 

Common Routes of Medication Administration

There are many ways in which medicines can be administered. You might be familiar with the injections and the pills you take but there are other ways too. The common routes of administration are listed below. 

  • Buccal - held in the cheeks

  • Enteral - delivered directly into the intestine or stomach

  • Inhalable - breathed in through inhalers 

  • Infused - injected into the veins using an Intravenous line

  • Intramuscular - injected into the muscles 

  • Intrathecal - injected into the spine 

  • Intravenous - injected into the veins

  • Nasal - dripped into the nasal cavity

  • Ophthalmic - applying into the eyes through ointments, drops or gel

  • Oral - swallowed through the mouth in the form of pills, tablets or lozenges 

  • Otic - dropped into the ears

  • Rectal - inserted into the rectum 

  • Subcutaneous - injected under the skin

  • Sublingual - kept under the tongue

  • Topical - applied on the surface of the skin 

  • Transdermal - given through the patch placed in the skin

The route of administration of medicines depends on the part of the body under treatment, the working of medicine inside the body and the chemical formula of the drug. 

How to Take Medicines Correctly

For the proper management of medicines, you can follow these effective tips.

How to Take Medicines Correctly

1. Note the Time Gap

The medicines should be taken within the proper time gap as prescribed in the medication slip. You can buy a pill organizer in which you can separate your medicines for the morning, afternoon, evening and night. This helps in better management of medicines, therefore you will have the prescribed time gap between all medications. 

2. Remember with Reminders

Taking the medicines at the right time is very necessary to ensure their effectiveness. For this, you can set pill reminders in your tabs or alarms. You will never miss your next medicine due if you set reminders! 

3. Taking More Medicines at a Time

Taking multiple medicines at a time can come with various side effects and risks. So, many people generally fear taking several medicines at a time. But there is no need to fear if you are taking your medicines as prescribed by your doctor. You should only worry if the medicines you take give you any side effects. 

4. Helping Elders with Their Medication

Elders are highly vulnerable to missing their medicines, so it's very important to help them. You can help them by setting pill reminders or arranging the pill organiser for them.  

5. Right Posture During Medications

The medications you take should go through the oesophagus and work with your intestine juices. That's why it is important to never lie down after taking medicines. Sit upright and maybe lean a little on a chair but don't sleep or lay on the bed after taking medicines. 

6. Take Advice from Your Doctor

If you are noticing any side effects from the prescribed medicines, immediately contact your doctor. These side effects can be as simple as headaches or as serious as allergic reactions. 

Sprint Medical's Tele-Based Health Care

Sprint Medical is a tale-based healthcare clinic where our top and accomplished medical professionals would guide you in medications and treatments for various diseases. We provide services through micro clinics, home doc services and nurse-assisted mobile consultations. Here, you can also connect with the best certified super specialist doctors to get medicines delivered to your home for several health issues. We follow privacy laws like HIPPA to safeguard patient information, so you don't need to worry about privacy breaches or data security. Many of our patients have benefited from our hassle-free and in-home healthcare treatment. 

Take-Home Points

  • There are various routes to take medication which depend on the physical properties of medicine, the chemical properties of medicine and also the body part being treated. 

  • Proper management of medicines is very important to ensure their efficiency and safety. 

  • Remember to take medicines at the right time by setting reminders and noting time intervals. 


References

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