No fancy waiting room? These medicines You get without a prescription

Four out of ten medicines the pharmacist to sell, go without prescription over the counter. These medicines help against so many of the everyday complaints that you have so many time-consuming doctor visits are unnecessary.

  • New active ingredients there are always only on prescription. On application and after review, the medicines authority may dispense with the need for a prescription.
  • Over-the-counter drugs must be without medical control, that’s for sure.
  • A drug without a prescription is there for all mild ailments.

Medication without a prescription at the pharmacy, are the so-called OTC products. This is called “Over The Counter”, i.e. “over the counter”. Minerals and throat lozenges are included as well, such as the morning-after pill or medication for lip herpes. Without a prescription does not mean less effective. “The medicines are considered as safe and with few side-effects that you don’t need any medical check-up,” says Ursula seller mountain of the Federal Union of German associations of Pharmacists.

It is not the Original, it must be preparation

FOCUS Online has compiled a list with the most important active compounds against everyday ailments, from head to foot. In the pharmacy of the expensive Original, mostly decorated products, or the intensely advertised products is striking. It is worth to ask for a cheap generic version.

This helps against the pain:

  • Acetylsalicylic acid (Asa) – with the famous representatives of Aspirin.
  • Paracetamol as a suppository is also suitable for small children.
  • Ibuprofen – good anti-inflammatories.
  • Naproxen – fast effect, for heart patients a low-risk choice.
  • Diclofenac – liked with sports injuries used.

As tablets, or effervescent tablets with and without Vitamin C, or as a suppository. Recommended daily dose should not exceed, otherwise the gastric mucosa, liver or kidney are affected. Only low dosages are over the counter.

This helps against cough:

  • Dextromethorphan – The cough suppressants soothes irritated bronchial tubes, soothes dry, hacking cough.
  • Acetylcysteine (ACC) – cough-solver frees the bronchi of strength mucous and facilitates expectoration.

Cough suppressants and cough-solver may not be used in short intervals taken: to raise their effect on each other.

This helps against the common cold:

  • Xylometazoline reduces swelling of the skin on the nasal mucosa.
  • Sea water cleanses, frees and moistens the nasal congestion.
  • The salt solution acts as the sea water.

Decongestant nose drops or sprays for longer than a week, continuously apply. The mucous membrane soon get used to the spray effect and becomes only the stronger. Salt solutions can permanently come as a nasal cleaner.

It helps with hay fever:

  • Ceterizin, Loratadine – antihistamines that do not get tired. Both of these active ingredients, there is also to Swallow.
  • Azelastine, Levocabastine – acute help against Allergy symptoms, as eye drops and nasal sprays.
  • Cromoglizinsäure, Lodoxamid – preventive effect, preventing the release of Histamine.

All the ingredients are available from numerous manufacturers, also as cheap generic drugs.

This helps against irritated conjunctiva:

  • Tetrizolina narrows blood vessels and decreases the redness. Only in the short term, or occasionally use, will lose effectiveness, because the eye gets used to it.
  • Euphrasia – herbal drops made from eyebright, anti-inflammatory and analgesic.

There is in vials or portion sizes. Because of the germ risk for the eye which is preferable to a Once-a-dose.

 

This helps against heartburn:

  • Antrazida acid – binding agents, such Magaldrat, Hydrotalcite, Algeldrat.
  • Omeprazole, pantoprazole the proton pump inhibitor (PPI) brakes on the acid production of the stomach.
  • Ranitidine – H2 Blocker inhibits the formation of gastric acid.

Antacids can help, especially against occasional heartburn, H2-blockers also act against persistent Reflux complaints, PPI are the strongest.

This helps against diarrhea:

  • Loperamide slows down the activity of the intestinal muscles.
  • Electrolytes replace vital salts.

Loperamide belongs to the opioids, and may only be momentarily taken against acute complaints. Electrolyte mixtures to stabilize the water and salt budget.

This helps against constipation:

  • Bisacodyl – speeds up temporarily, the mobility of the intestine.
  • Sodium picosulfat – acts like Bisacodyl, but a little faster.
  • Lactulose – it increases the intestinal volume and makes the stool soft.
  • Senna leaves – herbal laxative for stubborn constipation.

All laxatives (laxatives) should only be in the short term, or occasionally ingested. Overdose causes stomach cramps.

It helps against sleeping disorders:

  • Diphenhydramine, Doxylamine – A sleep aid that takes effect after 30 to 60 minutes.

Both ingredients are actually antihistamines, which are not suitable because of the soporific effect as an Allergy. Dry mouth is an unpleasant side effect. Even if there is no risk of addiction, should also be a sleeping aid only occasionally, or not longer than two weeks.

This helps in the case of superficial wounds:

  • Panthenol – anti-inflammatory and wound-healing, supports the regeneration of skin and mucous membrane cells.
  • Zinc oxide – antiseptic and drying, good for weeping wounds, or against pimples.
  • Witch hazel herbal remedies with witch hazel are anti-inflammatory and astringent, they are effective against itching.

From the cosmetic to the medicinal ointment numerous skin and wound care products use these ingredients. They belong in every home medicine chest.

Over-the-counter does not mean harmless

Just because you are over-the-counter, one must not understand the OTC drugs as a harmless miss. You Besides can significantly and interactions, such as the Pharmacologist Ursula sellers Berg says. “The mood enhancer St. John’s wort, for example, increase the light sensitivity of the skin, and reduces the effectiveness of the anti-baby pill”. And those who take long-term Aspirin for blood thinning should avoid Ibuprofen. The pain medication is affecting the blood thinner.