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Bathroom Cabinet Medicine Dangers
by Sue Chehrenegar |
THE DANGERS OF BATHROOM CABINET MEDICINE
Many people run to their bathroom medicine cabinet the minute
they feel the first signs of a cold, the discomfort of constipation
or the annoyance of minor indigestion. Yet the habit of relying
on such “bathroom cabinet medicine” can lead to dangerous,
even deadly, consequences.
All drugs, including drugs that one can purchase without a prescription,
contain strong chemicals, chemicals that produce many different
physical changes. Before anyone chooses to place great reliance
on “bathroom cabinet medicine,” that individual needs
to learn as much as possible about the proper use of over-the-counter
(OTC) medicines. Failure to become familiar with the full range
of benefits and side effects that result from use of OTC medications
can open the door to unwanted complications.
Recent Congressional hearings have focused on the potential
dangers that can come to a patient who is taking one of the OTC
medicines that have recently come on the market. Still, the people
who practice “bathroom cabinet medicine” have, for many
years, felt safe taking an OTC drug that is potentially dangerous.
That much-used medicine, one that has been called a “wonder
drug,” is aspirin.
Why can taking aspirin be dangerous? Well let’s look at
two examples of maladies that might lead to use of “bathroom
cabinet medicine.” One would be a severe hangover, one that
has resulted in a splitting headache. If one were to take aspirin
to relieve that headache, then the aspirin-taker would have produced
an increase in the blood-alcohol concentration in his or her body.
Another time when “bathroom cabinet medicine” might
encourage the improper use of aspirin is when one is suffering
from arthritis. If the arthritis sufferer fails to see a licensed
practitioner and instead uses aspirin, or some other nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory drug, then that practitioner of “bathroom
cabinet medicine” could suffer severe damage within the stomach
lining. The end result could be a troublesome and painful ulcer.
Nasal sprays, laxatives, and eye drops are three further examples
of medicinal products that are commonly grabbed by those who have
placed their reliance on “bathroom cabinet medicine.”
Unfortunately, the repeated use of nasal sprays and eye drops
precludes the body from exhibiting any of the expected benefits.
Laxatives, too, can produce an effect opposite to the one that
was desired. A high-fiber diet and exercise are much safer than
any laxative one might find within a bathroom cabinet full of
medicine.
Even some products that are not found in drug stores, but that
can be purchased in health food stores, hold potential dangers.
In this case “bathroom cabinet medicine” has been changed
to “kitchen counter medicine.” Those who practice this
form of medicine often rely on food supplements. This, too, can
be dangerous.
Doctors have still not learned why supplements of niacin, which
promise lower blood cholesterol levels, can produce liver damage
in some people. Doctors continue to look for a reason. They are
not, however, suggesting that the answer lies in any type of “bathroom
cabinet medicine.”
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Sue Chehrenegar
At one time Sue pursued a career in biomedical research, but
she has now taken on the challenges of the freelance writer.
She has written for Vainqeer Teens, for Nature Friend Magazine,
and for the Website www.abcteach.com. |
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