Medications come in many forms. Examples of this are: tablets, liquids, capsules, inhalers, patches, suppositories and injections. There are three ways to obtain medicines:

• With a prescription from a health professional
• Over the counter from chemists, health shops and supermarkets
• From homoeopaths, naturopaths and herbalists.

Medications can be given in different ways. They can be given at different times. They can be given for different reasons. Sometimes, different medications are given to treat the same problem.

Some medications are given regularly to stop a problem, such as pain or nausea. Other medications are prescribed on a 'just in case' basis. These can be used as symptoms can sometimes change quickly.

Related CareSearch pages

Medications explained
Practical ways to manage medications
 

This page was created on 26 May 2009 and is due for review in May 2011*