The first part of the label is the ingredient and class of medication it is from. The big things to know are:
1) Brand is therapeutically equivalent to the generic active ingredient +/- 10%. This means that you can feel safe using a store generic knowing that it will work like the brand name. The only differences may be the dyes and inactive ingredients in them.
2) There are very few types of medications available over-the-counter (compared to prescription medications) - allergy treatments, acid reducers, pain relievers, anti-diarrheals and laxatives, antifungals, itch relievers, cough medicine, eye treatments, and so on. Try to only treat the symptoms you have. For example, don't use Tylenol Cold and Flu if all you have is a cough. Go for something that either has a cough suppressant or expectorant - or a cough drop.
The uses just give you more information about the class of medication's uses; if you are unsure as to whether you have the right box in your hand, this is where you look. You do not need to have all the symptoms listed in order to use the drug.
Warnings are to be read before you buy the medication. This is especially important if you have a medical condition or take other medications. If you are unsure about anything in this section, consult the pharmacist. They have a plethora of information and can help you decipher whether any warnings pertain to you.
Directions are important to read if you are getting a medication for a child or if you are deciding between medications. Children cannot have just any medication on the shelf. If next to your child's age it says consult your physician, it just means they may be able to use the medicine at a different dose. For example, on allergy medicine I have dispensed for children as young as a few months old. That being said, please ask your pediatrician first for a dose and whether the medicine is right for them. If you ask a pharmacist to give you a dosage that is not on the label, most will feel uncomfortable giving out that information; it's not that we don't know a dosage or that we don't want to help. We are worried about hurting a child without knowing the full picture of your child's history and to have that liability on our shoulders if something goes wrong.
The other part of reading the directions is if you are still deciding between medications. Some medicines must be taken more often than others. For example, if you have a cough that lasts all day and you don't want to be popping pills or cough drops all day, try a long acting medicine like Robitussin gel caps or Delsym cough medicine that lasts 12 hours. Or if your cough is sporadic or just at a certain time of day, try a shorter acting medication like menthol cough drops, throat sprays, or cough syrups.
The last part of the label just states how to store your medication and inactive ingredients. In general, you want to store the medication in a cool, dry place. Most importantly not in your bathroom medicine cabinet. The moisture from showers and baths will cause the medication to possibly break down faster than its shelf life. Inactive ingredients are important if you are allergic to certain dyes, for example, or if you have phenylketonuria (if you do, you will already know this).
All of this only applies to FDA approved drugs. Others may tell you some of this information, but cannot guarantee what is on the label. That isn't to say you cannot use non-FDA medications, but buyer beware.
I hope this post wasn't too long-winded and was helpful to you! Stay tuned for future posts!
