Section index
Medicine Categories
Sometimes you know the symptom but not the product. This section groups medicines by what they treat and what form they come in, so you can see the realistic options for a problem before deciding what to buy or what to ask a pharmacist about.
Independent and evidence-basedSouth Africa focused
Categories are a starting point rather than a recommendation. Two products in the same category can suit very different people, and the right choice depends on your age, health conditions and what else you take.
What this section covers
Each category page explains what the group of medicines does, the main types within it, the practical differences between forms such as tablets, creams, drops and sprays, and the safety points that apply across the whole group. Where a category includes both pharmacy medicines and prescription medicines, the page says so, because that affects how you get hold of them.
Categories are useful when you are comparing rather than confirming. If you already know the exact product, a brand page will answer you faster.
How to use this section
Begin with the category that matches your symptom, then narrow to a sub category if one exists. Allergy is a good example: the broad page covers the whole area, while separate pages deal with tablets, non drowsy options, nasal sprays and eye drops, which are genuinely different decisions.
Once you have narrowed down, follow the link to the active ingredient. That is where you will find how a medicine actually works and who should avoid it. Reading in that order, from category to ingredient to brand, tends to answer the question properly rather than just naming a product.
Where to start
The busiest categories on the site are these.
- Allergy and antihistamines. Allergy Medicine South Africa is the broad overview, with Antihistamine Tablets South Africa and Non Drowsy Allergy Tablets South Africa covering the drowsiness question that decides most purchases.
- Antibiotics and infection. Antibiotics South Africa explains why these are prescription medicines and what that means in practice.
- Wound care and antiseptics. Antiseptics and Wound Care South Africa sits above the format specific pages: Antiseptic Cream for Cuts, Antiseptic Liquid for Cuts, Antiseptic Ointment for Cuts and Wound Cream for Cuts South Africa.
- Chronic conditions. Blood Pressure Tablets South Africa covers a category where medicines are prescribed, monitored and rarely stopped without advice.
When to check with a pharmacist or doctor
Browsing a category is not the same as knowing a product suits you. Ask for advice before buying if the medicine is for a child, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, if you already take chronic medicine, if you have high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma, glaucoma, epilepsy, or kidney or liver problems, or if you have reacted badly to something in the same group before.
See a doctor rather than self treating when symptoms are severe, when they last longer than the packaging suggests, when they keep coming back, when there is a high fever, or when something simply feels different from your usual pattern. Get urgent help for difficulty breathing, swelling of the face or throat, chest pain, severe or spreading rash, or a wound that is hot, swollen and spreading redness.
Finding the right page for your question
To go from a category to a specific product, follow the links into the Medicine section. To understand the substance behind the products, use Active Ingredients. If you are weighing two options against each other, Comparisons handles that directly. Questions about access and prescriptions belong in Medicine Schedules, and side effect concerns in Safety.
Common questions
What can I find in the Medicine Categories section?
Pages that group medicines by symptom, condition and product type, explaining what each group does and how the options inside it differ.
How do I choose the right category page?
Start from the symptom you want to treat, then narrow by form, for example tablets against a nasal spray. If you already know the product name, go straight to its brand page instead.
Should I ask a pharmacist before choosing from a category?
Yes, particularly for children, during pregnancy or breastfeeding, alongside chronic medicine, or where you are unsure which option in a category fits your situation. A pharmacist can narrow the shelf down in a minute.
Are these pages a substitute for the leaflet?
No. Once you choose a product, read its leaflet for the approved information on that exact item.
When should I seek urgent help?
For breathing difficulty, facial or throat swelling, chest pain, severe pain, a spreading rash, or an infection that is worsening quickly. In an emergency call 10177 from a landline or 112 from a mobile phone.
Information only and not a substitute for medical advice. Check the medicine leaflet and ask a pharmacist, doctor or qualified healthcare professional for guidance about your own situation.
Medicine sub-categories
34 pages in this section.
Allergy Eye Drops South AfricaAllergy Nasal Spray South AfricaAntacid Tablets South AfricaAnti Inflammatory Tablets South AfricaAntibiotic Cream for Skin InfectionAntifungal Cream South AfricaAntihistamine Cream UsesAntihistamine Tablets South AfricaAntiseptic Cream for CutsAntiseptic Liquid for CutsAntiseptic Ointment for CutsBlood Pressure Tablets South AfricaBurn Wound Ointment South AfricaCholesterol Medicine South AfricaCold and Flu Tablets South AfricaCombination Pain MedicinesConstipation Medicine South AfricaCortisone Cream UsesCough Medicine South AfricaCough Syrup South AfricaDiabetes Medicines South AfricaDiarrhoea Tablets South AfricaDry Cough Medicine South AfricaHeartburn Medicine South AfricaLaxatives South AfricaMental Health Medicines South AfricaMotion Sickness Tablets South AfricaNausea Tablets South AfricaNon Drowsy Allergy Tablets South AfricaSinus Tablets South AfricaThyroid MedicinesVaginal Thrush Cream South AfricaWet Cough Medicine South AfricaWound Cream for Cuts South Africa- Evidence-based content
Written in plain language- South Africa focused