IntroductionThroughout history, people have sought solutions and answers!medical problems through self-medication--that is, throughing themselves. Today, as well, Americans are often quick to treat their ailmelwithout professional help. This self-treatment involves over-fbcounter (OTC) medications about 60 percent of the time The OTC industry continues to blossom and grow. As Americ~we spend tens of billions of dollars every year on self-medicaU pro/tucts.'ie't w'l"t~n a'~ ~ ~,,1/,~ ~~ 4,~Lk~xs laein~ s~ent, self-me cation with OTC medications is one of the least costly component our entire health-care system. This relationship between the low cost of OTC medications~ the entire health-care system becomes even more dramatic w you consider the cost of self-treatment in these terms: Sixty per~ of the medications purchased in the United States are OTC ucts, yet OTC medication expenditures represent less than cents of the entire health-care dollar. The role of OTC medications is changing, too. In the past, ( medications were once intended only to relieve symptoms. T~ many products that were available only by prescription are now a' able as over-the-counter products. Not only do they relieve s~. toms, they can actually be used as a treatment or cure for an illn~ The key to successfully treating any disease or illness is to chc the proper product. This task is not always easy. To do it right, l treatment involves a decision-making process that includes re nition of symptoms, judgment of severity, and choice i assessment of treatment options. The Eckerd Consumer Guide to Over-the-Counter Drugs hast carefully designed to help you identify specific symptoms of cU ent diseases and conditions, and to guide you in choosing appropriate ove~-~he-court~e~ (,OTC) product or products to treat your symptoms.61