By Ellen Greenlaw
When you feel lousy from the symptoms of a cold or the flu, it’s natural to want relief — and fast. Avoid the temptation to ask your doctor for an antibiotic. It will do nothing to help fight off a cold or the flu. What’s more, taking antibiotics when they are not needed can strengthen illness-causing bacteria, making them resistant to antibiotics when you do need them.
Antibiotics are important drugs that are used to fight bacterial infections and help save lives. However, it’s important to understand that antibiotics can only kill bacteria germs. They don’t fight viral infections. Viruses are the culprits behind many of the illnesses that get passed around each winter, including colds, influenza, most coughs and sore throats, most cases of acute bronchitis and some ear infections. The best way to treat a viral infection is to get plenty of rest, drink lots of fluids and let the illness run its course. You can also ease uncomfortable symptoms with over-the-counter drugs, such as pain relievers, cough medicines and decongestants.
Bacterial infections, on the other hand, are the cause of strep throat, some sinus infections, most ear infections and urinary tract infections. If your doctor prescribes an antibiotic for a bacterial infection, it is important to take the medicine exactly as prescribed. Don’t stop taking the drug early if you start to feel better. You need to take the full course of antibiotics to completely kill the bacterial infection.
You might wonder what’s so bad about taking antibiotics only when needed. Isn’t it better to be safe than sorry? Disease experts say that overusing antibiotics can actually jeopardize your safety. Bacteria are tough survivors, and they often adapt their structure to become hardier. This allows them to become resistant to the drugs we use to kill them. Stronger bacteria require stronger antibiotics, and this cycle continues until even the strongest antibiotic cannot kill the bacteria. Researchers are concerned that if people continue to use antibiotics when they are not needed, there will be more strains of “super bug” bacteria that are resistant to all antibiotics. This means people will stay sicker for longer and may even die of illnesses that were once treatable.
Using antibiotics wisely is everyone’s responsibility. It’s easy to do your part by not asking your doctor for antibiotics when you don’t need them and by taking antibiotics as directed when you do need them.
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