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Antibiotics: Much Ado About Something |
| Date Added: August 28, 2009 03:09:52 PM |
| Author: Carey |
| Category: Health: Medicine |
| If you take an antibiotic every time you or your kid suffers the sniffles, think again. Most sore throats and colds, alongside the flu and other viral infections, do not respond to the germ-killing properties of these very potent medications. Instead, the sickness needs to run its course, since the immune system does its healing work. Then when should you use antibiotics? Here are some facts about these wonderful drugs and the bacterial infections that they target. Bacteria vs. Viruses Most diseases infect our bodies via microbes. Bacteria and viruses differ in size, structure and method of reproduction, not to mention the ways in which they are treated. While doctors have secure and efficacious vaccines to inoculate against many viruses, they do not have secure and effective remedies to cure or treat most of them. Penicillin opened doors Penicillin was first heard of in 1944. Nowadays, antibiotics are among the most commonly prescribed drugs worldwide, either killing microorganisms completely or preventing them from multiplying. Disadvantage of a very upside medication Antibiotics can lead to more harm than good, when they are not used in the correct way. General use and misuse in the ill over time have jeopardized antibiotics' ability to kill off microbes. In our time, almost all bacteria show some resistance to these drugs, so that more lately invented antibiotics are sometimes needed to combat infections that were once easily cured. Antibiotics can also lead to complications, such as vaginal yeast infections and diarrhea. So the next time you want an antibiotic to fend off a common cold, enquire how to handle the symptoms instead. Do not be surprised if your GP suggests 'watchful waiting' to see if symptoms finally merit a prescription. If taking antibiotics, keep to instructions. Your dose has been measured to kill off bacteria within the course of the illness. So, if you do not finish, you risk leaving enough germs in your body to re-start the infection - even after you are feeling good. The remaining medication will be insufficient to fight off the germs the next time, and it may even make them resistant. The optimal method to decrease the risk of antibiotic resistance is, first and foremost, to avoid catching a cold. Washing hands is the most efficient preventive measure you can take to prevent transmitting diseases. So scrub with warm, soapy water for 15 seconds, afterwards rinse thoroughly. You will be doing your part for prevention. |
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