We, in this country, use too many antibiotics. When do antibiotics become necessary?
When used to treat serious bacterial infections, antibiotics are very effective, but when they are used to treat other ailments such as a sore throat or ear infection, there are risks and the benefits are negligible. The poor effects of antibiotic treatment in these instances is because the majority of cases are caused by a virus. Possible digestive problems, allergic reactions, and liver toxicity are the potential antibiotic side effects. There is research that indicates that frequent use of antibiotics could make it more likely that a person will develop certain kinds of cancer, especially breast cancer. And then there is the problem of antibiotic resistance. What’s worse is that some doctors prescribe unnecessary antibiotics when a patient has a virus.
This brings up an important point. When is there a need for antibiotics? Antibiotics are effective when they are fighting an infection due to bacteria and not a virus. Here are some conditions that don’t require antibiotics.
The Common Cold or The Sniffles
People run to their physician at the first symptoms of a cold or the sniffles. An antibiotic not only can’t treat a cold, but it will also kill the good bacteria in the intestines which help keep the immune system healthy so it can fight infection. And one may also experience an unpleasant case of diarrhea. It is unfortunate that there is not currently any remedy for the common cold. Even though its effectiveness has not been confirmed, utilizing a natural herbal remedy like Echinacea is far safer.
Most Sore Throats
Not every sore throat is Strep. The majority of sore throats are viral in nature and will eventually resolve on their own. If there is a question, your physician can conduct a quick strep test in his office to determine if you need an antibiotic. It’s healthier to avoid antibiotics unless it is proven that you have Strep throat.
The Flu
If you think antibiotics can cure the flu, that nasty illness that strikes every year, you are only indulging in wishful thinking. Influenza A, B, and C are the three virus strains that cause influenza. If administered during the first 48 hours, there are some anti-viral drugs that can speed up recovery from the flu, but antibiotics will not help at all, and might cause unpleasant side effects.
Cough
There are conditions which require antibiotics as a remedy for coughing, typically conditions when pneumonia is noticed when a chest x-ray is given, or when someone has persistent bronchitis, or if a smoker has bronchitis. Because a cough is usually caused by a virus, there is no need for an antibiotic.
Sinus Infections
While studies show that antibiotics can help somewhat in treating a sinus infection, you must weigh those benefits against the potential risks. It takes two weeks, without using any treatment, for most cases of sinus infections to come to a resolution. If your symptoms are very bad, your doctor may be right to prescribe an antibiotic for you, but a basic sinus infection only requires a symptomatic remedy.
Ear Infections
Ear infections, similar to sinus infections, typically go away by themselves without being treated with an antibiotic and research has verified that an antibiotic doesn’t do much to make it happen any faster. Evidence that was found in the Journal of Pediatrics said that antibiotics were not any different than not doing any thing at all when it comes to ear infections or with patients being satisfied. Why take a risk of side effects if the outcome is similar?
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