Antibiotic personal philosophy
In my life I have only had to take antibiotics a hand full of times, once for a staff infection and another for when I had strep throat. Personally I have always been under the impression that if you can fight off the infection without antibiotics to do it that way. I remember the doctor telling me when I was younger that its a good thing that I haven’t had to take many antibiotics through out my life.
Antibiotics, also known as antimicrobial drugs, are drugs that fight infections caused by bacteria in both humans and animals. Antibiotics fight these infections either by killing the bacteria or making it difficult for the bacteria to grow and multiply. Antibiotics do not have any effect on viruses. Antibiotics are fundamental to modern medicine, essential for treating everything from routine skin infections to strep throat, and for protecting vulnerable patients receiving chemotherapy or being treated in intensive care units. This also poses the question of what type of infection should be treated with antibiotics.
Which infections are caused by viruses and should not be treated with antibiotics?
- Colds
- Flu
- Most sore throats
- Most coughs and bronchitis (“chest colds”)
- Many sinus infections
- Many ear infections
Antibiotics are necessary when infections are to fierce for the body to get rid of by itself. That being said when doctors do prescribe an antibiotic the full round should be taken to prevent antibiotic resistance. Although antibiotic resistance is not a new problem, its scope now constitutes a major threat to human health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 2 million Americans fall sick every year with antibiotic-resistant infections—and 23,000 die.
To avoid antibiotic resistant organisms from manifesting, a few precautions should be considered:
- Ensure that antibiotics are only prescribed when necessary in human health care settings.
- End the overuse of antibiotics in food animals.
- Remove the regulatory economic and scientific obstacles that impede antibiotic discovery and development.
- Dont save antibiotics for the next time you get sick.
