{"id":1053,"date":"2015-11-06T16:25:11","date_gmt":"2015-11-06T22:25:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/blog\/?p=1053"},"modified":"2021-12-21T10:58:31","modified_gmt":"2021-12-21T16:58:31","slug":"antibiotics-arent-always-the-answer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/antibiotics-arent-always-the-answer\/","title":{"rendered":"Antibiotics Aren&#8217;t Always the Answer"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>When you\u2019re sick, you want to conquer an illness as soon as possible. Many people believe that antibiotics will help. But, oftentimes, skipping the Rx is best for your health and the health of your community.<\/p>\n<p>The overuse of antibiotics is one of the top concerns of the Centers for Disease Control, because it can lead to \u201cantibiotic resistance.\u201d This means that germs that were once easily treatable with antibiotics begin to resist the effects of the drugs and become dangerous infections that are more difficult to treat.<\/p>\n<h2>Germ Categories<\/h2>\n<p>To understand when an illness merits antibiotic use, it\u2019s helpful to understand the different types of germs. When you\u2019re sick, you are likely fighting either A) bacteria or B) a virus.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Bacteria<\/strong> are living organisms, many of which don\u2019t cause harm. Live bacteria are found in yogurt, for example, and can be beneficial. Some bacteria are harmful, however, and antibiotics can be effective by killing the organisms and stopping their growth.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Viruses<\/strong> are not alive. They grow and reproduce after invading other living cells, and antibiotics are not effective against them. The virus simply has to run its course. Some examples of viruses include:<\/p>\n<div class=\"columns\">\n<div class=\"col2\">\n<ul>\n<li>Colds<\/li>\n<li>Flu<\/li>\n<li>Most sore throats<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col2\">\n<ul>\n<li>Most coughs and bronchitis<\/li>\n<li>Some sinus infections<\/li>\n<li>Some ear infections<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2>The Harm in Antibiotic Use<strong><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Taking antibiotics for colds, flu, sore throats and other viral illnesses not only won&#8217;t work, but it can also have unpleasant side effects such as diarrhea and stomach upset. And over time, antibiotic use helps create bacteria that are harder to kill.<\/p>\n<p>The CDC estimates at least 2 million illnesses and 23,000 deaths each year in the U.S. are caused by antibiotic resistance.<\/p>\n<h2>Taking Antibiotics Safely<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-1056\" src=\"https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/OTC_Treatment_300x200-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Over the Counter Treatments\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" \/>The best way to slow the spread of antibiotic resistant infections is to follow some basic guidelines. For instance:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Take antibiotics only when your doctor deems it absolutely necessary to clear an infection, and let your body fight off milder illnesses on its own.<\/li>\n<li>Don\u2019t pressure your doctor to prescribe an antibiotic. Ask him or her about over-the-counter treatments that can make your symptoms more tolerable.<\/li>\n<li>If you are prescribed antibiotics, make sure to take the entire course as prescribed. Stopping before the full course is taken could require an additional prescription. Also, discard any leftover medication.<\/li>\n<li>Never use antibiotics that were prescribed for someone else.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Learn More<\/h2>\n<p>Looking for health care advice to deal with an illness? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/services\/oncall\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Visit www.osfoncall.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>For more information about antibiotic resistance, visit <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/drugresistance\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">cdc.gov\/drugresistance<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When you\u2019re sick, you want to conquer an illness as soon as possible. Many people believe that antibiotics will help. This isn&#8217;t always true.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":11035,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[129],"tags":[317,320,214,319],"coauthors":[709],"class_list":["post-1053","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-miscellaneous","tag-antiobiotics","tag-bacteria","tag-osf-oncall","tag-viruses"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Antibiotics Aren&#039;t Always the Answer | OSF HealthCare<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"When you\u2019re sick, you want to conquer an illness as soon as possible. Many people believe that antibiotics will help. 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