Antibiotics are used to kill bacteria but are taken by people with all types of diseases. The Center for Disease Control highlights that it is a wrong practice and needs to be stopped. This article discusses the things you may not know about antibiotics and why you should take only prescribed antibiotics.
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The Post-antibiotic is on its Verge
Lancet Infectious Disease journal has released a report that states the resistance of bacteria to colistin. It is considered the ultimate medicine for many infections caused by bacteria. These bacteria are found in China and India and are likely to become more challenging to treat. A warning sign says that modern medicine won’t work anymore if appropriate steps are not taken as soon as possible.
End of Many Cancer Treatments
Radiotherapy and chemotherapy are majorly used for treating cancer. However, the immune system of patients is severely affected, which protects the body from many diseases. A senior doctor of Imperial College says that infections become unavoidable when the immune system is suppressed. When the system becomes weak, antibiotics help, but the process may not work for a long time without our body’s immunity and cause infections that cannot be cured with medicines.
Life-saving Transplant Operations May Come to an End
Several transplants performed globally, especially in the United States, are lung, heart, kidney, and liver. However, to make the body accept the transplanted organs, the drugs taken suppress the immune system to an extent. The problem here is the same as that of cancer. Not just the body becomes antibiotic-resistant; the body cannot be harmed unknowingly. So, the transplant operations and cancer treatments may cease in the time to come.
Leads to Deaths During Childbirth
One-quarter of the births in most countries is by cesarean section. The abdomen of the mother is cut, and the baby is drawn out. If the mother cannot give birth to the baby naturally then the C-section is performed. However, the mother may face urinary tract infection after the operation and may need a few types of antibiotics. These are bacterial infections that happen because of the bacteria in or around the hospital. However, antibiotics do not work because the infections are resistant to them, and the complications due to these prescribed antibiotics can lead to death.
Carrying Out Routine Surgery Has Become Hard
One reason why Cesarean sections are harder to carry out nowadays is resistant infection. The antibiotics taken to treat infections do not work and instead become life-threatening for the patient. So, even minor surgeries seem risky. Viral infections have another cure, but you can kill the bacteria using antibiotics only. Nowadays, surgeons have started giving the patients antibiotics to prevent bacterial infections rather than cure them later. It ranges from trying to avoid sinus infections to skin infections and even urinary tract infections. Heart surgeries, knee replacements, and C-sections cannot be conducted at the cost of side effects of antibiotics.
Taking Unnecessary Antibiotics
The Center for Disease Control pinpoints that one must know when to take antibiotics and when not to. It is one of the most important things you need to know about antibiotics. Viruses are responsible for the flu, cold, and other viral infections. So, antibiotics do not work on them. The side effects of antibiotics taken without a need include the bacteria present in the body (that are not harmful at the moment) becoming resistant to the medicine. They are not for you when you are ill. Always consume prescribed antibiotics to prevent complications. Resistant infection makes antibiotics less useful.
Who Becomes Resistant to Antibiotics?
People usually think that the patient becomes antibiotic-resistant. However, bacteria become resistant in reality. Due to this, people do not complete their antibiotic course, whether it’s for a sore throat or ear infection, fearing their bodies will become less resistant to antibiotics. But the purpose of antibiotics is to disencumber all the bacteria you don’t want in the body because an incomplete course would leave behind bacteria.
Taking Prescribed Antibiotics: Conclusion
All over the world, many people are not getting antibiotics and other medicines in an emergency. On the other hand, people are taking unnecessary antibiotics, believing it to cure even viral infections. One should only take prescribed antibiotics for infections caused by bacteria. A sore throat may not require an antibiotic, but a strep throat does. Make sure not to share your antibiotics with others or keep them for future use. Understanding the difference between bacterial infections and viral infection and using the medicines wisely to avoid any side effects can be very beneficial.
