Doctors in Britain will soon be told to stop prescribing antibiotics for coughs, colds and sore throats. Overuse of the drugs is fueling the spread of deadly antibiotic-resistant super bugs. A new government program aims to diminish the use of the drugs.
Most colds, coughs and flu are caused by viruses, which cannot be treated with antibiotics since antibiotics only work on bacteria.
Overuse of antibiotics has been blamed for the rise of drug-resistant tuberculosis. If antibiotic use is not curbed, doctors could run out of effective treatment for some diseases.
Sources:
The Telegraph January 9, 2008
My daughter recently had one heck of a viral illness that laid her out for 5 days. Muscle aches, sore throat, fever, cough eventually leading to bronchitis and a very scary episode of shortness of breath ( DAD... gasp,.. I can't.. gasp breath!) and severe upper respiratory congestion.
I called the local pharmacist who is a good friend of mine and he set me up with a powerful decongestant and a bronchodilating syrup. I easily could have gotten an antibiotic but chose not to.
I did take her to the doctor's office the next day just to get another set of eyes on her. (you know the saying about the man who represents himself having a fool for a lawyer? Well it applies to docs too)
Well her exam was basically normal as he confirmed, I had looked her over myself several times. BUT THE DOC OFFERED US AN ANTIBIOTIC! Come on Docs, IF the exam screams VIRAL just be available if we get worse and call in the antibiotic. Tell us what the options are. Explain why that Z-pack is overkill.
Most colds, coughs and flu are caused by viruses, which cannot be treated with antibiotics since antibiotics only work on bacteria.
Overuse of antibiotics has been blamed for the rise of drug-resistant tuberculosis. If antibiotic use is not curbed, doctors could run out of effective treatment for some diseases.
Sources:
The Telegraph January 9, 2008
My daughter recently had one heck of a viral illness that laid her out for 5 days. Muscle aches, sore throat, fever, cough eventually leading to bronchitis and a very scary episode of shortness of breath ( DAD... gasp,.. I can't.. gasp breath!) and severe upper respiratory congestion.
I called the local pharmacist who is a good friend of mine and he set me up with a powerful decongestant and a bronchodilating syrup. I easily could have gotten an antibiotic but chose not to.
I did take her to the doctor's office the next day just to get another set of eyes on her. (you know the saying about the man who represents himself having a fool for a lawyer? Well it applies to docs too)
Well her exam was basically normal as he confirmed, I had looked her over myself several times. BUT THE DOC OFFERED US AN ANTIBIOTIC! Come on Docs, IF the exam screams VIRAL just be available if we get worse and call in the antibiotic. Tell us what the options are. Explain why that Z-pack is overkill.
In my career I have seen at least three antibiotics become essentially useless. We have to do better and we as patients have to do better also.
Now I realize it's easier for me as a physician to keep my eye on these things, but with basic common sense and a trusting relationship with a doc that shares your philosophy you too can help eliminate uneeded antibiotic use.
Just don't assume you need an antibiotic and know that the odds are HUGE that if you have sore throat with drainage runny nose and cough that has lasted less that 7 days you have a 95% chance of the infection being caused by a virus. So don't expect an antibiotic. This is a huge pet peeve of mine. It's the doc's fault and its's YOUR fault.
I had my own practice in a small for over 10 years and I RARELY, almost NEVER, had negative interactions with patients. But the prescribing of antibiotics was often a tough topic.
If 97% of coughs and other upper respiratory infections are VIRAL, and DO NOT RESPOND to antibiotics why use them?. Because the drug rep is cute? (Don't laugh it happens)
It's a medicine with potential side effects.
Patients still often INSISTED upon antibiotics, sometimes making a scene
I am not opposed to antibiotics; they obviously do have an important use under the right circumstances. However, I do believe that well over 75 percent of the time antibiotics are prescribed, they are completely unnecessary, and even worse, cause serious side effects that are sometimes fatal. They also add to the cost of medical care best spent elsewhere to real benefit.
Additionally, this unrestrained use of antibiotics in the past has now caught up with us and led to new super-bugs, such as the drug resistant MRSA -- which is why you should never ask your doctor for antibiotics when you suffer from colds, coughs, sore throat, ear aches and flu. .
Several common antibiotic ingredients have become less effective due to the increase in drug resistant bacteria, including:
Amoxicillin
Cefaclor (used for chest infections)
Trimethoprim (used to treat urinary tract infections)
The Dangers of Antibiotic Misuse
Unnecessary use of antibiotics can also leave your body susceptible to gut infections like clostridium difficile by stripping your natural, healthy bacteria from your gut. Clostridium difficile can then take hold and might cause death in vulnerable people, especially the elderly.
By killing not only bad bacteria but also all of the good bacteria, antibiotics weaken your already compromised immune system, which can lead to all sorts of diseases and additional ailments. Antibiotics are also linked to:
Tripling the risk of asthma in babies
Increasing your breast cancer risk
Increasing your risk of allergies, including food allergies due to the alteration of the normal terrain of your intestines
The bottom line is that, more often than not, simple infections -- from ear infections to even some urinary tract infections -- clear up without a need for antibiotics, particularly if you’re eating right, exercising, and leading an overall healthy lifestyle.
Healthier Options For Common Ailments
Keeping your immune system in good working order will prevent most bugs from proliferating and causing disease in the first place. Eating a proper diet based on your nutritional type will help you do just that by keeping you in optimal health. Avoiding sugar and excesive fruit juices will also help.
Here are some other, healthier options for preventing or treating ailments that are commonly mis-prescribed with antibiotics:
Ear infections -- Avoiding pasteurized milk is one of the best proactive solutions to prevent ear infections. If your child does develop an ear infection, a simple solution is to put a few drops of breast milk in the ear canal every few hours. This usually works to clear up the infection within 24 to 48 hours and is far safer, less expensive and a better solution than putting the child on antibiotics.
Simple wounds -- As a natural antimicrobial remedy for wounds, try raw honey instead, which is a natural antimicrobial that works wonders when applied topically.
Common cold and flu – The most helpful remedy for reducing cold transmission is to wash your hands frequently with plain soap and water. Remember that antibacterial soaps are completely unnecessary here as well and cause far more harm than good.
raw
Simple zinc lozenges can help speed up your recovery from a cold, if you do get one, by almost half. But perhaps one of the best tricks I ever found for treating colds and flu’s is simply putting a few drops of hydrogen peroxide in your ears.
Sinus infections – Drink hot liquids such as tea or chicken soup, and apply warm compresses to your face. Irrigating your sinuses using a nettie pot filled with a saline solution can also speed up your recovery. AND IS AMAZING FOR CHRONIC ALLERGIES sometimes leading to a patient stopping all meds! More info here>>>>>
http://www.ohiohealth.com/bodymayo.cfm?id=6&action=detail&ref=1942
If for some reason you do have to take an antibiotic, always make sure to supplement with probiotics: There is a common confusion that one should wait until finished with the antibiotic to start taking probiotics. Even though the antibiotic is killing the good bacteria, that is exactly when you need it the most. .
The daily supplement that I take and recommend has a probiotic ALREADY in it, along with many other amazing herbals designed to replace and restore your body. It comes in THREE amazing forms a powder that is easily mixed with water or your favorite drink, hi tech well absorbed tabs and A NEW READY TO DRINK LIQUID!
Check out this amazing supplement at this link. And try to avoid those antibiotics.
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