Antibiotics Overuse Side Effects

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Antibiotics are among the most commonly prescribed medications in modern

medicine. The word antibiotic is composed of two words, anti means against and
bios means life. Antibiotics are also called antibacterial, and they are drugs
specifically used to treat infections caused by bacteria; it is essential to understand
that antibiotics only treat bacterial infections. Antibiotics are ineffective against
viral infections such as the common cold and fungal infections such as ringworm.
Bacteria are very tiny organisms that can at times cause illness to both humans
and animals. Antibiotics treat the diseases by killing or destroying bacteria. The
first antibiotic in the history of medicine was penicillin, which was discovered out
of the blue from a mold culture. In our modern world today, over hundreds of
different antibiotics are available to cure from minor to life- threatening
infections, such as tuberculosis, salmonella, syphilis and some forms of
meningitis. Penicillin-related antibiotics are ampicillin, amoxicillin and benzyl
penicillin, which are extensively used nowadays to treat a variety of infections;
these antibiotics or antibacterial have been around for a long time.
When To Take Them?
Antibiotics do not work for every illness, as it meant to cure the infections caused
by bacteria, so one must consider this fact while taking any antibiotic. Doctors
prescription is very important for taking antibiotics because a doctor can tell well
that if a patient has viral infection or bacterial infection. Antibiotics should not be
taken for viral illnesses, such as colds or the flu, because by taking antibiotics in
viral infections one makes the illness worse as it enables the bacteria to resist the
antibiotics. Take the antibiotics on Doctors professional prescription so that one
get benefit from it, the dosage of the antibiotics should be taken properly and
regularly because once patient miss any dose then it can result in the resistance
from bacteria, which will make the whole treatment ineffective.

When To Take Them?

Antibiotics do not work for every illness, as it meant to cure the infections caused
by bacteria, so one must consider this fact while taking any antibiotic. Doctors
prescription is very important for taking antibiotics because a doctor can tell well
that if a patient has viral infection or bacterial infection. Antibiotics should not be
taken for viral illnesses, such as colds or the flu, because by taking antibiotics in

viral infections one makes the illness worse as it enables the bacteria to resist the
antibiotics. Take the antibiotics on Doctors professional prescription so that one
get benefit from it, the dosage of the antibiotics should be taken properly and
regularly because once patient miss any dose then it can result in the resistance
from bacteria, which will make the whole treatment ineffective.
Some of the symptoms of onset of any bacterial infection are red throat and
tonsils, difficulty in swallowing, fever ranges above 101 degrees, swollen and
tender lymph nodes in the neck, headache, shivers and shaking with cold sweats,
often nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain in children.
Overuse Causes Resistance And Toxicity
The overuse of antibiotics causes Antibiotic resistance and bacterial
resistance. Frequently, antibiotics destroy bacteria or simply stop them from
growing; however, some of the bacteria have become resistant to some types of
antibiotics. This means that the antibiotics no longer work against such bacteria.
Bacteria become resistant to antibiotics more quickly when antibiotics are used
too often or are not used properly, for example, if a person does not take the full
course of a specific antibiotic prescribed by any doctor, then the bacteria in his
body will develop a resistance against that specific antibiotic, such bacteria can,
then be treated with some other antibiotic, but some types of bacteria are resistant
to all the antibiotics and unable to get treated. Moreover, the overuse of antibiotics
can also cause toxicity in the body at different cellular, tissue or organ levels. For
example, Quinolones are a class of antibiotics that are very toxic for tendons,
cartilages, nervous system and various other organs. The overuse results in the
accumulation of antibiotics in lysosomes which may cause metabolic alterations
that can lead to cell toxicity.
How To Avoid The Side Effects
To avoid the side effects of antibiotics overuse, one must avoid the overuse of
antibiotics at first place. To control the antibiotic overuse one must not depend on
the doctor, regulate the antibiotic use by yourself. Following is some of the
suggestions to avoid the resistance of antibiotics:
A. Dont always follow the urge of asking your doctor for antibiotics
whenever you have flu, cough or cold. Bacterial infections generally go
away on their own within two weeks.
B. While taking any antibiotic drug from doctor, always ask him if it is
necessary in the present condition or not and also that you have really a
bacterial infection or viral one.

C. Always follow the doctors direction of the use of antibiotics.

D. Always make sure to complete the full course of prescribed antibiotics,
even if you feel recovered in the mid of the course because if you left
taking it in the mid of the course then there is a possibility that the bacteria
may get a chance to grow again and develop a resistance, and then you
will be supposed to take stronger antibiotics to recover that second attack.
E. Take proper and healthy diet with antibiotics so that your immune system
grows stronger and able to resist the infections.