Antibiotic overuse is a serious problem in medicine today. Patients suffering with colds often go to their doctor to request an antibiotic–but colds are caused by a virus. Antibiotics are used to treat harmful bacteria, they do nothing to treat viruses. When antibiotics are used inappropriately, they can breed resistance in the bacteria to that antibiotic, creating a superbug in the body that no longer responds to its use.
Unfortunately, inappropriate dispensation is not the only way antibiotics are misused. Many patients will stop taking their antibiotic when they start to feel better or their symptoms subside. Patients who do not finish their course of medication may not take enough antibiotic to kill the organism completely. Whatever “bugs” remain in the body have the potential to become resistant to that particular antibiotic, rendering it less effective or even completely useless when treating future infections.
Another risky behavior is using the antibiotics left over from a previous infection. Patients who self-medicate with these drugs often do not take the appropriate course—the right dosage or the correct period of time necessary—for the infection being treated. As a result, they are likely to breed resistance in their own body to that organism. Patients who use an antibiotic prescribed for someone else, such as a family member, run the additional risk of dangerous drug interactions if they are on any other medications.
Always follow your doctor’s instructions when it comes to taking antibiotics. If you request an antibiotic and your doctor decides that another treatment is more appropriate for your condition, believe him or her. He/She is looking out for your health and well-being over the long term.