Do I need an antibiotic for that?
18 July 2008Antibiotics are overused and over-prescribed and as such certain bacteria are starting to become resistant to the more common antibiotics that we have. We rely on antibiotics for our health and forget that sometimes overuse can be as detrimental as doing nothing – we know that MRSA has become prevalent in both our hospitals and schools and this bacteria is known to be Methicillin resistant. More often than not going into a doctor’s office with a child pulling at their ears will result in a prescription for an antibiotic before you leave, even though it is commonly known that most cases of otitis media (the medical term for ear infection) will resolve by themselves.
If you are a parent who drags their child to urgent care or your pediatrician’s office looking for a prescription every time your child sniffs, sneezes or runs a high temperature, it’s time to do your research on how antibiotics really work. The term antibiotic was coined in 1942 by Selman Waksman to refer to any substance produced by a micro-organism that is antagonistic to the growth of others in high dilution. There are many classifications of antibiotics and while some are bacteria specific others are known as “broad spectrum” as they can attack many different bacteria. Penicillin (possibly the best known antibiotic) was discovered in 1928 by Alexander Fleming and 10 years later Ernst Chain and Howard Florey expanded on his discovery by bringing the purified form of penicillin to market. All three won the 1945 Nobel Prize in Medicine. However, none of the antibiotics on the market today will cure a common cold or the flu. Antibiotics are used for a whole myriad of bacterial infections including Tetracyclene for acne, Trimethoprim for UTI’s, Bacitracin for ear, eye or bladder infections, and Amoxicillin for a wide range of infections including lyme disease. There is a place in modern medicine for antibiotics and life would certainly have been more painful and dire had Alexander Fleming not discovered penicillin. However, we have come to rely on these bacteria fighters to be our all-round cure and that just isn’t possible. Bacteria can be smart, and as we overuse the current antibiotics on the market the bacteria becomes resistant. Unfortunately people also fail to complete the dose suggested by their doctor and end up aiding in the super-bug phenomenon, in some parts of China, India and Russia, TB (tuberculosis) has become so rife and rampant due to antibiotic misuse, they are struggling to keep fighting this once almost extinct medical condition, it won’t be long before we could start seeing similar resistance happening here.
To be clear antibiotics work on BACTERIA, the common cold, the flu, a cough or any similar ailment is usually caused by a VIRUS, Kids Health has this to say about the difference between bacteria and viruses:
Bacteria are living organisms existing as single cells. Bacteria are everywhere and most don’t cause any harm, and in some cases may be beneficial. Lactobacillus, for example, live in the intestine and help digest food. But some bacteria are harmful and can cause illness by invading the human body, multiplying, and interfering with normal bodily processes. Antibiotics are effective against bacteria because they work to kill these living organisms by stopping their growth and reproduction.
Viruses, on the other hand, are not alive and cannot exist on their own — they are particles containing genetic material wrapped in a protein coat.
Viruses “live,” grow, and reproduce only after they’ve invaded other living cells. Some viruses may be fought off by the body’s immune system before they cause illness, but others (colds, flu, and chickenpox, for example) must simply run their course. Viruses do not respond to antibiotics at all.
Not only is overuse of antibiotics dangerous some side effects of common or mainstream antibiotics can be really toxic. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has just issued a mandate to put a black box warning on certain antibiotic boxes. The regulation deals with flouroquinolone drugs which are a potent class of antibacterials and an unusual but frightening side effect is coming to light. From antibiotics.org “…Tendon ruptures are normally thought of as sports injuries, generally occurring usually among men in their mid-thirties. The link to treatment with the antibiotics is highly unusual, and scientists still don’t fully understand why it happens. However, FDA officials stressed that many of the serious injuries appear to be preventable if patients stop taking the drug at the first sign of pain or swelling in a tendon, call their doctor, and switch to another antibiotic.
The two leading drugs covered by the warning are Cipro, made by Bayer, and Levaquin, which is made by Ortho-McNeil. Cipro became a household name during the anthrax attacks of 2001. It is effective against that deadly bacteria, and is among the medications stockpiled by the government in case of a bio-terror attack. In everyday medicine, Cipro is often used to treat urinary tract infections. Levaquin is generally used to treat respiratory infections.”
So if you decide to see your doctor for the flu or other viral infections, do not ask for antibiotics. Take their advice and go home, get plenty of rest and fluids and wait it out. If you are prescribed antibiotics ask your doctor if they are essential, specifically in the case of an ear infection. If your doctor still recommends taking the prescribed course, remember to finish the entire dose your doctor prescribed to you. Avoid taking with dairy products as this may impede the absorption.
Ask your Fontana Family Chiropractor about ways to reduce or eliminate ear infections or other common ailments such as flu (and the prevention of) or sinus problems; often regular adjustments might be all you need to ensure you will be on the road to recovery in no time.
Make an adjustment. Stay healthy ~ Be happy. Call Dr. Paul or Dr. Susan at 303.674.1500 or email office@fontanachiro.com (Evergreen CO)
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September 8th, 2008 at 8:08 pm
[...] a solution to this annoying problem, just as many women I know have. After all, who wants to take antibiotics on and off, year after year? Plus just getting to the urgent care or doctor when a UTI hits is hard [...]