Safe Antibiotic
Use Colds, flu, aches, pains...Since the
discovery of penicillin, we've come to think of antibiotics
as the required treatment for any illness. And although
antibiotics can be wonderful cures, our dependence and
overuse is creating a serious health risk. The rise of
antibiotic resistant strains of infectious diseases is
putting our health at risk. The biggest
reason for antibiotic resistance is the overuse of
antibiotics. Antibiotics only work on bacterial infections
like pneumonia and ear infections. They don't work for viral
infections such as colds and the flu. Using antibiotics for
viral infections may select for more resistant bacteria
which will cause resistant infections. The next time
you have a cold -- let it run its course and don't ask for
antibiotics. Another thing you must do when given a
prescription for antibiotics is finish the full course. If
you stop taking them before they're gone, the infection may
come back and this time may not respond to the same
antibiotics. Saving antibiotics for "next time" will also
lead to more resistant infections. So next time you're given
a prescription for antibiotics, stay the course -- finish
them until gone. On the companion
web site to the Healthworks
special Antibiotics: the Untold Story, you'll find
information about when antibiotics are appropriate and what
to do to feel better when they are not. COMMON
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Common
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Safe
Use of Antibiotics
