The biggest mistakes we do with antibiotics

Antibiotics are one of the greatest inventions of the century. They are saving millions of lives from life-threatening infections. But they have their own worst side too. People are committing huge mistakes regarding the use of antibiotics. India is a country where antibiotics are bought without a doctor's prescription.

What are antibiotics?

Antibiotics are drugs meant for fighting against bacteria. Depending on their mechanism they can either kill the bacteria or cease its growth. Also, they may be narrow spectrum or broad spectrum. If it is narrow spectrum, they are active against specific species of bacteria eg. Vancomycin, Penicillin. If it is broad spectrum they fight against a wide range of bacteria eg. Amoxicillin. Broad spectrum antibiotic is prescribed only when the causative bacterial species are unknown or wide range of bacterias are involved in infection. The most common bacterial infections include respiratory infections, dental infection, strep throat, whooping cough and urinary tract infections.

Let's see what are the common mistakes we do with antibiotics.

1) The first mistake is taking antibiotics for all kinds of infections. Antibiotics can cure only the bacterial infections. I see people taking antibiotics for common cold and flu. But they are caused by a virus. When one is suffering from running nose, antibiotics have no role in curative action. They are meant for bacteria not for viruses. Antibiotics don't work against viral or fungal infections such as common cold, cough, stomach flu, ring worm... Taking antibiotics for viral infections, actually makes the condition even worse by invading the favorable intrinsic gut microbiota.

2) People are not finishing the complete course of antibiotic as prescribed by the physician. If the prescription is for 10 days, they stop in the middle when they feel comfortable, thinking that they are over the infection. But at the middle course the bacteria is not completely dead, just it's action had stopped, it can come back with a higher threat than before. Stopping at this stage make the bacteria harder and stronger, also resistant to antibiotics.Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to global health. The overuse and misuse of antibiotics is the major reason for the antibiotic resistance.

This cause further infection in the future, with no medications can act against those superbugs(resistant bacteria).

3) Sharing the antibiotics.

It is one of the critical complications people do with antibiotics. They share the pills just because they have the same symptoms. This is even worse when it is a broad spectrum antibiotic. They act against all the existing bacteria.The human body is inhabited by diverse beneficial bacteria which are literally protecting us against invasion. But the broad spectrum antibiotic can't differentiate pathogenic bacteria from beneficial bacteria, the result is the microbes that are really helping us gonna encounter the suffering or even the death.

4 ) Taking leftover medications. People eat up the medicine, they had for their previous infection. Self diagnosing can lead to prolonged illness as well as potential serious side effects, particularly in infants. Consult a doctor, after the completion and result of the necessary tests, intake the directed pills for the specific bacterial infection.

5) Do antibiotics have side effects?

Prolonged and unprescribed usage of an antibiotic impose mild to intense risk of issues. It depends on the type and dosage. In general all the medications we intake inflicts possible side effects. And so antibiotics are no way lesser than to cause harm. Their possible side effects include constipation, headache, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting etc.

To conclude, some bacterial infections can be resolved without the use of antibiotics , for instance a mild urinary tract infection can be cured by drinking plenty of water or by altering the pH of the system. Accordingly, intake antibiotics only when it is required. Of course, there are several natural antibiotics which can treat against bacterial infection. Honey, garlic, ginger, cloves are recognized for their preventive and curative antibacterial property. As stated earlier, our gut, skin, mucosal regions are colonized by several microorganisms, commonly called as microbiota. They are not passive bystander, they confer active role in development of the immune system. So taking yogurt, peas, cheese, banana, almonds, olive oil, garlic, ginger in our regular diet contributes to good gut health, hence turning gut microflora healthiest. Instead of taking medications to cure simple infections, take healthy food to make the immune system strong, to stay away from infections.