What are antibiotics?
Antibiotics are effective drugs that either kill or obstruct the growth of microorganisms in your body.
Doctors prescribe antibiotics to patients suffering from different bacterial infections.
They fight against harmful bacteria either by killing them or simply preventing them from multiplying.
Numerous potent medications that are successful in treating bacterially-based illnesses are referred to as antibiotics.
Nevertheless, antibiotics are not able to treat viral infections like flu, cold, and most coughs.
Antibiotics are powerful drugs that treat certain infections and save lives when used properly.
Before bacteria can multiply in the body and cause symptoms, the immune system can kill them.
While blood cells attack harmful bacteria in the body. Even if symptoms occur, the immune system can fight against infection.
How do antibiotics work?
When it comes to antibiotics, they are of different types and work in unique ways.
Nevertheless, two main they work include:
A bactericidal antibiotic like penicillin that kills bacteria. These medicines interfere with the formation of bacteria cell walls or their cell content.
A bacteriostatic prevents bacteria from reproducing in your body.
After taking the first dose, you will start feeling better and experience improvement in symptoms.
Antibiotics can take a few hours or days to provide you relief from bacterial infections.
What antibiotics can treat?
Antibiotics can only treat some bacterial infections like urinary tract infections, strep throat, and E. coli.
For some bacterial infections, you might be required to take antibiotic medicines.
A doctor might not recommend you to take antibiotics for treating sinus infections or some ear infections.
Taking antibiotics when they are not required won’t help you and even cause some side effects.
Your doctor can decide which is the best treatment for you while you’re sick or suffering from bacterial infection.
Here are some infections caused by bacteria that can be treated with antibiotics:
- Whooping cough
- Respiratory tract infection
- Urinary tract infections
- Bacterial pneumonia
- Dental infections
- Skin infections
- Clostridioides difficile
- Ear and sinus infections
- Meningitis
- Strep throat
- Bladder and kidney infections
Can antibiotics treat viral infections?
Antibiotics will not provide you relief from viral infections. Do not take them for treating the following ailments:
- Most cases of bronchitis
- Colds and runny noses
- Flu
- Most sore throats
Antibiotics: Know its different types
There are some main types of antibiotics that doctors prescribe for treating some types of bacterial infections.
To decrease the chances of antibiotic resistance, it is necessary to use the right antibiotic for treatment.
After diagnosing the type of infection you have, a doctor will prescribe you antibiotics.
Here are some main types of antibiotics:
- Quinolones (Ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin and norfloxacin)
- Penicillin (Amoxicillin, flucloxacillin, and phenoxymethylpenicillin)
- Tetracyclines (Tetracycline, lymecycline, and doxycycline)
- Metronidazole and tinidazole
- Macrolides (Azithromycin, clarithromycin, clindamycin, and erythromycin)
- Trimethoprim and sulfonamides
- Nitrofurantoin
- Cephalosporins
Different Forms of antibiotics
Antibiotics are available in different forms, including:
Oral antibiotics
These are medicines that you take by mouth and are available in tablets, capsules, or liquids form.
Topical antibiotics
These antibiotics are applied outside of your body. You can rub a cream or antibiotic ointment on the skin.
To treat certain infections, antibiotic drops might be put into your ears or eyes.
Injections and intravenous antibiotics
A doctor can give you these medications through an injection into a muscle or an IV in your vein.
Doctors usually use injections and intravenous injections for treating serious infections.
What is antibiotic resistance?
Antibiotic resistance means the ability of bacteria to live and grow even after using these medicines.
With time, bacteria adapt and develop resistance to antibiotics when they are used.
In the end, those antibiotics are not effective in treating bacteria that increased resistance over an antibiotic.
Antibiotic resistance is believed to be largely caused by the misuse and overuse of antibiotics.
Thus, be sure to take antibiotics correctly if you want to properly treat your bacterial illness.
How long do antibiotics take to work?
This will completely depend upon the type of antibiotic you are using and what it is treating.
Irrespective of the condition, it is necessary to complete a full course of antibiotics exactly in the same way as directed by a doctor.
You might start feeling better in just a few days, but still complete a full course of treatment.
It is common for symptoms to ease up before the infection has totally gone from your body.
For how long do antibiotics stay in the system?
Usually, antibiotics stay in your body for a few hours to several days after you have stopped taking them.
Several factors like age and dosage can affect the amount of time an antibiotic stays in your body.
To more about antibiotics you take and how long they will stay in your body, discuss with a doctor.
Precautions and warnings for antibiotics
Taking some precautions beforehand can help you to get safe treatment and quick relief from bacterial infections.
If you are allergic to the active ingredients of antibiotics, do not take them strictly. Let a doctor know about your allergies.
When taking antibiotics, people suffering from kidney disorders and decreases liver function should be cautious.
Do not stop taking antibiotics too early as this can leave your infection untreated and cause problems.
Avoid sharing your antibiotics with other people even if they have similar symptoms.
Side effects of antibiotics
Just like other medicines, antibiotics can cause some side effects when they are used.
Though some side effects are mild, some turn severe, requiring medical attention immediately.
If these symptoms do not disappear or turn severe then you need to inform your doctor quickly.
Some common side effects of antibiotics:
- Itchy skin
- Nausea
- Yeast infections
- Difficulty breathing
- Rash
- Vomiting
- Allergic reactions
- Upset stomach or stomach pain
Less common and serious side effects of antibiotics include:
Abnormal blood clotting
- Serious allergic reaction
- Formation of kidney stones
- Deafness
- Blood disorders
- Sensitivity towards sunlight
Call your doctor promptly, if any side effects continue or become worse with time.