Why doctors do not always give you antibiotics (5 reasons)
In this article we will describe why doctors do not always give you antibiotics (5 reasons). This is because they can do more harm then good. Why?
1. Side-effects. Antibiotics are actually very powerful medications which do not come without risks. In fact some of the side effects caused by the most powerful ones can be very severe.
2. C diff and superbugs. Most antibiotics can cause a ‘superbug’ called ‘C. diff’ (short for Clostridium difficile), which causes diarrhoea that can lead to severe colon damage and even death.
3. They only work for bacteria. They have no effect on viruses, fungi and other micro-organisms.
4. Other medicines can help relieve your symptoms. Ask your pharmacist for advice. They may recommend over-the-counter (OTC) medicines to help alleviate your symptoms, e.g:
- Painkillers (e.g. paracetamol and NSAIDs) will relieve aches, pains and fevers
- Throat sprays or pastilles will help you swallow more easily
- Nasal sprays and decongestants help you breathe more comfortably
- Antihistamines alleviate stuffy, sneezy and itchy noses.
Drinking plenty of fluids and getting some rest will help improve most winter illnesses.
5. Antibiotic resistance. Using antibiotics too much can also make them less effective over time, as the bugs stop getting killed by them. This is called ‘antibiotic resistance’. So unless we control their use, we could run out of medicine for serious bacterial infections.
Summary
We have described why doctors do not always give you antibiotics (5 reasons). We hope it is clearer now.
Last Reviewed on 8 March 2024