Antibiotics — Do you actually need them?

It often happens that a patient will leave dissatisfied from a consultation with a doctor if they are ill and do not receive antibiotics. However, the absence of the prescription of antibiotics is usually intentional. Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections, not all infections. Pathogens causing disease include bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi. Each different pathogen has a different treatment plan and antibiotics are not the go-to for all.

For example, the common cold or influenza — two of the frequently treated infections in a doctors room — are viral infections and usually require supportive treatment only.

It is important that antibiotics are taken as prescribed — meaning the correct antibiotics for the specific infection being treated as well as the correct duration of treatment. Antibiotic courses must be finished. This is all in the aim to treat the infection successfully and avoid antibiotic resistance.

As a result of inappropriate treatment with antibiotics, resistant infection (or "superbugs") rates are starting to increase. This means that we are heading in the direction of reaching a time where we won't have treatment for some infections.

Always ask questions when you visit your doctor, it's always important to be responsible for your own health. Please don't abuse antibiotics, they are life-saving when used appropriately but not the answer to every illness.

Until next time 😘

Dr Sarah Whitehorn