Doctors don't prescribe antibiotics for many common illnesses, like colds or flu, because these are viral, not bacterial, and antibiotics don't work on viruses; unnecessary use fuels antibiotic resistance (creating "superbugs" that are harder to treat), causes harmful side effects (diarrhea, allergic reactions), and disrupts gut health, making patients more vulnerable to future infections. They aim to preserve antibiotic effectiveness for when they are truly needed for serious bacterial infections.
Antibiotics Can Do More Harm Than Good
In some cases, antibiotics do more harm than good. The use of antibiotics when they're not needed makes these wonder drugs resistant to bacteria, and over time they become less useful. They can also have side effects that make patients sicker than they were in the first place.
Antibiotics work to rid your body of disease-causing bacterial infections. They can restore your health, prevent serious complications, and even safeguard your life. But using antibiotics when you don't need them won't help you get better; in fact, it can be harmful.
Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections. About 1 in 5 people who take antibiotics gets antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Mild cases tend to begin shortly after taking antibiotics. Mild diarrhea usually ends after a few days on antibiotics or shortly after finishing the treatment.
Providers only prescribe antibiotics when they are needed. Antibiotics can only treat bacterial infections. Healthy people with good immune systems can even clear some bacterial infections on their own.
Take antibiotics ONLY when you need them
Some infections caused by bacteria can still get better without antibiotics. You DO NOT need antibiotics for some common bacterial infections, including many sinus infections and some ear infections.
When do we need antibiotics? Antibiotics are for bacterial infections only. This includes infections such as bloodstream infections, skin abscess/impetigo, bacterial pneumonia, urinary tract infections, streptococcal pharyngitis and some middle ear infections.
Which antibiotics are the worst for gut health?
Some people get C. difficile infection without having taken antibiotics. So recent use of antibiotics is not needed for making a diagnosis of C. difficile infection.
Common fermented foods include yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, tempeh, and kombucha. Consuming these foods can help replenish the gut microbiota with diverse and beneficial bacterial strains, aiding digestion and supporting the immune system.
Symptoms
Antibiotics typically stay in your system anywhere from a few hours to several days after you stop taking them. Many factors (including the type of antibiotic you're taking, its dosage and your age) can affect the amount of time the drug stays in your system.
Signs and symptoms of an infection
Strains of pathogens that've developed resistance to multiple drugs are the hardest to get rid of. Infections like MRSA and CREs are often resistant to more than one type of antibiotic, so finding one that's effective (or a combination of medications that work together) can be challenging and take a long time.
A growing body of evidence shows antibiotics can directly impact immune cell function, although their extent and the mechanisms by which these occur remains relatively unexplored. Critical illness is associated with multiple immune defects which are associated with an increased risk of subsequent infections.
Common symptoms of bacterial infection include:
Symptoms of Clostridium Difficile Infection
Environmental risk factors
C. diff infection is more common among patients in healthcare settings, such as hospitals and nursing homes. This is because many people carrying C. diff stay or get treated in those facilities.
Many people notice a distinctive odor with C. diff diarrhea. They describe it as unusually strong and oddly sweet. This smell may be because C. diff increases the levels of bile acids in your poop.
Bacteria resistant to antibiotics
The good news is that researchers have found the gut microbiome is resilient and, over the course of several months, will gradually recover. The speed and scope of that recovery is affected by several factors. The type of antibiotic used and how frequently play a role.
Penicillins, certain cephalosporins, and carefully monitored macrolides are commonly used as safe antibiotics for seniors. Fluoroquinolones, aminoglycosides, sulfonamides, and older tetracyclines may carry more risks. Drug interactions are common in older adults, so medication lists should always be reviewed.
Many infections, even some caused by bacteria, get better without antibiotics. Taking an antibiotic when you don't need it won't make you feel better or recover sooner. It can increase your chance of side effects like nausea and diarrhoea.
Viral infections often develop gradually, such as a cold that starts with a scratchy throat and progresses to a cough and congestion. Bacterial infections, however, tend to appear suddenly and with more intensity. For example, strep throat can cause a severe sore throat and high fever that comes on quickly.
Antibiotics are drugs that kill bacteria germs and can only treat sickness caused by bacteria, also known as a bacterial infection. This includes strep throat, urinary tract infections (UTI) and many skin infections. Antibiotics don't work on sickness caused by virus germs, also known as a viral infection.