Keep The Costs Of Cold Season Down
Doctors are busy and patients are pushy. Those are the two
biggest reasons why people are prescribed antibiotics when
they don’t really need them.
Why is that such a big deal?
For decades antibiotics have been a wonder-drug, a darling
of both prescription pads and home medicine cabinets. But antibiotics
aren’t always the cure-all most consumers think they
are.
Antibiotics are only truly effective when they’re used
to combat bacterial infections. Trouble is, the infections
that bring most people coughing and sneezing into the doctor’s
office are actually caused by viruses, not bacteria.
Yet patients insist on this familiar remedy and doctors are
just too busy to sit and argue. The result? Not only are you
spending your precious health care dollars on a treatment that’s
not going to help you feel better, misusing antibiotics can
pose dangerous risks to your health in the future.
Don’t assume you need antibiotics
If you’ve got a sore throat (that’s not due to
strep), cough, bronchitis or the flu – all caused by
viruses - taking antibiotics won’t help you heal faster
and won’t prevent you from spreading your germs to others.
“Antibiotics show amazing results when used to treat
bacterial infections, but they won’t help at all against
the common cold or flu,” says Surgeon General Richard
Carmona. “What’s worse, if people take antibiotics
when they don’t need them, it can make these important
drugs less effective in the future.”
If you take antibiotics to treat anything but a bacterial
infection, you can build up a resistance that lands you serious,
lasting illnesses in the future. And that means more costly
trips to the doctor’s or worse, long hospital stays and
intensive, pricier treatments with more harmful side effects.
“If you or your child gets sick, don’t use an
antibiotic unless a doctor specifically prescribes one for
you,” warns Dr. Richard Besser, Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention. “You should also ask your doctor or other
health professionals about what you can do to feel better.
There are many treatments available that can reduce your symptoms
and get you back on your feet more quickly.”
3 quick tips for keeping viruses away
- Wash your hands frequently
- Use a tissue instead of your hands when you have to cough
or sneeze
- Don’t touch your face, especially if you haven’t
washed since you last coughed or sneezed
How you can feel better when you do get sick
- Keep drinking those fluids
- Sore throat? Try easing the pain with ice chips or throat
spray and/or lozenges (warning: lozenges are not safe for
small children)
- Get as much rest as you can
- Avoid habits that weaken your immune system like smoking
or drinking alcohol
- Clear stuffy noses with over-the-counter nasal sprays
When you should go see your doctor
- If you’ve been trying common fever reducers like
Tylenol and you still have a temperature over 104 – 104.5
- If you are significantly short of breath
- If you have symptoms non-stop for over two weeks, or if
your symptoms go away and then come back
- Pain in your chest from coughing that makes it difficult
to breathe deeply
Your doctor’s advice is best: If you’re
ever in doubt about your or your family’s medical condition,
give your doctor’s office a quick phone call for instructions.
*This article is provided for educational and
informational purposes only. We are not licensed medical professionals
and this information should not be substituted for professional
medical advice. Please seek the advice or a healthcare professional
regarding your own personal situation. |
