ABCs of Antibiotics: When, and When Not, to Use Them

It’s a common winter scene: The patient arrives at the doctor’s office coughing, sneezing, and sniffling and asks for an antibiotic to make it all go away. The request has become so pervasive that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted this on the antibiotics portion of its website: “Never pressure a healthcare professional to prescribe an antibiotic.” The reason? Often, an antibiotic is not the appropriate treatment.

There is this sort of magical thinking that, “If I take an antibiotic, I’ll be OK to participate in whatever activity this cold has disrupted.” People just want to find something that makes them well enough to do their usual activities. But what may be a better plan is just taking it easy at home for a day or two to let your body recover.

The Basics of Antibiotics Use

• Antibiotics DO NOT work on viruses, which include colds, flu, most sore throats (except strep throat), and most chest colds including bronchitis.
• Antibiotics DO treat certain infections caused by bacteria, including strep throat, whooping cough and urinary tract infections.
• Antibiotics are likely NOT needed for some bacterial infections that typically go away on their own, such as some sinus and ear infections.
• Take antibiotics exactly as prescribed—the correct dose for the specific number of days.

The average time for many viral infections is about five days, with or without a Z‑pack of antibiotics. So, mom’s chicken soup, rest and time are still often the best treatment.

In addition to being the wrong approach, antibiotics can cause unpleasant side effects, including diarrhea and yeast infections. And overuse can eventually lead to antibiotic resistance, making them ineffective against bacterial infections they used to be able to treat.

Antibiotics aren’t always the answer, and I am hopeful that more people are getting the message. I’ve had a couple of people challenge me and say, ‘Do I really need the antibiotic?’ It may be that more people are familiar with the adverse side effects of antibiotics. And more people are curious about probiotics, which support the healthy balance of bacteria in our gut. Even one dose of antibiotics can disrupt healthy flora. I think, in some ways, the tide might be starting to turn.