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Ask Dr. Vieder
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LAKES URGENT CARE
When your health concerns can't wait.
I've heard a lot about how antibiotics are being over-prescribed. How do I know when it is a good idea to take antibiotics and
when I should avoid them?
Some people believe antibiotics are the answer to any and all infections. Unfortunately, this is not true. It is critical for you to seek medical attention to determine if
an infection is from a bacterial or viral source. Although this can be difficult at times, primary care or local urgent care physicians have the expertise to guide patients
to the best course of treatment, whether antibiotic or not.
Remember, all antibiotics are ineffective against viral sources and only work against bacterial or fungal sources of infection.
As healthcare becomes a more consumer driven industry, doctors may feel pressure from patients, or their parents, who demand antibiotics to treat infections
when they are not medically necessary. Doctors often want to please their patients, and may not have time to explain why the drugs aren't necessary. Failing to keep
patients and family members happy can have deleterious effects upon physicians. While this is certainly not a great reason to prescribe antibiotics, the reality is that
this frequently occurs.
What are the ramifications of taking antibiotics when I don't need them?
Taking antibiotics unnecessarily has led to significant community related problems. The most troubling impact is the development of bacterial resistance to many
of the common antibiotics currently in use to treat infections. While this may not be problematic on a day-to-day basis for most individuals, keep in mind that if
you or a family member were to contract an infection with a high resistance rate, it may become a life-threatening infection and may not respond to the available
antibiotics because of the developed resistance.
Is it true that antibiotics can destroy the "good bacteria" in my body? What does that mean?
It is true that antibiotics may have the potential side effect of destroying "good bacteria" in the human gut. While an antibiotic may be
prescribed in very appropriate circumstances, it may have this side effect, which is unpredictable. When this occurs, some people can
develop something called pseudomembranous colitis or C. Diff colitis, which is when the antibiotics being taken kill off the normal
bacteria in the intestine. Some other common unintended side effects of inappropriate antibiotic use have lead to MRSA
(methicillin-resistant staph aureus) infections of the skin, which has subsequently resulted in the dreaded "flesh-eating bacteria".
Such severe side effects are rare and it is more common to get milder digestive disturbances during antibiotic treatment because of an
upset in the natural gut flora of the digestive tract. Taking a natural probiotic supplement during and after antibiotic treatment can
help with this issue. Eating natural yogurt products can also be beneficial to avoid such side effects of antibiotics.
For more info, visit the Ask Dr. Vieder page at
LakesUrgentCare.com
Dr. Sanford Vieder, DO, FACOEP, Medical Director at Lakes Urgent Care, West Bloomfield
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