The Danger of Misusing Antibiotics

The discovery of antibiotics was a turning point in the history of the modern world. Antibiotics have given us a powerful way to fight and win against bacterial infections and diseases. There is no argument that the discovery of antibiotics has been one of the most important milestones in the history of health care.

That being said, the inevitable misuse of antibiotics has presented risks that can lead to catastrophic consequences. That statement seems extreme, but it is justified. The correct knowledge of how to use these wonder drugs can be life saving, but ignorance and misuse can be, and is, dangerous.

Antibiotics fight bacteria, period. They do not and cannot fight viruses. Many people who claim that taking antibiotics when they have a common cold makes them feel better after a few days don't realize that after a few days they would have felt better anyway. The common cold is not bacterial, it is viral. A common misconception is that taking antibiotics can lessen the severity of a cold or even cure it. This is dangerously untrue.

And what is the danger? If you take an antibiotic when it really isn't needed, it's not going to hurt anything, is it? Yes, it absolutely can hurt. Maybe not immediately, but the long-term consequences can be very harmful. Unfortunately, this is being proven on a wider and wider scale as time goes by.

Every human body carries "good" bacteria. Good bacteria, or "probiotics" are needed for proper digestion, and actually help to fight infection and prevent disease.