Antibiotics are powerful germ-fighting medicines that help keep people healthy and prevent serious infections. When used appropriately, antibiotics can even save lives. But taking antibiotics too often or for too long can cause bacteria to become resistant to them, making it harder for future infections to be treated with those same medications.
Bacteria are microscopic organisms that cause sicknesses like strep throat or urinary tract infections (UTIs). Antibiotics work by killing bacteria or stopping them from multiplying, and they’ve been around since the early 1900s. Before antibiotics were widely available, many people died from minor bacterial infections and surgeries were much more dangerous. Since the availability of antibiotics, life expectancy has risen and surgery is safer.
A doctor will only prescribe antibiotics to treat certain sicknesses caused by bacteria. This includes strep throat, UTIs and some skin infections. Antibiotics won’t help with sicknesses caused by viruses, such as the flu or common cold.
Overuse of antibiotics leads to antibiotic resistance, which is a serious global health threat. When too many people take antibiotics, the bacteria that were killed by the antibiotics adapt so they no longer respond to those medicines. The bacteria that survive may also pass on their resistance to other bacteria in the community, creating a chain of events where more and more antibiotics stop working against disease-causing bacteria.
To avoid unnecessary antibiotic use, always ask your doctor if an infection is caused by bacteria and follow his or her instructions carefully. Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medications, including over-the-counter medicines and herbal supplements. This helps your doctor choose the right medicine for you.