Do you really need antibiotics for your cold? Let's talk about this.

You've got a bad cold, and your body is feeling really bad. You've taken the medicine you brought from the pharmacy, you've taken coriander, but there's no relief. Now you're thinking, "Shh, if only a doctor had prescribed an antibiotic, this illness would have been cured faster." This is something that many people in our country actually think. But does an antibiotic really help with a cold? Let's talk about this simply, in a way that everyone can understand.

Why don't antibiotics work for the common cold?

To understand this, we first need to know about two types of tiny organisms that cause disease: viruses and bacteria .

Think of these two as two types of thieves. Viruses are one type of thief, bacteria are another type of thief. An antibiotic is like a specially trained police officer. It can only catch thieves called bacteria . This medicine has no ability to catch thieves called viruses.

Usually, 90% of the illnesses we get, such as colds, flu, and the like, are caused by viruses. So, taking a medicine that kills bacteria for a disease caused by a virus will not have any effect. It's like stopping and checking cars on the road to catch a thief inside a house.

The biggest problem that arises when you take antibiotics for no reason

You might think, "Okay, if it doesn't work, then it's okay to drink it." But, using antibiotics unnecessarily can cause not just a little harm, but a lot of harm. We call that antibiotic resistance .

It happens like this. Imagine that you set the same trap and catch thieves over and over again. After a while, the clever thieves learn new ways to sneak past the trap, right? Bacteria are just as cunning. When we use antibiotics unnecessarily and over and over again, the bacteria learn to be 'resistant' to the drug.

Bacteria that have evolved to be resistant to drugs in this way are what we call "superbugs."

One day, when you have a serious bacterial infection, such as pneumonia, and need antibiotics, the old, resistant bacteria may not be able to use them anymore. Then your doctor will have to find stronger, more expensive drugs. In the meantime, your illness could become more serious and even life-threatening.

In addition, like all medications, antibiotics have side effects.

So, when do you need antibiotics?

Antibiotics are a unique class of medicines that, when used correctly, can save lives. They are essential for treating infections caused by bacteria . For example:

• Bronchitis caused by bacteria
• Pneumonia
• Strep throat
• Ear Infection Caused by Bacteria
• Bacterial eye disease (Pinkeye)

Sometimes, after a viral infection like a cold, when the body is weakened, a bacterial infection can develop as a second step. This is called a secondary bacterial infection. In such cases, antibiotics may be needed.

Symptoms of a secondary bacterial infection may include:

• Severe pain in the face and around the eyes (especially if the pain increases when the head is tilted down).
• Yellow or green thick mucus discharge.
• These symptoms last for more than a week or get worse day by day.
• The cold subsides, but a few days later the fever comes back again.

Do these things exactly when using antibiotics

If your doctor prescribes you an antibiotic, be very careful about these three things.

1. Listen to the doctor.

The doctor knows exactly whether you have a virus or bacteria. He will examine you and prescribe antibiotics only if necessary. Otherwise, don't insist, "Give me an antibiotic prescription."

2. Take the medicine on time.

This is the biggest mistake many people make. They stop taking the medicine after taking it for two or three days and then the pain subsides a little. Never do that. If the doctor prescribes medicine for 5, 7 or 10 days, you should take the medicine for the entire period, at the right time, and in the right dosage. Otherwise, the bacteria that were about to die can survive, come back to life, and adapt to be resistant to the medicine.

3. Do not share medication with others.

If you have leftover antibiotics from a previous illness, don't take them the next time you get sick. Also, don't give your medicine to a family member or friend. The type and dose of antibiotics that are right for each person's body and illness are different. Taking the wrong medicine can prevent the illness from getting better and cause more side effects.