Dr Mohit Mathur | Medical Director, PB Health
By Dr Mohit Mathur - Medical Director, PB Health
At PB Health, we believe that good healthcare begins with informed decisions. One of the most important decisions patients and families make every day is whether an antibiotic is truly needed.
Antibiotics have transformed modern medicine and continue to save millions of lives. Yet, their misuse has become one of the biggest public health challenges of our time.
Here's why responsible antibiotic use matters and what each of us can do to help.
Since the Discovery of Penicillin
Since the discovery of penicillin in 1928, antibiotics have revolutionised medicine and saved millions of lives. However, the widespread use and overuse of antibiotics have accelerated the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) – a global health threat in which bacteria evolve to become resistant to commonly used drugs.
The concern is no longer theoretical. Very few new antibiotics are currently in the pharmaceutical pipeline. Public health leaders worldwide have warned that we may soon face a "post-antibiotic era," where routine infections may become life-threatening. The U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has even launched campaigns such as "Bad Bugs, No Drugs" to highlight this growing crisis.
This is not a distant problem. Any one of us may encounter a situation where a loved one, hospitalised with a simple infection, is told that the bacteria are resistant to all available antibiotics. Responsible antibiotic use today protects lives tomorrow.
Use Antibiotics the Right Way
Did you know that most common infections, such as the common cold, flu, most sore throats, many ear infections, and acute bronchitis, are caused by viruses? Antibiotics are ineffective against viral infections.
Taking antibiotics unnecessarily:
● Offer no benefit for viral illnesses
● Increase side effects and drug reactions
● Promote the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria
● Reduce future treatment effectiveness for you and your community
The best approach is to seek medical advice early and allow a qualified healthcare professional to determine whether antibiotics are truly needed. While many viral illnesses are self-limiting, consult your doctor if symptoms worsen, persist longer than expected, or new warning signs appear.
How Should I Use Antibiotics to Protect Myself and My Community from Antibiotic Resistance?
● Only use antibiotics when prescribed by a certified healthcare professional.
● Tell your doctor that you are concerned about antibiotic resistance.
● Take the prescribed antibiotic exactly as your doctor tells you without missing even a single dose. Always complete the full course.
● Discard leftover pills and don't save antibiotics for the next time.
● Ask your doctor about vaccines recommended for you and your family to prevent infections that may require an antibiotic if you catch them.
● Never take antibiotics prescribed for someone else.
A Small Pledge That Can Make a Big Difference
So, let's pledge to stop bugs from becoming superbugs because of our bad practices. Apart from this, regular handwashing, particularly before and after certain actions, is the simplest way to avoid getting sick by preventing the spread of germs and therefore avoiding frequent courses of antibiotics. It's like a "do-it-yourself" vaccine you can take to reduce the spread of infections.
At PB Health, we believe prevention is always better than a cure. The future effectiveness of antibiotics depends on the choices we make today. By using antibiotics only when they are truly needed, we can help preserve these life-saving medicines for future generations.
The next time you are unwell, remember: not every infection needs an antibiotic, but every antibiotic must be used responsibly.
Source URL: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/antibiotic-self-medication-when-take-antibiotics-5lfef/