Stop giving antibiotics for colds, doctors told

[ahsan28]

Stop giving antibiotics for colds, doctors told

Doctors are to be told to stop prescribing antibiotics for coughs, colds and sore throats because over-use of the drugs is fuelling the spread of killer hospital superbugs.

Over-use of antibiotics, which can be used only on bacterial infections, has been blamed for the rise of drug-resistant tuberculosis. The drugs can strip natural bacteria from the gut and allow C.diff to take hold and kill vulnerable elderly people.

Telegraph. UK
09/01/2008

Complete Article here

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...nbiotic109.xml

[ranma1/2]

yep, ive always refused antibiotics for colds.

[adeeb]

i don't use antibiotics for cold and sorethroats

but if get bad cold, i'll use it, coz make us healthy faster than without antibiotics, my brother told me.

[Malaikah]

but if get bad cold, i'll use it, coz make us healthy faster than without antibiotics, my brother told me.

:sl:

That isn't always the case. Antibiotics only work on bacterial infections whereas colds are typically caused by a virus, which means the antibiotic will do nothing to help your cold, only harm your bodies natural balance of bacteria.

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[adeeb]

oh...ic

thanks..

[Woodrow]

I can not believe there are still people who use anti-biotics for cold treatment. This was found to be harmful when I was a kid in the 1940s.

A quick rule to remember about a cold is an untreated cold lasts 14 days, a treated one lasts 2 weeks.

Decide that the goal is to work for comfort during that time, not a cure, just comfort to tolerate it. Your body will handle the cure.

the best thing to do is simply treat the symptoms to alleviate the discomfort, take precaution to prevent spreading it, and do not do anything to make it worse. Honey helps for the sore throat, zinc and Vitamin C help with the general symptoms, but mega doses are not needed and can cause more harm then good. Drink a lot of citrus juices and take just a couple zinc tablets each day read the label and do not exceed the max. A steam inhaler will help with the stuffiness. Aspirin in moderation for adults above the age of 21. DO NOT GIVE ASPIRIN TO CHILDREN. Use Tylenol for the kids or yourself if you are aspirin sensitive.

If your condition worsens or last more then 2 weeks or if there is high fever, get to a Doctor.

[Keltoi]

The only time I've taken antibiotics in the past 10 years or so was when I got strep throat.

[Isambard]

Im more concerned about anti-biotics being used in animal feed.

[Muezzin]

I once had antibiotics that tasted vaguely banana-ish.

Can't remember what ailed me, but I do remember it wasn't a cold.

[Abu Thabit]

Same advice I got from a doctor too, he told me to stay away from anti-biotics as much as possible, untill its really needed.


Thanks for the reminder

[ahsan28]

Cold Medicines Too Risky for Tots

Thursday, Jan. 17, 2008

(WASHINGTON)—Parents should not give sniffling babies and toddlers over-the-counter cough and cold medicines — they're too risky for tots so small, the government will declare Thursday.

The reason: There's no evidence that these oral drugs actually ease cold symptoms in children so young — some studies suggest they do no good at all. And while serious side effects are fairly rare, they do occur. Indeed, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last year reported that more than 1,500 babies and toddlers wound up in emergency rooms over a two-year period because of the drugs.

Time Magazine

http://www.time.com/time/health/arti...704399,00.html

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:salamext:

My doctor always refuses to give me antibiotics for a cold, so tis kool :D

[MartyrX]

I never go to a doctor. I have to be almost dead before I even attempt to go. I've had anti-biotics once in the last ten years maybe, and that was for strep throat.

[Believer_786]

Yea Antibiotics will do zilch against any illness cause by a virus, plus bacteria has mutated many times in the past years so Doctors need to be careful with prescribing AB before be have a very limited source of effective AB!