As the name suggests, antibiotics are medications that are used to treat bacteria-caused illnesses. They do this by either killing the germs or preventing them from replicating.
What does the term “antibiotic” mean? Antibiotics may be included in any medicine that destroys bacteria in your body. However, the phrase is most often used in reference to antibiotics.
Many individuals died from simple bacterial illnesses like strep throat prior to the discovery of antibiotics in the 1920s. And the recovery period was longer. In the 1940s, however, the availability of antibiotics meant that life expectancy improved, operations were safer, and individuals were able to survive diseases that had previously been fatal.
What Antibiotics Can and Can’t Do
The vast majority of microorganisms in your body are completely benign. They even aid a few others. Despite this, germs may infect any part of the human body. Antibiotics are frequently able to aid.
Antibiotics may be used to treat the following infections:
- Some ear and sinus infections
- Dental infections
- Skin infections
- Meningitis (swelling of the brain and spinal cord)
- Strep throat
- Bladder and kidney infections
- Bacterial pneumonias
- Whooping cough
- Clostridioides difficile
Antibiotics can only be used to treat a bacterial infection. There are several viruses that cause the normal cold and flu, as well as bronchitis, sore throats, and the stomach flu. They can’t be treated with antibiotics. Depending on the severity of the infection, your doctor will either recommend waiting it out or prescribing antiviral medication.
Side Effects
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Bloating or indigestion
- Abdominal pain
- Loss of appetite
Occasionally, you may have other symptoms, like:
- Hives – a raised, itchy skin rash
- Coughing
- Wheezing
- Tight throat or trouble breathing
