it is very important to consume antibiotics in a responsible and adequate way. “We should only take them when the doctor tells us, which will be to treat bacterial infections. In short, the antibiotic does not lower fever, does not reduce coughs, mucus, or sneezes, and does not help to recover from an infection caused by viruses, nor does it prevent viruses from spreading to other people.
10 ways to be responsible
- Never self-medicate with antibiotics. You may be making the mistake of consuming completely ineffective medications to fight your infection and therefore contributing to the increased resistance of pathogenic bacteria. In addition, you expose your body to allergic reactions or adverse side effects without need.
- Do not request antibiotics from the pharmacist without your doctor telling you to. We should not pressure the healthcare professional to dispense these medications when we go to the pharmacy without a prescription, since it is prohibited by law. Also, do not require the doctor to prescribe them if he does not consider them necessary: he, better than anyone, knows when their use is indicated and when not.
- Nor for your children. If the child shows symptoms of an infection, see your pediatrician, who will indicate whether or not it is necessary to administer an antibiotic. Doing it without being necessary can be harmful to your child’s health and make it more difficult to heal when he acquires an infection that really requires antibiotics.
- Patience and care. If you catch a cold or the flu and the doctor tells you that you don’t need antibiotics, take care to recover. Rest and arm yourself with patience is often the best remedy for colds and colds. If the symptoms do not improve or worsen within the time indicated by the doctor, return to the consultation to be examined again.
- Follow the doctor’s instructions faithfully. You must respect and comply with all its guidelines, both in relation to the dose you should take, as well as the time or duration of the treatment. We favor the resistance of bacteria to antibiotics when they are taken in incorrect doses or irregularly.
- Get organized to keep the schedule to the letter. Before starting treatment, think about what time is easier for you to respect the frequency of taking indicated by your doctor. Always try to take it at the same time.
- Complete the treatment to the end. Don’t interrupt it; symptoms will go away soon, but that doesn’t mean the infection is resolved. You must complete the prescribed treatment, otherwise the infection may come back and the antibiotic will cease to be effective.
- Do not save antibiotics that are left over after treatment. Instead, ask your pharmacist how to properly dispose of them.
- Whenever possible, get vaccinated. In order to avoid infections, whether viral or bacterial. In this way we manage to avoid its appearance. Also accompany your children or adults to get vaccinated, when recommended for them.
- In short: carry out a responsible consumption of antibiotics. The effectiveness of medications depends on everyone. Responsible use of antibiotics can help curb the growth of resistant bacteria, making antibiotics remain effective both today and for future generations.
