The development of antibiotics is one of the greatest accomplishments of modern medicine. Before their discovery, your chance of death due to an infection was about 30%!

Thanks to antibiotics, a bacterial infection is much less dangerous today. They are a wonderful asset to our health and can help you recover more quickly. Antibiotics are great when they are used correctly, and our team at AFC Urgent Care Fountain City explains the correct use of antibiotics below.

How Effective Are Antibiotics?

Antibiotics are one of the most reliable methods of treatment for a bacterial infection. Once you start taking your prescription, the antibiotics go to work immediately eradicating the bacteria in your body.

It is important to note that antibiotics are only effective in treating bacterial infections. Viral infections are not able to be treated this way. That is why it is so important to go see a medical provider to ensure antibiotics are the right course of treatment for you.

Infections That Can Be Treated By Antibiotics

• UTI (urinary tract infection)
• Strep throat
• Ear or sinus infections
• Bacterial pneumonias

How Can I Be Responsible With My Antibiotic Use?

Improper use of antibiotics can leave you vulnerable to a multitude of different issues. If you take a prescription that isn’t yours or don’t take your entire medication regimen, you could be contributing to the problem of antibiotic resistance.

In addition, one of the downsides of antibiotics is that they cannot tell the difference between “good” and “bad” bacteria. They just go to work killing off all bacteria in your body. If you overuse antibiotics or rely on them for every ailment that you have, you can disrupt your body’s ecology and expose you to a wide variety of pathogenic bacteria or viruses.

Using Antibiotics Wisely

• Use them on bacterial infections only.
• Take only the right antibiotic for the infection you have.
• Only take antibiotics prescribed by a medical provider.
• Take the entire regimen, even when you feel better.

If you have a bacterial infection, come see us at AFC Urgent Care Fountain City to see if antibiotics are the treatment for you!