Webster's describes antibiotics as "a substance, such as penicillin or streptomycin, produced by organisms (fungi and bacteria), effective in the suppression or destruction of microorganisms, and widely used for prevention and treatment of disease." We describe antibiotics as those magic drugs that can cure anything and make us "all better" immediately. This unfortunately is a dreadful misconception. Antibiotics are very important in medicine but they do have limitations. One, and probably the most important for us, is that antibiotics CANNOT cure the common cold. If such were the case, we would have zero illness because at first signs of sore throats, a runny nose or cough we would start our pills and be cured (dream on!).

Antibiotics are very useful in treating bacterial illnesses such as strep throat, ear infections, bronchitis, sinusitis, pneumonia, bladder infections, to name a few. They also are important in the prevention of bacterial infections, so we give them prophylactically to people with heart murmurs, before dental procedures, or before certain surgical procedures to prevent or hinder the growth of bacteria.

Antibiotics are not risk free drugs. They do have some unpleasant side effects such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, hives, diarrhea, constipation, dizziness. Most of these side effects are self limiting and not life threatening, but occasionally there have been drug reactions that have been fatal. Discretion should be used when prescribing antibiotics. Doctors limit their use because if these drugs are used indiscriminately they could cause more harm then good. Certain bacteria become resistant to antibiotic treatment and stronger more dangerous drugs would be needed.

So what is the moral of this story? If you have persistent symptoms lasting longer than 5-7 days, or severe symptoms such as fever greater than 103, severe headache, blurred vision, chest pain, shortness of breath, contact your doctor immediately. Otherwise, wait out the symptoms. Remember antibiotics are not always your friends!