What are Antibiotics?
Antibiotics are medicines that help treat infections caused by bacteria. These drugs treat infections by killing the bacteria or stopping them from copying or reproducing.
Antibiotics are not meant for treating viral infections like flu, colds, and coughs. Antibiotics treat bacterial infections caused by bacteria. Antibiotics are powerful medications that help your body fight certain diseases and save lives when used correctly.
You can buy antibiotics online or offline with a valid prescription. Your immune system can generally kill bacteria before bacteria multiply and cause symptoms.
White blood cells can attack harmful bacteria; even when symptoms occur, the immune system might cope and fight off the infection. But sometimes, there is an excessive number of harmful bacteria that further make it difficult for your immune system to fight against bacterial infections. It is the time when antibiotics are helpful.
It is essential to know that antibiotics can be taken in different ways, including:
- Orally (by mouth). In the form of pills, liquids, or capsules.
- Topically. You can apply a spray, cream, or ointment to the skin. It might also be ear drops, eye ointment, or ear drops.
- Through an injection or intravenously (IV). They are also given as injections when the infection is severe.
The very first antibiotic was penicillin. Ampicillin, penicillin G, and amoxicillin are penicillin-based antibiotics still available for treating different infections.
What are the uses of Antibiotics?
You must know that most bacteria that live in your body are harmless. But still, some bacteria can infect any organ. Luckily, antibiotics can help with some bacterial infections.
Below-stated are some types of infections that can be effectively treated with antibiotics:
- Dental infections
- Some ear and sinus infections ( Otitis Media )
- Respiratory Tract Infection
- Whooping cough
- Skin infections
- Clostridioides difficile
- Meningitis (swelling of your brain and spinal cord)
- Bacterial pneumonia
- Urinary Tract Infection
- Strep throat
- Bladder and kidney infections
Why We Need Antibiotics?
Antibiotics are highly effective for treating bacterial infections like E. coli, urinary tract infections, and strep throat. Intake of antibiotics, when not required, might not help you and cause serious side effects.
Only bacterial infections can be treated or killed with antibiotics. Some diseases, like the common cold, stomach flu, coughs, sore throats, and bronchitis infections, are caused by viruses.
Remember, antibiotics will not work in treating these infections. The doctor can prescribe antiviral medications for viral infections to get rid of them.
Some antibiotics work on various kinds of bacteria. They are known as the broad spectrum. While other target particular bacteria are only called "narrow-spectrum".
People generally take antibiotics by mouth. However, doctors can recommend administration by injection or applying them directly to the part of the body with the infection.
Most antibiotics begin to treat infection within a few hours. It is vital to complete the entire course of medicine to stop the return of the bacterial infection.
Patients must complete the entire course of antibiotic treatment even after improving the symptoms of Bacterial Infection.
Some antibiotics must not be taken with certain food items and drinks.
The medicine is taken on an empty stomach almost an hour before meals or 2 hours after having meals.
To ensure the medicine is effective, you must follow the instructions properly. Strictly avoid the consumption of alcohol when taking metronidazole.
How do Antibiotics Work?
Different types of antibiotics generally work in one of two ways:
- A bactericidal antibiotic like penicillin kills the bacteria. This medicine works by interfering with either the formation of the bacterial cell wall or the cell's content.
- A bacteriostatic prevents bacteria from multiplying.
To ensure antibiotics work correctly, you must follow your doctor's directions.
Main Types of Antibiotics?
Antibiotics are a group of medicines mainly prescribed for treating severe bacterial infections because many infections get better independently. The proper usage of antibiotics is essential to reduce antibiotic resistance.
The main types of antibiotics include:
- Penicillin: Amoxicillin, Phenoxymethylpenicillin, and flucloxacillin
- Macrolides: erythromycin, azithromycin, and clarithromycin Clindamycin
- Cephalosporins: cefaclor, cefalexin and cefadroxil
- Metronidazole and tinidazole
- Tetracyclines: lymecycline, tetracycline, and doxycycline
- Aminoglycosides: tobramycin and gentamicin
- Quinolones: Ciprofloxacin ( Ciplox ), norfloxacin, and levofloxacin
- Nitrofurantoin: prescribed for urinary infections
- Sulfonamides and trimethoprim: Co-trimoxazole
These are some of the main types of antibiotics, but there are also several other antibiotics doctors recommend to treat uncommon infections like tuberculosis (TB).
Side Effects of Antibiotics
Just like other medicines, antibiotics also come with a few side effects. However, some mild side effects disappear as your body adjusts to the medication.
To avoid experiencing side effects, you must strictly follow the doctor's prescription for the recommended dosage.
It is impossible to list every antibiotic's possible side effects.
Antibiotics might affect your digestive system when treating an infection because your gut is full of good and bad bacteria.
Some of the common side effects of antibiotics include:
- Rash
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Yeast infections
- Upset stomach
- Vomiting
With some antibiotics or prolonged use, fungal infections of the mouth, vagina, and digestive tract can be caused.
Less common side effects of antibiotics include:
- Formation of kidney stones when taking antibiotics like sulphonamides
- Blood disorders when taking trimethoprim
- Deafness when using erythromycin and the aminoglycosides
- Sensitivity to sunlight at the time of taking tetracyclines
- Abnormal blood clotting when taking cephalosporins
Some people, mainly older adults, suffer from the problem of bowel inflammation that can further cause severe and bloody diarrhoea.
In less common cases, penicillins, erythromycin, and cephalosporins can also cause the problem of inflamed bowels.
While taking antibiotics, some people might develop an allergic reaction, mainly to penicillin. Side effects can include difficulty breathing, rash, and swelling of your face and tongue.
Allergic reactions to antibiotics, like hypersensitivity, can be immediate or delayed.
People suffering from kidney or decreased liver function must be alert when taking antibiotics. It further affects the types of antibiotics they can take or the dose they get.
So, to save yourself from the severe side effects of antibiotics, always consult the doctor before starting your treatment.
Precautions
To increase the effectiveness of antibiotics, you must consider a few precautions beforehand.
- Do not take antibiotics if you are allergic to them or other ingredients in the medicine, as this can make you suffer from allergic reactions.
- Carefully read the patient information leaflet provided with the medicine to learn about it.
- Before starting the treatment with antibiotics, you must inform the doctor about your medical history, especially kidney disease, liver disorder, heart disease, and so on.
- It will help the doctor to recommend the dosage of antibiotics accordingly and adjust the dosage of other medicines you take.
- Finish your medicine, even if you feel better after a few days. Some bacteria can survive and re-infect you if you stop taking antibiotics too early.
- Never save your antibiotics for later use or share them with others, even if they suffer from your symptoms.
- Without speaking to the doctor, people taking antibiotics must not use other medications or herbal remedies.
From where to buy Antibiotics online?
Antibiotic drugs are very effective and safe when taken according to a doctor's directions. Taking a compositionally accurate drug for treatment provides the most benefits. Now, purchasing antibiotics online is quite affordable and accessible with online pharmacies. To Buy prescribed antibiotics online at a reliable and reasonable price, you choose our online pharmacy.
We provide all kinds of medications at a cost-effective price with amazing discounts. So, add them to your cart and pay through different payment options to buy your medicine. Also, you get 24% hours of customer support that helps you in every step of getting your medication.
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