Overuse of Antibiotics – Side effects

Medicine has developed greatly since past 100 years. One of the major developments in medicinal history is the discovery of antibiotic medicines.

These medicines inhibit and kill bacteria’s growth and protect human bodies from diseases created by those bacteria. This is certainly a great medicine type though it is dangerous if used in excess. This is a certified rule that excess of anything is dangerous, so is of antibiotics.

History:

The first natural antibiotic was penicillin and was discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1928. Antibiotics were first known as antibiosis which meant against life. These drugs were used to act against bacteria.

Side Effects:

Antibiotics have their own side effects if they are used in excess or do not suit a person. Let us get the important info from following lines.

• A case study has shown some very disturbing relation between antibiotics and breast cancer. It says that over a period of 17 years, if a woman takes doses of antibiotics for over 500 days, or, had over 17 prescriptions of antibiotics become prone to breast cancer twice as much as other women. This shocking fact shows us how dangerous it’s over usage is.

• Immune system is the most effected victim of antibiotic overuse. If you take too much of these drugs, your immune system will get confused and will begin attacking tissues and organs instead of the bacteria.

• While you are taking antibiotics, the balance between good and bad bacteria in your gut is disturbed. This causes stomach upset and diarrhea. It is suggested that you should take a pro biotic supplement thrice a day to while taking antibiotics in order to maintain this balance.

• Over usage of antibiotics finally results in a much horrifying situation and that is when the bacteria become resistant to all kinds of antibiotics. At such a stage, they can’t be killed with antibiotics, and sometimes result in death of the victim.

• Don’t confuse bacterial and viral infections with each other. Mostly, flu and cold is due to some kind of virus. Antibiotics act against bacteria and not against virus, thus they won’t help in viral infection.

• For ear infections in children, antibiotics are prescribed in excess. This does not only increase the rate of come back of the infection but is also injurious for kids. Children who take antibiotics in the first six months of their life are very much prone to acquiring allergies by the time they are seven.

• Other side effects include Steven Johnson Syndrome, temporary deafness and Torsades de Pointes.