Antibiotics are natural or synthetic substances that can suppress the growth of certain microorganisms and cause their death.
When should I take antibiotics?
Antibiotics are prescribed in case of symptoms of an acute bacterial infection, against which other drugs have proved ineffective. Indications for the use of these drugs can serve as:
- persistent and prolonged temperature increase;
- presence of purulent discharge or purulent inflammatory processes;
- indications of blood test (violation of the level of leukocytes, increased ESR ).
It should be remembered that antibiotics against viruses are ineffective, so in case of flu or cold they are used only in the presence of bacterial complications.
How correctly to take antibiotics?
Important rules:
- Drugs are used according to the prescription of the doctor, strictly adhering to the type of drug, dosage and regimen.
- When taking antibiotics, you must clearly maintain the time interval. If the drug is taken once a day, then at the same time. Accordingly, if two or more times, then at regular intervals. The shift in the intake time even for a few hours is unacceptable, since bacteria can develop resistance to the drug.
- If the course was interrupted, continue treatment with the same drug is not recommended, but you need to see a doctor for the selection of an antibiotic of another group.
- How many days should I take an antibiotic, says the doctor. Most often the course is 5-7 days, in some severe cases it can last up to two weeks, but no more. The course of treatment must necessarily be completed. It can not be interrupted, even if there was a visible relief, because otherwise a relapse is possible, and the infection can become resistant to the drug.
- You should take antibiotics according to the indicated scheme (before, during or after a meal), with a glass of clean water.
- The intake of antibiotics is incompatible with alcohol.
How often can I take antibiotics?
Antibiotics are a potent agent with a significant number of side effects, so they should be taken as rarely as possible, and only when other medicines do not have a therapeutic effect. You can not take the same drug twice in a short (1-2 months) period of time, because bacteria develop resistance to it, and it becomes ineffective. If you need to take antibiotics again, you need to select a drug from another group.
What to take after antibiotics?
To maximally neutralize the possible negative consequences of taking antibiotics, after the course of treatment it is recommended to drink a number of drugs:
1. Preparations with bifidobacterium content:
- Bifiform;
- Bifidumbacterin;
- Bifikol;
- Bifilysis;
- The probiophore.
2. Preparations with lactobacilli:
- Acipol;
- Lactobacterin;
- Atzilact;
- Biobakton;
- Gastrofarm.
3. With a tendency to fungal diseases (particularly thrush), Nistatin or Fluconazole is recommended.
4. In addition to preparations containing bacterial cultures (probiotics), the use of prebiotics (preparations that stimulate natural reproduction of intestinal microflora) is recommended.
The course of taking probiotics and prebiotics should be at least a month.