What Are Antibiotics?
An antibiotic is a substance that stops the replication and growth of bacteria or by killing them. Antibiotics are made to treat bacterial infections in or within the body. This is one feature that makes antibiotics different from other types of drugs that are used on the market today. Antiseptics are designed to sterilize living tissue surfaces, especially the risks of infections are high, for instance during surgery.
On the other hand, disinfectants are not selective, as they destroy different types of micro-organisms such as bacteria. Also, they can be used on areas such as hospitals walls and other non-living surfaces. Apart from bacteria, there are many other microbes that can affect humans such as viruses and fungi. There creatures are targeted by antivirals and antifungal, respectively. Antibiotics are the only substance that target bacteria.
Antimicrobial is the term that is used to represent anything that kills or inhibits microbial cells such as antivirals, antibiotics, antibiotics as well as chemicals such as antiseptics.
Who needs antibiotics?
Antibiotics are used for people who have high temperature with white spots on tonsils, this is a sign of bacterial infection. However, viruses can also result to this symptom. The main difference between a virus symptom and bacteria is that viruses cause other symptom such as cough, sneezing, and runny nose. On the other hand, a bacterial infection is localized and you may experience only throat symptoms.
If you have serious enlarged glands on your neck together with high temperature levels, more than 38 Degree Celsius, and you have already had the symptoms for more than 48 hours, you can consider an antibiotic like penicillin
A person who has chest infection may also be prescribed with antibiotics because it is not the same as normal cough, which is normally caused by an inflammation on the upper part of the lungs and congestion. It occurs mostly in young kids and senior individuals and people who smoke or suffer from respiratory issues such as asthma.
How do antibiotics work?
Antibiotics are designed to treat bacterial infections. There are those made to handle specific types of bacteria. There others such as broad-spectrum antibiotics which can treat a broad array for bacteria even those that are beneficial to humans.
There are two primary manners in which antibiotics handle bacteria. Firstly, they can inhibit the growth of bacteria or kill them entirely. For instance, for ceasing the mechanism that establishes their cell walls.
Side effects of antibiotics
Here are some of the common effects of antibiotics include:
Formation of kidney stones
Deafness
Diarrhea
Feeling sick
Abnormal blood clotting
Sensitivity to sunlight
Blood disorders
Fungal infections of the mouth, digestive tract, as well as vagina
In addition, certain patients, especially in senior citizens, may experience a condition known as colitis, a type of inflamed bowels which can result to serious bloody diarrhea. An antibiotic cold clindamycin is the one used to treat serious types of infections, but it also has some serious side effects.
Other antibiotics treatment online medication such as cephalosporin, penicillin, and erythromycin can also have some side effects but not that common.
