People who live in places where the weather is getting chillier by the second are not impervious to the effects of the season.
By this time, some may be seeking relief and treatment for the mucus in their noses that turned green, or for a cough that's been bothering them for weeks.
The question now is this: should you use antibiotics to treat cold and flu? Health experts advise the public to be cautious regarding the matter.
"Antibiotics are terrific. Thank God we have them for really bad things," said Dr. Wayne J. Riley, President of the American College of Physicians (ACP). "But we need to be judicious in the way we use them."
The Consequences Of Antibiotic Overuse
Unfortunately, although warnings have been made, doctors still overprescribe antibiotics for acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) such as sore throat, sinus infections, common cold and bronchitis.
The problem is that most of these infections are caused by viruses that antibiotics cannot fight against.
The consequences of overprescribing antibiotics are grave, as antibiotic overuse has been fuelling the upsurge of drug-resistant superbugs. Antibiotics are losing their efficacy, and repeated exposure to these drugs can turn bacteria to become resistant to the drugs.
The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that bacteria that are resistant to drugs cause 2 million illnesses and 23,000 deaths every year in the country.
Another reason not to use antibiotics: cold and flu patients suffer side effects from drugs they don't really need.
The CDC said antibiotics are implicated in one out of five emergency-room visits for bad drug reactions.
Experts are specifically concerned in an increase in cases of severe diarrhea caused by the bug called C-diff. or Clostridium difficile which can live in the gut after antibiotics kill off other bacteria.
The World Health Organization warned in 2015 that unless the problem of antibiotic overuse is managed, we're at risk of moving into a post-antibiotic period in which minor injuries and common infections can once again cause death.
"It's a real threat today. It's going to be a bigger threat. Every time somebody has a fever, a doctor can give them an antibiotic. We have to stop that," said Dr. David Agus, a medical contributor for CBS News.
Even Something Basic Can Help
Health experts have recently issued new guidelines to assist doctors and patients in avoiding unnecessary antibiotics for ARTIs. In particular, these rules will help doctors withstand a patient who is insisting for one.
The CDC, together with the ACP, is recommending health professionals and doctors not to prescribe antibiotics to ARTI patients, as antibiotics are not required to treat these infections.
Experts suggest that instead of prescribing antibiotics, it is wiser for doctors to suggest simple aids such as drinking plenty of fluids or using humidifiers. Doctors should also tell patients to return if they're not getting better.
"There isn't a right answer that works for everybody," said Dr. Lauri Hicks, head of CDC's "Get Smart" campaign, an advocacy that aims to educate people about antibiotics.
Hicks added that sometimes, something as simple as a humidifier "can make a difference in terms of how you feel when you wake up in the morning."
Photo: Michael Mortensen | Flickr
