Self-medication With Antibiotics – Why Is It Dangerous?

Self-medication with antibiotics is a dangerous practice. We need to emphasize the word “dangerous.” In addition to being uncomfortable with common sense, it poses many health risks.

By taking antibiotics without your doctor’s advice, you are not only exposing yourself to the possible side effects associated with them, but you are encouraging your body to become resistant to them. In other words, if you have to take antibiotics in the future, you may have become immune to them.

The dangers of self-medication with antibiotics are not limited to your own life and health. Over time, this practice will cause problems globally. According to the World Health Organization, antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to global health.

Do you practice self-medication with antibiotics?

When we talk about self-medication, we refer to those situations in which a person takes medication without the advice of a doctor, without receiving a diagnosis or without the consent of the specialist to continue treatment. In many places, access to medicines is not strictly regulated.

There are medications that are available without a prescription. We can use them to treat minor symptoms, such as headaches, coughs or heartburn. But these drugs come with certain warnings about their use, which we must not ignore.

Antibiotics, in particular, should not be taken without our doctor’s consent. Unfortunately, some pharmacies distribute it without taking into account the rules in force. At the same time, many people have stockpiles of old medications that they turn to when they experience the symptoms of an infection. In the following, we will show you why this practice is dangerous.

The main risks of self-medication with antibiotics

The main risk of improper use of antibiotics is that you risk becoming resistant to them. If a doctor prescribes antibiotics, it means that he has established that you have a bacterial infection and, in his opinion, such a medicine will help you overcome it.

The dose and duration of treatment are very important. The doctor will determine them based on his knowledge and your health. You must take the antibiotics as directed by the specialist who prescribed them, so as to avoid the risks and the treatment will pay off.

If antibiotics are taken incorrectly, bacteria can develop mutations that allow them to become drug resistant. As a result, the next time you contract a bacterial infection, those medications will no longer help you. This way, your doctor will have fewer options to fight the diseases.

Other negative effects of self-medication

Self-medication with antibiotics not only increases your risk of becoming immune to such drugs, but can affect your health in other ways. The most important are:

• Side effects: Any medicine causes side effects, which can range from headaches, dizziness and diarrhea, to seizures or anaphylactic shock.
• Aggravation of symptoms: If you suffer from another disease or your body has certain characteristics, antibiotics can aggravate your condition, making hospitalization necessary.

• Intoxication: Taking an inappropriate dose can intoxicate your body.
• Drug interactions: If you are already on medication, antibiotics may increase or decrease the effects of other drugs.

Self-medication with antibiotics also has social consequences

One of the worst consequences of self-medication with antibiotics is that it leads to the formation of super-bacteria that are wreaking havoc around the world at the moment. Excessive or inappropriate use of antibiotics is the main cause of this problem.

According to the American Association of Infectious Diseases, infections caused by microorganisms such as staphylococci have become very resistant to even the strongest antibiotics. These diseases are a more common cause of death than Parkinson’s disease or homicide.

Tuberculosis is another global problem. It has become increasingly resistant to all types of antibiotics and kills many people every year. Pneumonia and sepsis are also alarming examples.

The World Health Organization says that if people continue to abuse antibiotics, many infections that can be treated today will become deadly in the next 10 years. With all this in mind, it is important to say no to self-medication with antibiotics.