How to use antibiotics effectively?

Antibiotics are drugs used to treat or prevent infection by inhibiting the growth or destruction of bacteria - a single-celled microorganism. Common infections include " traveler's diarrhea " ( often caused by E. coli - Escherichia Coli - a group of bacteria that live in the digestive tract of humans and animals. There are many types of E . coli but can be said to be mostly harmless ), " staph " infection ( usually caused by Staphylococcus aureus ), and " strep throat " ( caused by Streptococcus bacteria group ). In the meantime, you can buy an antibiotic cream in the form of an over-the-counter prescription at most pharmacies, oral antibiotics that need a doctor's prescription. Follow your doctor's instructions about how to take antibiotics to treat them properly and avoid side effects when using antibiotics.

Part 1: Plan to use antibiotics

1. Only take antibiotics prescribed for you

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The doctor will choose the type of antibiotic and the dose based on health status, weight and type of bacteria that cause the infection. This helps limit the risk of side effects. Therefore, antibiotics should not be prescribed separately based on specific pathology.

1. Let your doctor make a decision about your treatment plan. Infections are caused by a variety of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi such as yeast. Prescribed antibiotics for treating infections do not help treat other infections.
2. Do not use antibiotics prescribed to others.

2. Give your doctor and pharmacist information about medicines and functional foods you are using

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Prescription or over-the-counter medicines, functional foods, herbs, natural ingredients, alcoholic drinks or even multivitamins can interact with antibiotics. Therefore, the effectiveness of antibiotics or other drugs may be affected if you do not tell the doctor what medication you are taking.

1. Tell your doctor if you have any allergies or unusual problems with medications, including antibiotics.
2. Some antibiotics may cause the drug to be metabolized slowly or faster than usual. Antibiotics can make the drug in the body less absorbable. In contrast, medications can also affect antibiotic absorption. Therefore, information about the medication you are taking may help the doctor decide on the antibiotic.
3. Some antibiotics will affect the resolution or metabolism of alcoholic beverages. This can cause unpleasant symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and headaches. So do not consume alcoholic beverages when taking antibiotics.

3. Carefully read the instructions for use with antibiotics

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Instructions for using the drug include important information such as the mechanism of action of the drug, potential side effects and the interaction between antibiotics and other drugs. The pharmacist will provide an accompanying use sheet when prescribing medication. Contact your doctor or pharmacist directly if you have questions about the information on the application. The doctor is always ready to answer your questions.

4. Carefully read the label on the medicine bottle

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Carefully read the dosage information ( how much antibiotics should be taken at a time ) and how often ( how many times per day should be taken ).

1. Antibiotics come in many forms: capsules, tablets, chewable tablets and liquids. However, the liquid form is usually prescribed for infants and young children.
2. The dosage may be 1-2 tablets / capsule each time or may be irregular. For example: Zithromax antibiotics ( azalide antibiotics that inhibit bacterial proteins ) should be taken in two doses on the first day and one in the following days.
3. The frequency of antibiotic intake is understood to be 24 hours, every 12 hours taken is understood that 2 times a day or 4 times a day is understood every 6 hours.

Part 2: Taking antibiotics

1. Need to monitor to know when to take the next dose

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Please set an alarm or mark on the calendar. Scheduling antibiotics to keep track of daily activities such as brushing your teeth or going to bed.

2. Schedule an antibiotic drink near meals and snacks

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Your doctor's instruction leaflet will tell you if you should take antibiotics after eating or drinking when you're hungry. Foods can affect the absorption of some antibiotics. On the other hand, food can help prevent abdominal pain from other antibiotics. Therefore, the information in the manual will tell you how to take antibiotics.

3. Tell your doctor if you have difficulty taking antibiotics

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Do not give up antibiotics on your own just because you cannot swallow a large pill or an unpleasant liquid, the antibiotic is an important part of your treatment. The doctor will prescribe another antibiotic or prescribe a new antibiotic for you.

4. Do not give up antibiotics

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If you forget to take it, you should take it as soon as you remember. Besides, you should wait if the dose forgets close to the next dose. After that, continue to take the antibiotic schedule as usual.

1. Contact your doctor if you forget a lot of doses or take more than your recommended daily dose. Your doctor will tell you what to do.
2. Quitting the dose makes it impossible for you to maintain antibiotic levels in your body for healing, microorganisms will not be inhibited or destroyed properly.

5. Do not take an overdose of antibiotics

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Taking an overdose of antibiotics will increase your risk of side effects. Contact your doctor to get medical care if you accidentally drink too many antibiotics.

1. Do not take more antibiotics than the prescribed dose to compensate for the missed dose.
2. In most cases, taking an overdose of antibiotics does not cause serious symptoms but can cause abdominal pain and diarrhea.

6. Take all the prescribed antibiotics

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Even if you feel better, not taking the full dose of antibiotics can cause resistance or relapse symptoms. This may cause you to take antibiotics for treatment.

1. Taking the entire dose of antibiotics helps your body get enough time to kill the bacteria. If you stop taking antibiotics early, bacteria will not be completely removed. Surviving bacteria are strong and difficult bacteria to be destroyed by antibiotics. These bacteria can also change or change, making antibiotics less effective when dealing with new strains. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are serious problems, but using antibiotics as prescribed will help prevent this.

Part 3: Deal with side effects

1. Tell your doctor if you experience side effects when taking antibiotics

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Common side effects include abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea and vaginal infections. So read the accompanying instruction sheet carefully for specific side effects of antibiotics. Talk to your doctor about the severity of symptoms. Moreover, the doctor may exchange antibiotics for you.

1. Abdominal pain, diarrhea, vaginal infections and oral fungi ( white fungal plaque in the mouth ) appear by antibiotics that kill bacteria or normal bacteria along with harmful bacteria. These side effects need to be treated with other antibiotics or other drugs. It is possible that the doctor will suggest using probiotics, probiotic examples in yogurt or functional foods to compensate for the " probiotics ".
2. Antibiotics can affect the kidneys, ears, liver and peripheral nerves ( nerves are not located in the brain or spine ). So tell your doctor right away if symptoms of abdominal pain, tinnitus or tingling occur.

2. Contact your doctor if you experience symptoms sensitive to light

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If antibiotics make you more sensitive to sunlight, limit exposure to sunlight or apply sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 when going out to reduce the risk of sunburn. Some antibiotics, especially those in tetracycline groups, can cause toxic photosensitivity reactions, ie sun-resistant skin. Contact your doctor if you experience symptoms after taking antibiotics:

1. Excessive sunburn
2. Tingling in the skin
3. Blistering skin after exposure to sunlight
4. Skin color changes
5. Skin peeling (peeling skin)

3. Call your doctor right away if there are any signs of allergies

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Be careful with signs such as itching, rash, hives or difficulty breathing. Call 911 immediately if you suspect an anaphylactic reaction - the most serious form of allergy - to avoid a life-threatening danger. Symptoms of anaphylactic reactions include:

1. Dizzy
2. Loss of awareness
3. Shortness of breath
4. Swelling of the tongue and airways
5. Pale skin
6. Anaphylactic reactions can lead to anaphylactic shock and death when blood pressure drops and heart failure.

4. Tell your doctor immediately if symptoms do not improve or get worse

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Sometimes, prescription antibiotics are not the type used to fight harmful microorganisms in the body. If symptoms do not improve with antibiotics, immediately notify your doctor. Signs of improperly treated infections include fever, chills or discomfort (fatigue). The wound on the body can be painful, swollen, red or hot.

Part 4: Use antibiotic cream

1. Clean the small wound before applying the cream

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Thoroughly disinfect small cuts, scratches or minor burns before applying antibiotic creams and apply cream when dry, clean skin.

1. Rinse cuts or scratches under running water. Can be washed with soap and water but it is best not to use soap to avoid skin irritation. Use small tweezers to remove debris from the skin (if any).
2. For mild burns, wash with cool water for 10-15 minutes. After that, use a clean towel to dry the water. Do not rub hard to avoid skin damage or irritation.

2. Apply an over-the-counter antibiotic cream or ointment to cuts and scratches

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Cream antibiotic has not been proven to help small wounds heal faster. However, antibiotic creams can prevent infection by creating a barrier between the wound and the outside environment, making it difficult for bacteria to get into the cut or scratch.

1. Just apply a thin layer of cream. Antibiotics or ointments will prevent swabs from sticking to cuts or scratches.
2. Common over-the-counter antibiotic creams include polymyxin B sulfate (Polysporin), bacitracin and triple antibiotic ointment (Neosporin).
3. Stop using antibiotic cream if rash occurs.
4. Do not apply non-prescription antibiotic creams to deep cuts, stab wounds, insect bites or severe burns.

3. Apply antibiotic cream to a minor burn

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A minor burn of level 1 can be treated with antibiotic ointment, which helps moisturize the burn and prevent infection.

1. Silver sulfadiazine is a popular antibiotic cream prescribed for burns. However, your doctor may prescribe another antibiotic, especially for pregnant and lactating women.

4. Follow the instructions for use on the medication or doctor's instructions

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Do not apply more antibiotic cream than directed. Avoid applying more than 3 times a day.

5. Avoid applying antibiotic cream to surgical wounds

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Unless directed by a doctor, if not, you should not apply antibiotic cream to the wound after surgery. In some cases, antibiotic cream may interfere with the healing process of the wound. In addition, antibiotic creams can also cause contact dermatitis - redness, pain and irritation.

1. Follow your doctor's instructions, apply antibiotic cream to the surgical wound.

Refer to some more articles:

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3. 5 simple ways to minimize the impact of alcohol

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