Article at a Glance
Antibiotics only work on bacterial infections. Most sore throats are caused by viral infections like colds or the flu. In these cases, antibiotics don’t work and can actually make you sick longer. Taking antibiotics for a viral infection won’t cure your sore throat, keep others from catching it, or help you feel better. In these … Continue reading “When a sore throat doesn’t need antibiotics”
Article at a glance: Common signs of an earache or ear infection include tugging on the ears, fever, fussiness, or ear pain. Your pediatrician is in the best position to diagnose an ear infection. Prevent ear infections by keeping your children up to date on their immunizations, avoiding secondhand smoke, breastfeeding your baby, and practicing … Continue reading “Does my child have an ear infection?”
If you don’t need antibiotics, play it safe. Learn when antibiotics can do more harm than good. Antibiotics work great on bacterial infections – shortening illnesses and saving lives. But most colds, flu, coughs, sore throats, and earaches are caused by viral infections. If you have a viral infection, an antibiotic won’t help and the … Continue reading “When taking an antibiotic can do more harm than good”
Article at a Glance
Did you know that taking antibiotics when you don’t need them poses one of the world’s most significant public health risks? Unfortunately, overusing antibiotics causes antibiotic resistance. This is when a strain of bacteria becomes resistant to the multiple types of antibiotics. These superbugs become harder to treat and much more dangerous. Diseases that were … Continue reading “Bugs are scary. Superbugs are even scarier.”
Article at a Glance
Although bacteria and viruses can cause similar symptoms, they are more different than a screw and a nail. Bacteria and viruses are different in the way they are structured and reproduce. Viruses have to live within another living cell in order to survive. To reproduce, they hijack the cell by inserting their own genetic material … Continue reading “Using the right tool for the job: When antibiotics do and don’t work”
Article at a Glance
Article at a Glance