An absolutely brilliant tradition begins in Europe tomorrow. November 18th has been designated as Antibiotic Awareness Day. Its purpose is to stop the unnecessary use of antibiotics and it will be marked by symposia, scientific meetings, and press conferences throughout Europe.
That doesn't mean that you should abandon your current prescription and flush the remainder of of it down the toilet. But if you are sick with a cold, you should probably ask your doctor if it is most likely a viral infection. If it is, then you should be willing to go without an antibiotic and maybe just take a decongestant or tylenol instead.
5 comments:
Pseudofed where would we be without you?
Miriam, I want you to write an entry about anti-bacterial/anti-microbial handsoap. Do you think it's a bad thing? Does it have no place in our homes? How about in hospitals? I think a lot of people would like to know the truth.
I agree that this is an important question and happily, I can refer you to an entry about it
http://antimicrobial.blogspot.com/2008/09/antibacterial-handsoap.html
So I have a question that might make a good blog entry for you. I watched an episode of Wife Swap the other night (a new guilty pleasure) where the topic was pro-bacteria/raw meat eating.
http://www.sfbg.com/blogs/pixel_vision/2007/02/make_your_own_toothpaste_in_io_1.html
I was reasonably grossed out, as any pill-popping, average American would be. My question is, is that way of life better than the alternative?
Wow TOJJ! That episode of Wife Swap looks really gross. I'm with you on that one. I eat sushi and rare steak from time to time, but I'm even pretty picky about where that comes from.
To answer your question, human life expectancy has increased a lot as hygiene, plumbing, and food preparation and preservation have improved. Those practices are a big part of the difference in the disease rates in developed and developing countries.
There are lot's of bacteria in the world and most of them are not directly beneficial to human health. Many of the bacteria that live in association with humans actually feed on us and make us sick as a part of that process. I wonder how often that family gets food poisoning.
I do have an entry on how clean is to clean
http://antimicrobial.blogspot.com/2008/09/confessions-of-germophobe.html and I'll consider doing one about how dirty is too dirty. Great suggestion! Thanks!
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