Antibiotic Use in Medicine

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The debate whether or not antibiotics are overused or necessary is a debate that is very controversial. Even in my household there is a divide in the people who believe antibiotics are overused and unnecessary and others who think they are useful, necessary, and beneficiary. I, too, find myself choosing a side in this argument after thoroughly researching each group’s stance and viewpoint. I will address both sides of the argument and then state my position and why I came to that conclusion.

The majority of ENT (ear, nose and throat) infections are caused by viruses. (1) Viruses are not cured by antibiotics, bacterial infections are. Therefore many of the common infections people get are ones that antibiotics have no cure for. This helps the argument of those who think antibiotics are overused. Many patients in pain or fatigue, due to an ENT infection, will demand antibiotics to help with their pain and symptoms. Many doctors end up reluctantly prescribing antibiotics to their patients even though they know it will not help with the actual viral infection. This may lead to the appeasement of certain patients; where parents will demand their doctor give antibiotics to their sick child even when the infection is viral. Many times viruses can cause a “secondary infection”. (2) These secondary infections are bacterial infections that infected the body while it was weak from the viral infection it had. (2) Skeptics of antibiotics believe giving out the medicine when not actually useful is unnecessary. They see it as Doctors pumping up patients with antibiotics when they are not necessary in the body. It is not guaranteed that someone with an ENT infection will develop a bacterial infection; therefore they believe doctors are taking u...

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...gh, I do believe that antibiotics should not be abused or overused. Doctors need to refrain from giving out antibiotics just because a patient is demanding it. If patients persist, the doctor needs to explain the dangers of overusing antibiotics and the effects of using it when it is unnecessary can have. At the same time, they must be careful with making sure that a secondary, bacterial, infection does not occur. In proper and necessary use, I believe antibiotics are very helpful and useful to our bodies.

Works Cited

(1) http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/ear-infection/understanding-otitis-media-treatment
(2) http://www.dukehealth.org/health_library/advice_from_doctors/your_childs_health/bacterial_infections
(3) http://www.acponline.org/patients_families/diseases_conditions/antibiotic_resistance/
(4) http://www.emedexpert.com/tips/antibiotics-facts.shtml

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