Whenever you take antibiotics, no matter the dose or duration, there is a risk of developing resistance, says Dr Sarah Kabbani, a public health physician at the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. Antibiotics work by killing bacteria in your body. But some bacteria will survive, which can make future infections more difficult to treat.
This result, called antimicrobial resistance, is a “serious threat” to human and animal health, according to the Australian government’s Department of Health and Aged Care. There are many reasons why antibiotics are prescribed. Credit: iStock While antibiotics are necessary for serious, life-threatening infections, they’re sometimes prescribed for less urgent situations.
Here’s how to tell if an antibiotic is right for you. What to consider The most important question to discuss with your doctor before taking an antibiotic is: do I really need it? Loading It’s very possible that you don’t, says Dr Bradley Langford, a pharmacist specialising in antimicrobial resistance at Public Health Ontario in Toronto. In recent years, health experts have recommended being more conservative in prescribing antibiotics for common situations, like for treating acne or preventing infections from dental procedures.
If a provider does recommend an antibiotic, research suggests that the shorter the course, the lower the resistance risk, and in many cases, shorter courses are just as effective as longer ones. Still, some providers continue to.