When Do I Need A Round of Antibiotics?

October 15, 2022

Thanks to modern medicine, whenever you feel ill, there is typically an effective and easily accessible treatment! Among those great treatments are antibiotics.

Since the development of antibiotics, your risk of suffering serious complications or death due to a bacterial infection are much lower! If you are wondering if your most recent illness is related to an infection, come see us at AFC Urgent Care Statesville and we can help you get to the root of your symptoms.

Do Antibiotics Help With All Infections?

One of the most important distinctions when it comes to antibiotics is that they treat bacterial infections, not viral ones. Here’s where that gets tricky! Certain infections can be both viral and bacterial, so it is crucial to know what you are suffering from.

Once it has been determined that your infection is bacterial, a round of antibiotics will typically be prescribed and you will need to begin taking them right away. Once they start to work, your symptoms will quickly begin to reverse.

Infections That Can Be Both Viral and Bacterial

Ear Infections
Pneumonia
Meningitis
Bronchitis

Do I Need An Antibiotic For Every Infection?

Not in every case! While taking an antibiotic can be beneficial, some infections can go away on their own. Seeing a medical provider can ensure whether or not you would benefit from a prescription..

If you overuse antibiotics or use them for every possible situation, you may be contributing to antibiotics resistance and making it harder for antibiotics to work against infections in the future. Take your prescription exactly as it states on the bottle, and only take them if they have been specifically prescribed to you.