Posted by Ars Technic on Monday, April 10, 2019 09:15:25If you have an infection or a wound that needs urgent care, you may be in for a surprise: antibiotics are not a cure, and the FDA is recommending against using them for treating infections, the Wall Street Journal reports.
The FDA says antibiotics should only be used for “urgent” conditions and should only for a “limited period of time.”
The FDA says there are a number of reasons why antibiotics may not work, including:The WSJ points to a study published in the journal The Lancet that showed antibiotics may kill a person but only temporarily, and it cites a study that found a person who takes antibiotics for more than 12 weeks may still be at risk for serious side effects.
The FDA also says the FDA has not been clear on how to define what constitutes a “urgency” condition, and that the agency is trying to “help patients understand the importance of timely antibiotic use.”
While the WSJ notes that the FDA may be trying to protect patients by making it clear that antibiotics should not be used in emergency situations, it says that patients who do need antibiotics may be at greater risk for infections that require hospitalization.
In general, if you’re considering taking an antibiotic, you should take it at the earliest opportunity, the WSJD says.
In some cases, it may even be wise to wait a few days to allow the antibiotics to fully work.
The WSJD also notes that antibiotics can cause side effects that are sometimes worse than the illness itself.
If you have severe infections that are affecting your ability to work, you might need to take the antibiotics even if they don’t make a difference.
The agency also recommends that you see your doctor to determine the best course of action, which includes antibiotics for “critical illness,” severe illness, and for “serious” infections that cause a life-threatening injury.
