The effect of antibiotics on the human body. How to protect the body from the harmful effects of antibiotics

Antibiotics - this type of medicines, which occupies a special place, since their action is unique and peculiar. The prospect of taking antibiotics is scary and worrisome for many patients who are given a prescription to buy these drugs by their doctor. Antibacterial agents raise a lot of questions and are surrounded by various myths. So what is the effect of antibiotics and how do they exert their antimicrobial effect?

Antibiotics, what are these drugs

Antibiotics are a group of medicines that inhibit the growth of living bacteria or completely destroy them. Thus, this is the only group of drugs that penetrate the human body, but interact not with it, but with the microorganisms that are in it. All other drugs have their effects on the various cells of the human body itself and change their work. This is the unique action of antibiotics.

Antibiotics have their effect only on bacteria, so viral infections are not treated with antibacterial drugs. The first of the antibacterial drugs were obtained naturally in the laboratory. However, most of the groups of antibiotics are synthetic, that is, they are obtained artificially.

Antibiotics were synthesized in the 1930s. Penicillin was the first antibacterial drug in existence today. Alexander Fleming, who later received the Nobel Prize, discovered the cessation of the growth of a colony of staphylococci in contact with an ordinary piece of moldy bread. He reported on his experiment at a meeting of the Medical University Club in London, but colleagues met this news rather coldly.

Only 10 years later, penicillin was isolated as a pure substance, and its mass use began during the Second World War. Then the number of lives that were saved by this antibiotic could not be calculated. It was the discovery of penicillin that marked the beginning of a new era in medical science.

The action of antibiotics, the main mechanisms

The action of antibiotics is different for certain groups of representatives of these drugs. Some antibacterial agents have a bactericidal effect, that is, they disrupt the metabolism of microorganisms, which leads to their immediate death. Other drugs block the process of reproduction of bacteria, as a result of which their number gradually decreases due to the lack of offspring. This is the bacteriostatic mechanism of action of antibiotics.

The points of application of antibacterial agents also differ for each group of representatives. This enables the doctor to choose the appropriate antibiotic for a particular patient. Here are some of them:

• violation of cell wall synthesis,
• violation of the synthesis of various proteins,
• effect on the synthesis of nucleic acids that make up the DNA of microorganisms,
• action on the cell membrane.

To a person who has nothing to do with medicine, these terms mean little. However, it is the variety of mechanisms of action that makes antibiotics effective against a large number of infectious diseases.

The spectrum of action of antibiotics is the totality of microorganisms that remain sensitive to antibiotics. That is, in ordinary language, these are groups of microbes that will die under the influence of this drug.

Separate groups of antibacterial agents act on a very large number of bacteria, in which case they say that the spectrum of action of these antibiotics is wide. The doctor prescribes such medicines most often in two situations:

• he sees the patient for the first time at the reception,
• the patient has just been admitted to the hospital and has not yet been tested for sensitivity to antibiotics, or the result of the analysis is not yet known.

When prescribing a broad-spectrum drug, the doctor tries to cover all possible pathogens of the alleged infectious disease.

The narrow spectrum of action of antibiotics means that this drug can treat a specific disease and destroys only a narrow group of infectious agents. These drugs are good when the doctor is sure of the diagnosis or has received the result of an antibiotic sensitivity test, which indicates the pathogen and the antibacterial drug that stopped its growth as much as possible.

The following groups of antibiotics are distinguished according to the spectrum of their antimicrobial action:

• Antibacterial drugs - act on various bacteria.
• Antifungal antibiotics - act on pathogens of fungal infections (Candida).
• Antiprotozoal antibiotics - act on the simplest microorganisms (chlamydia, mycoplasma, etc.).
• Antitumor antibiotics - act on cancer cells.
• A separate group: anti-syphilitic, antileprosy, anti-tuberculosis drugs. These include antibiotics, which treat only these specific diseases.

Thus, the concept of "spectrum of action of antibiotics" allows the doctor to choose the right treatment tactics and not waste precious time in vain.

- These are drugs that destroy pathogenic microflora or restrain the intensity of its reproduction. However, drugs do not always have a selective effect. Often, antibacterial agents adversely affect the natural flora that lives in the human intestine and performs a number of important functions. Without symbiotic bacteria, normal digestion is impossible. Therefore, it is necessary to know how antibiotics work and how to take them correctly.

The main effect of the use of antibacterial agents is the destruction of pathogenic bacteria. When they penetrate the body, an inflammatory reaction develops in the tissues and an infiltrate is formed in which microorganisms multiply. Sometimes the spread of microorganisms is restrained by the components of immunity - lymphocytes, neutrophils, macrophages. However, with a high pathogenicity of a harmful microorganism, immunity is not able to completely destroy the infection.

In this case, the appointment of antibacterial agents is required. The active substance of some drugs penetrates into the focus of infection and destroys microorganisms directly, leading to their death. This action is called bactericidal.

Other drugs affect the reproduction of microorganisms. The drugs inhibit the activity of the synthesis of proteins and nucleic acids in the bacterial cell, as a result of which the microorganism cannot reproduce. The number of pathogens is sharply reduced, the remaining bacteria are destroyed by immune cells. Due to this, the activity of the infection is reduced.

Can I self-prescribe antibiotics?

It is strictly forbidden to buy and use antibiotics on your own, therefore, drugs are dispensed only by prescription. This decision is associated with severe side effects of the drug. Patients should understand that they cannot independently think through all the subtleties of the appointment:

When is antibiotics justified?

Antibiotics are used for local and generalized infections:

• bronchitis, pneumonia;
• meningitis, encephalitis;
• appendicitis, cholecystitis, pancreatitis;
• colitis, colienteritis;
• pharyngitis, laryngitis in severe forms;
• genital infections, sexually transmitted infections (syphilis, gonorrhea);
• cystitis, urethritis, pyelonephritis;
• wound infections;
• the formation of abscesses, boils, carbuncles.

Is there an alternative to antibiotics?

Antibiotics are a unique group of drugs, for which there is practically no complete alternative. The use of folk remedies, local antiseptics is effective for infections with a low degree of activity. With pronounced local processes, it is better to use antibacterial drugs.

Indirect antibacterial effects can have drugs from the group of immunostimulants. These drugs accelerate the production of immune cells, favorably affect the state of the humoral system. An activated immune system fights infection more effectively in the body.

At the moment, new drugs are being developed that can replace antibiotics. These are viruses of pathogenic bacteria. Agents infiltrate pathogens and destroy them from the inside. At the same time, phages do not have a systemic effect, which is the main disadvantage of antibiotics.

What are bacteriophages?

• salmonella;
• protein;
• if;
• coliproteic;
• streptococcal;
• staphylococcal;
• dysenteric;
• Pseudomonas aeruginosa;
• Klebsiell, etc.

They are produced in the form of solutions for external and internal use, some also exist in the form of a tablet form.

Antibiotics have become a global discovery and a real panacea for mankind. Their appearance helped to significantly reduce the death rate from many diseases, including those that were considered severe and incurable. Today, the opinions of experts are divided: the benefit or harm of antibiotics should be put at the forefront when choosing a therapeutic regimen.

The action of antibacterial drugs

The fact that a person lives in the world of bacteria has long been known. Many microorganisms have a beneficial effect on human life, but they can also be harmful, especially those. that can enter the body. Antibiotics can deal a strong blow to pathogenic bacteria. These strains of microorganisms have been isolated for this very purpose and have proven their effectiveness in practice.

Some childhood diseases, indeed, can only be treated with antibacterial effects. Doctors practice antibiotic therapy in the treatment of childhood diseases in the following cases:

• with angina;
• otitis;
• pneumonia and severe bronchitis;
• inflammatory pathologies of the urinary system.

Rules for the treatment of babies

The question of treating the baby with antibiotics is taken by the pediatrician, he also selects the therapeutic drug and dosage for the small patient, discusses with the parents the question of whether it is without harm to the child's body.

1. It is important to strictly observe the dosage and frequency of taking the drug prescribed by the doctor.
2. The recommended duration of antibiotic administration should be observed.
3. The baby is not given antibiotics at the same time as antihistamines.
4. You should strictly follow the diet and principles of feeding the child recommended by the doctor for the duration of treatment.

Risk of Side Effects

Do not ignore the side effects that cause antibiotics. Harm to the body is manifested against the background of the fact that antimicrobial drugs are designed to target pathogenic bacteria, while their impact on beneficial microflora is not excluded.

When prescribing antibiotics to their patients, doctors take into account the possible negative consequences of taking them for the body, which can manifest themselves:

• in severe fetal malformations in pregnant women, especially in the first two trimesters of pregnancy;
• in health problems and intestinal microflora in infants whose mothers take antibiotics;
• in severe allergic reactions in the form of a rash, itching, swelling;
• in cerebral disorders, dysfunctions of the vestibular apparatus;
• in malfunctions of the liver, gallbladder, biliary dysfunction.

Doctors also diagnose endocrine disruptions in their patients against the background of the simultaneous use of antibiotics and steroid drugs. Complex failures of the immune system can also provoke antibiotics. The harm and benefits of treatment with such drugs must be taken into account by the attending doctor, therefore, the decision on the tactics of therapy should be entrusted to specialists, not allowing self-treatment.

Conditions for the effective use of antibiotics

Despite the cautious attitude towards antibiotic-based drugs, it is very difficult to argue about their undoubted benefits. Those pathologies that were difficult to cure are amenable to therapeutic correction with antibiotics. Modern drugs created on a synthetic basis are relatively safe if the rules for their administration are observed.

You can take antibiotics without harm to the body, if you follow a number of simple rules:

1. Before deciding on antibiotic treatment, you should definitely consult a doctor and strictly follow his prescriptions for dosage and duration of administration.
2. Strictly observe the time of taking the drug, thereby ensuring its constant level in the body.
3. Do not stop taking the drug on your own, even if you feel better.

It should also be taken into account that the same antibiotics can be sold by a pharmacy chain under different commercial names. Before purchasing drugs prescribed by a doctor, it is worth finding out if they are drugs of the same therapeutic range.

Thanks

Despite the high efficiency in the treatment of many infectious diseases, the scope of antibiotics is significantly limited by adverse reactions that occur during treatment with these drugs. Adverse reactions to antibiotics can be very diverse: from simple nausea to irreversible changes in the red bone marrow. The main reason for the development of adverse reactions to antibiotics is a violation of the principles of their use, often due to the inattention of both the attending physician and the patient.

What are adverse reactions and what determines their occurrence?

The occurrence of adverse reactions to antibiotics is a complex pathophysiological process in development, which involves many factors. On the one hand, the risk of adverse reactions is determined by the properties of the antibiotic itself, and on the other hand, by the reaction of the patient's body to it.

For example, it is known that penicillins are low-toxic antibiotics (this is a characteristic feature of penicillin), however, in a sensitized organism, penicillin can cause an allergic reaction, the development of which depends on the individual characteristics of the organism.

Also, the occurrence of adverse reactions depends on the dose of the antibiotic used and the duration of treatment, In most cases, the frequency and severity of side effects to antibiotics increases with increasing dose or duration of treatment..

The occurrence of some adverse reactions depends on the dosage form of the antibiotic used (tablets or injections). For example, nausea as a side effect is most common with oral antibiotics.

What are the side effects of using antibiotics?

Disorders from the digestive system in the form of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation occur with the use of many drugs and are mainly associated with irritation of the mucous membrane of the digestive tract with antibiotics. Typically, nausea, vomiting, or abdominal discomfort occurs immediately after taking the medicine (antibiotic) and resolves as the medicine is absorbed from the intestines. Elimination of nausea or vomiting can be achieved by switching from tablets to antibiotic injections or (if possible) taking antibiotics after meals (food protects the digestive tract from direct contact with antibiotics).

If digestive disorders are associated with the irritating effect of the antibiotic, then they disappear after the end of the course of treatment. However, the cause of indigestion may be completely different: a violation of the composition of the intestinal microflora (intestinal dysbacteriosis).

Intestinal dysbacteriosis is a specific side effect that occurs during antibiotic treatment.. Violation of the composition of the intestinal microflora is associated with the death of beneficial strains of bacteria that inhabit the intestine under the action of antibiotics. This is due to the wide spectrum of action of some antibiotics, which includes representatives of the normal intestinal microflora. This means that antibiotics destroy not only harmful microbes, but also beneficial microbes that are sensitive to this drug. Symptoms of intestinal dysbacteriosis (diarrhea, constipation, bloating) appear some time after the start of treatment and often do not go away after it ends.

A severe manifestation of intestinal dysbacteriosis is a lack of vitamin K, which manifests itself in the form of bleeding from the nose, gums, the appearance of subcutaneous hematomas. The greatest danger of intestinal dysbacteriosis is associated with the use of strong antibiotics (tetracyclines, cephalosporins, aminoglycosides) and especially their oral forms (tablets, capsules).

Due to the risk of intestinal dysbiosis, antibiotic treatment should be accompanied by treatment to restore the intestinal microflora. For this, drugs are used (Lineks, Hilak), containing strains of beneficial bacteria that are immune to the action of most antibiotics. Another way to avoid intestinal dysbacteriosis is the use of narrow-spectrum antibiotics, which destroy only microbes, pathogens and do not disturb the composition of the intestinal microflora.

Allergic reactions can occur to all known antibiotics, since they are all foreign substances to our body. Allergy to antibiotics is a type of drug allergy.

Allergy can manifest itself in a variety of ways: the appearance of rashes on the skin, itching of the skin, urticaria, angioedema, anaphylactic shock.

Most often, allergies are observed during treatment with antibiotics from the group of penicillins or cephalosporins. In this case, the intensity of the allergic reaction can be so high that the possibility of using these drugs is completely excluded. Due to the common structure of penicillins and cephalosporins, cross-allergy can occur, that is, the body of a patient sensitive to penicillins responds with an allergy to the administration of cephalosporins.

Overcoming drug allergy to antibiotics is achieved by changing the drug. For example, if you are allergic to penicillins, they are replaced with macrolides.

In some cases, drug allergy to antibiotics can be severe and endanger the life of the patient. Such forms of allergies are anaphylactic shock (generalized allergic reaction), Steven-Jones syndrome (necrosis of the upper layers of the skin), hemolytic anemia.

Oral and vaginal candidiasis is another common adverse reaction to antibiotics.. As you know, candidiasis (thrush) is also an infectious disease, but it is not caused by bacteria, but by fungi that are insensitive to the action of conventional antibiotics. In our body, the growth of fungi is restrained by bacterial populations, however, when antibiotics are prescribed, the composition of the normal microflora of our body (oral cavity, vagina, intestines) is disturbed, beneficial bacteria die, and fungi that are indifferent to the antibiotics used get the opportunity to actively multiply. Thus, thrush is one of the manifestations of dysbacteriosis.

For the prevention and treatment of thrush, it is recommended to take antifungal drugs along with antibiotics. It is also possible local treatment and the use of local antiseptics and antifungal drugs.

Nephrotoxic and hepatotoxic effects are damage to the tissues of the liver and kidneys due to the toxic effects of antibiotics. Nephrotoxic and hepatotoxic effects mainly depend on the dose of antibiotic used and the condition of the patient's body.

The greatest risk of damage to the liver and kidneys is observed when using large doses of antibiotics in patients with pre-existing diseases of these organs (pyelonephritis, glomerulonephritis, hepatitis).

Nephrotoxicity is manifested by a violation of kidney function: severe thirst, an increase or decrease in the amount of urine excreted, pain in the lumbar region, an increase in the level of creatinine and urea in the blood.

Liver damage is manifested by the appearance of jaundice, fever, discoloration of feces and dark urine (typical manifestations of hepatitis).

Antibiotics from the group of aminoglycosides, anti-tuberculosis drugs, and antibiotics from the tetracycline group have the greatest hepato- and nephrotoxic effect.

The neurotoxic effect is characterized by damage to the nervous system. Antibiotics from the aminoglycoside group, tetracycline, have the greatest neurotoxic potential. Mild forms of neurotoxicity are manifested by headache, dizziness. Severe cases of neurotoxicity are manifested by irreversible damage to the auditory nerve and the vestibular apparatus (the use of aminoglycosides in children), the optic nerves.

It is important to note that the neurotoxic potential of antibiotics is inversely proportional to the age of the patient: the greatest risk of damage to the nervous system under the action of antibiotics is observed in young children.

Hematologic disorders are among the most severe adverse reactions to antibiotics.. Hematological disorders can manifest in the form of hemolytic anemia, when blood cells are destroyed due to the deposition of antibiotic molecules on them or due to the toxic effect of antibiotics on red bone marrow cells (aplastic anemia, agranulocytosis). Such severe damage to the bone marrow can be observed, for example, when using Levomycetin (chloramphenicol).

Local reactions at the site of administration of antibiotics depend on the method of administration of the antibiotic. Many antibiotics, when introduced into the body, can irritate tissues, causing local inflammatory reactions, abscess formation, and allergies.

With intramuscular administration of antibiotics, the formation of a painful infiltrate (seal) at the injection site is often observed. In some cases (if sterility is not observed), suppuration (abscess) may form at the injection site.

With intravenous administration of antibiotics, inflammation of the walls of the veins may develop: phlebitis, manifested by the appearance of compacted painful strands along the veins.

The use of antibiotic ointments or sprays can cause dermatitis or conjunctivitis.

Antibiotics and pregnancy

During pregnancy and lactation, the use of antibiotics from the group of tetracyclines and aminoglycosides is strictly prohibited.

For more information about the adverse reactions of antibiotics, we recommend that you carefully study the insert of the purchased medicine. It is also advisable to ask your doctor about the possibility of developing side effects and the tactics of your actions in this case.

Bibliography:

1. I.M. Abdullin Antibiotics in clinical practice, Salamat, 1997


2. Katzunga B.G. Basic and clinical pharmacology, Binom; St. Petersburg: Nev. Dialect, 2000.

Reviews

I drink ASD 2 for prevention 2 times a year and no antibiotics are needed. I feel great!!!

After taking it, you need to drink Linex and it's normal

I injected intramuscularly with cephalotoxim, large white stripes and spots on the skin of the legs and back began to appear and after 10 minutes disappear, what kind of "camouflage" can anyone tell me?

I took antibiotics for three weeks. everything seems to be fine .. but then I noticed the left cheek just fucking failed .. people what to do.? please give feedback .. maybe it's from antibiotics?
I'm just shocked

After an injection of ampicillin, a vulture appeared on the skin, burn body weight, what to do

I drank clarithromycin for 5 days according to the scheme, a terrible allergy began, red rashes on my face, it itches terribly, my face burns, the dermatologist says toxodermia, but treatment with calcium gluconate IV, loratadine, does not help, but not a word about dysbacteriosis, one treats the other cripples. Doctors do not need anything at all, they relieve superficial symptoms. And what next?

Antibiotics are needed in extreme cases. During common colds, the body itself can (and should) fight viruses. There are so many folk remedies to both treat and maintain immunity during the dangerous periods of colds. Only people are lazy, they prefer to swallow a pill "for everything." Only then it is necessary to treat the consequences of antibiotics. The doctors themselves strongly believe in medicines, because at the age of 18, students of medical universities, in principle, have no desire to get to the bottom of the matter and check everything said by the professor, but simply to get a doctor's diploma.

Guys, they don’t force an antibiotic into your mouth) you can ask the doctor to prescribe something else ... I have bronchitis now, and it’s quite strong (I haven’t started taking it yet, I was tormented by any alternative for a week and a half) .... without an antibiotic, I would rather have inflammatory processes have begun .... and just do an antibiotic, although not a useful thing, but sometimes it is simply irreplaceable (for example, blood poisoning)

I had a cold, tracheitis, I was being treated by Laura, were they given the antibiotic Augmentin to drink or not to drink? It seems to be almost healthy, but the liver is not ideal in childhood there was jaundice

Well .... I also have a disbacteria from antibiotics ((((

Commercial clinics are an undeniable evil, because they often pursue one goal - to find "at least something" and continue treatment. But district therapists are a complete nightmare, because they just don’t want to find and see anything at all. They want to put a "tick" and get paid for the number of accepted. And they don't want to treat anyone. And, as a rule, it is not necessary to hope that by prescribing antibiotics, the doctor will advise how to avoid the consequences. Although I continue to believe that somewhere there are real doctors from God who strive for the true goal of any healer - to cure and fully restore the patient's working capacity. Now to get to such an appointment ...

I fully support Victor, since I myself fell into the network of commercial doctors. Perhaps there are good doctors, but unfortunately I did not come across such.
And the microflora suffers

People don't brains for themselves or others, if your intelligence is lower than a macaque, then you shouldn't generalize it.
as for corruption and the personal gain of medical workers, then know that not all bastards, but not all are good, and if you yourself do not follow the deception, you will definitely meet good doctors. And if you are a reasonable person, you must understand that you cannot interfere with everyone with one size fits all.

I was ill with ARVI several times, different doctors prescribed antibiotics, and none of them warned that you need to drink something that restores the intestinal microflora, since good people suggested, I don’t trust doctors anymore

I have some problems with the nervous system due to AntiBiot ..
The strangest thing is that the actions of antibiotics in some cases contradict each other.
I take medicine only in extreme cases.. and then often it's not worth it.
do not be ill!

The microflora of our body (intestines, first of all) is our immunity! Offering us to "treat" with antibiotics, the doctor knows for sure that we will return to him soon. Immunity is killed! This is the main principle of modern medicine - it is necessary to ensure "repeated sales". Commercial medicine obeys only the laws of business!

Well, not everyone has such strong reactions to antibiotics. In addition, as the name implies, they naturally destroy all bacteria in the body, including beneficial ones. And then, as a result, constipation begins, because there is no microflora. This dufalac was prescribed for you correctly, it is used in such cases.

Oho-hr, yes, our medicine can drive into the coffin. antibiotics d - very effective, but here are the side effects. my constipation began, after the operation, I drank duphalac - pah-pah, recovered pretty quickly. I'm still for medicines based on some kind of bacteria, which are "live".

Antibiotics are the "heavy artillery" of modern medicine, helping to cope with the most complex and dangerous infections of a bacterial nature. Antimicrobial drugs are prescribed for local and generalized inflammations, when the body's immune system cannot defeat the disease on its own.

However, the use of potent drugs is almost always accompanied by the manifestation of side effects of varying severity. Some of them disappear after the drug is discontinued, while others require thorough treatment, often again with antibacterial drugs.

There are such negative phenomena due to the diverse toxic effects of drugs on the body. The degree of severity and reversibility directly depends on both the patient's state of health and the characteristics of the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of the drug itself. Antimicrobial agents are divided into several groups, some of which are less dangerous in terms of side effects, while others can seriously damage. Most often develop:

• Dyspepsia - various digestive disorders associated with the negative effect of drugs on the internal organs and intestinal microflora (for example, constipation or diarrhea after antibiotics).
• Violations of nervous activity due to the toxicity of the drug in relation to the central nervous system.
• Allergic reactions are a natural result of hypersensitivity to the components of the drug. Severity ranges from small skin rashes to life-threatening anaphylactic shock.
• Superinfection is a fairly common occurrence due to a change in the balance of the natural microflora and a decrease in immunity.
• Failure of the liver or kidneys develops due to the fact that these organs are involved in the processing and excretion of all chemical compounds. The course of antibiotic therapy sometimes creates an exorbitant burden on them.

Can the harmful effects of ABP be prevented or reduced?

Yes, if you strictly follow the rules and the scheme of taking medications, do not self-medicate, additionally take vitamin complexes and probiotics. As a rule, these simple measures speed up recovery and protect the body from the negative effects of medications.

Possible consequences of taking antibiotics

They are very diverse, and sometimes even an experienced doctor is not able to predict how the patient's body will react to a particular medicine. As a rule, generally healthy people who rarely get sick and have strong immunity are much less likely to complain of side effects.

If the defenses are weakened, especially by the frequent use of antibiotics, then the reaction can be very strong. The risk group also includes children whose immune system is not yet fully formed, the elderly, and those with a history of chronic diseases. What are the consequences of antibiotic therapy?

Stomatitis after antibiotics

This disease, which significantly worsens the quality of life, is an inflammation of the mucous membranes of the oral cavity with the development of redness, swelling and the appearance of ulcers. Antibacterial agents, especially those taken for a long time, change the composition of the natural microflora in the mouth and negatively affect the state of the immune system. As a result, the mucosa becomes very vulnerable to pathogenic microorganisms: fungi, viruses and bacteria, without encountering obstacles, begin to actively multiply, causing inflammation and ulceration, especially often in young children.

The disease is accompanied by severe pain during a conversation or eating, itching and burning, as well as fever.

This condition requires immediate treatment in the form of taking fungicidal, antibacterial or antiviral agents, as well as symptomatic therapy to reduce swelling and pain. Only the attending physician can choose the right drugs, and self-medication in this case will only aggravate the condition.

Other consequences

There may be other side effects of antibiotics as a response of different body systems. Often, patients complain of headaches, sleep problems, nervousness, depression, which is associated with the negative effects of drugs on the nervous system. Especially dangerous are ototoxic ABPs (aminoglycosides, for example), which negatively affect the vestibular preparation and auditory nerves.

Often there are allergic reactions of varying severity, especially with self-medication or carelessness of the doctor. We must not forget about the teratogenic effect of some antibiotics on the fetus, which requires a particularly careful approach to the treatment of bacterial infections in pregnant women. When using fluoroquinolones, damage to the connective tissue (tendons) is likely, which should also be taken into account when prescribing. Sometimes renal and hepatic dysfunction also develop due to the increased load on these organs during therapy.

If antibiotics don't work

It happens that antimicrobial drugs are powerless against infection. With what it can be connected? There are several probable reasons, and each of them requires separate consideration:

• - immunity of the causative agent of the disease to the drug. Associated with both the wrong choice of medication, and with the formation of addiction. That is, with frequent use of the same drug, pathogens become resistant. To cure such an infection, it will be necessary to do a bacteriological culture to identify a specific strain.
• Self-medication is the most common cause, since without special education and access to diagnostic tools, it is impossible to choose the right medicine. In addition to the lack of a therapeutic effect, such “independence” is fraught with superinfections and complications.
• The incompetence of a doctor - unfortunately, it happens like that. This is due to a lack of education or inattention - the result is the same: the antibiotic did not help, the disease progresses. In this case, you need to contact another specialist.

Today, antibiotic treatment is indispensable, but it is possible to reduce the risk of their harmful effects on the body. To do this, you need to consult a competent doctor for advice, do not self-medicate, strictly follow the instructions. A healthy lifestyle and diet during the period of antibiotic therapy are also important. In addition, special preparations of live lacto- and bifidobacteria - probiotics - will help support the body.