A Natural Look at Halting the Need for Repeated Antibiotic Use
Is this you: You have a sinus infection or bladder infection; you seek medical care and are prescribed an antibiotic; after you stop taking the antibiotic, your symptoms return, causing you to see the medical doctor again for more antibiotics? Before you know it, your symptoms do not go away and you are taking more and different antibiotics for longer and longer periods of time.
Or perhaps you are taking an antibiotic daily in an attempt to keep symptoms of an infection at bay?
Unfortunately, you are not alone. Antibiotics are the leading prescribed class of drugs in the United States, with an estimated 84 million prescriptions being written annually during office visits, and another 40 million prescriptions after discharge from hospitals (CDC, AIA). It is also estimated by the Centers for Disease Control, that only 10% of these antibiotic prescriptions are warranted.
The Three Major Causes of Infections…
Not all infections are alike, even though they seem to cause the same general symptoms: pain, swelling, redness, discharge, fever, aching, and general fatigue. However, the agents that cause the infection are different:
Viruses. Viruses are small pieces of genetic code that enter a susceptible cell and take over its functions, telling that cell to make more of the virus. The immune system quickly destroys viruses once they are detected. Viruses “run their course”, meaning each virus has a usual time limit where it causes signs of an illness before the immune system destroys it. Viruses account for nearly 75% of all ear, sinus and upper respiratory infections.
Fungus. Fungi are a type of mold. Inside everyone’s body (in their ears, nose, vagina, bladder, bowel and intestines) a special type of fungus exists. It is Candida albicans. This fungus needs to be present to protect the body and to help the intestines break down food. When there is too much Candida, it can produce the signs of an infection. The Mayo Clinic estimates that Candida infections account for 98% of all recurrent infections, and about 15% of new infections.
Bacteria. Bacteria are cells in themselves. When they enter a susceptible body area, they multiply and make more bacteria cells. A healthy immune system can destroy bacteria; if the immune system is not strong enough, a bacterial infection can continue. Bacterial infections account for approximately 10% of all infections.
Parasites. These are listed because parasitical infections can occur. Most of the time, these type of infections occur from uncooked pork products. Some scientists estimate that everyone on the planet has a parasitical infection and has contributed many health concerns to parasites. However, many people do not have signs of an infection from parasites. Less than 1% of infections are the result of parasites.
How Antibiotics Work…
There are 17 different classes of antibiotics; however, each class works in a similar manner. Every antibiotic is either a general (“broad-spectrum”) or specific (“focused”) antibiotic. A broad-spectrum antibiotic is designed to eliminate a variety of similar bacteria. A focused antibiotic targets only one or two specific bacteria. If you did not receive a test prior to your being prescribed an antibiotic, you would’ve been prescribed a broad-spectrum antibiotic; nearly all prescribed antibiotics are broad-spectrum.
Notice that antibiotics target BACTERIA. Bacteria are cells in themselves. Our body is made up of many cells. Cells are individual units within the body that are separated from other cells by a shell, as it were. The shells of bacteria are different from the shells of the cells in our body. Therefore, your immune system can seek out and identify what is not part of the body.
An antibiotic can do the same thing. When a person takes an antibiotic, it looks for the shells that have a certain identifier; it then destroys those cells by, in essence, cutting a hole in the bacteria’s shell. The cell dies, hence the bacteria dies.
Unfortunately, broad-spectrum antibiotics do not know the difference between good bacteria and those causing an infection. Our bodies contain bacteria that are necessary for food digestion, vitamin and mineral absorption, and mucous membrane nourishing. When an antibiotic is working, it will destroy these bacteria as well.
(It should be noted that special “antibiotics” are for parasitical infections (such as Actelion), viral infections (such as Tamiflu) and fungal infections (such as Mycostatin or Lamisil). These are not the ones discussed in this article, as these are rarely prescribed and are not the ones prescribed in abundance.)
What about the Other Causes of Infections?
As antibiotics only work on bacteria, they will not work on viruses, fungal infections or parasites. If you take an antibiotic for an infection that is caused by a virus, parasite or fungus, the infection will not get better.
But I Feel Better When I Take an Antibiotic…
The signs of an infection are actually signs that the immune system is fighting the infection. When an antibiotic is taken, the healing efforts of the body are halted because a new, more toxic matter has entered the body. The infection is harmful (which is why your body was fighting it), but toxic, chemical substances are more harmful so dealing with them takes priority for the health of the body. Even if the infection is being caused by a virus, the symptoms of that infection will diminish or disappear because the body has something more harmful to focus on. Remember: the signs of an infection are the immune system fighting the infection. Without the immune system fighting the infection, the symptoms will diminish or disappear until the drug is gone or “handled” by the body.
Is Repeated (Chronic) Use of Antibiotics Safe?
Not counting allergic reactions to antibiotics, there are many documented cases of adverse reactions, the most common being diarrhea and nausea. In the digestive system (intestines and stomach) are good bacteria that help with digestion and assimilation of nutrients. When these good bacteria are killed by the antibiotic, digestion is disrupted and the good yeast (Candida albicans) that exists in the intestines has more space to grow, so it does. Remember, yeast is not killed by antibiotics. Not only is there yeast over-growth, but there can be decreased nutrient absorption and a difficulty breaking down foods that are eaten, resulting in diarrhea and a risk of nutrient deficiencies.
Another not-often-discussed effect is, in effect, immune suppression. As mentioned earlier, the immune system slows down when the body has to deal with chemical toxins/foreign substances. If a person has a virus, the virus will continue to make more of itself, unhindered by an immune system. Once the antibiotic is stopped, the virus will show itself again, but it will be stronger because it has had the opportunity to take a stronger hold. Also, the fungal infection discussed in the previous paragraph will get worse over the course of the antibiotic; it too was not hindered by an immune system. With yeast being everywhere in the body, it is possible that the signs of a recurrent infection in the sinuses or bladder, for example, are being caused by yeast. As mentioned earlier, the Mayo Clinic believes that 98% of recurrent infections are the result of YEAST, not bacteria, so recurrent antibiotics in these cases would not help the situation.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome has been associated with chronic infections, a result of the weakened healing responses from chronic antibiotic usage.
A new concern that has arisen concerns auto-immune disorders. It has been suggested and is now being studied that taking immune-boosting supplements while taking antibiotics increases the risk of a person developing an auto-immune disorder, as the immune system becomes confused when it is being both suppressed and boosted at the same time.
Another problem with chronic antibiotic usage (it won’t be discussed here, however) is the development of “super-bugs,” bacteria that cannot be destroyed by any typical antibiotics because they (the bacteria) had been exposed to antibiotics so often that they are now “immune” to them.
How Can the Cycle Be Broken?
The immune system is designed to seek out and neutralize any invaders, whether they are bacterial, viral, parasitical, fungal or other. The stronger the immune system, the quicker the response will be to these foreign invaders.
There are many herbal supplements available that taut being “immune enhancing” or “immune strengthening”. Some of the most common herbal immune supporting herbs are: echinacea, elderberry and goldenseal. The most common vitamin is Vitamin C.
HOWEVER!!! If you are taking an antibiotic, DO NOT take any supplement that may boost the immune system! Remember, an antibiotic is indirectly suppressing the immune system; taking a supplement to boost the immune system will confuse the immune system and could lead to an auto-immune response.
One of the best ways to break the antibiotic cycle is to support the body through homeopathy. Homeopathic medicines can be used safely with antibiotics or herbal supplements, as homeopathy works to restore the balance to the body’s healing ability; homeopathics don’t work directly with the immune system, but work to make it more effective when it is ready to be more active.
Homeopathy also works with your body to eliminate the reasons that infection strikes and takes hold. As homeopathic medicines are not an “antibiotics”, they don’t care what is causing the infection, only that an infection or foreign entity is present and needs to be removed. They work quickly to restore balance, but they are gentle in action. Homeopathy does not shut anything down or inhibit any natural body process—they support eh body’s ability to act.
What Else Can I Do?
Remember that diseases don’t occur in a vacuum, meaning that there is no one reason why a disease strikes and why it may stay around. Always consider the emotions that are stirred up by the disease, or the emotions that may’ve started the troubles. Each area in the body holds some emotions more strongly than others; for example, the bladder holds fear; the nose, sadness and despair.
Also look at your living and work environments. If you have a chronic sinus infection, do you live in a home that has mold? Do you work in an area that has been freshly painted? Look at your personal habits. Do you frequently hold your bladder so you go to the bathroom only twice daily? Do you smoke?
It is also a good idea to supplement your diet with Probiotics, such as acidophilus. With antibiotics destroying the good bacteria in the body, these good bacteria need to be replaced. There are many acidophilus or probiotic formulas on the market; or eat a yogurt daily, one that has “live yogurt cultures.”
Know This…
If you want to break the antibiotic cycle and stop suffering, know that it can be done! You have the symptoms of an infection because your body is fighting to get rid of it, meaning that all you have to do is give it a little help and the body will do the rest. You don’t have to suffer the remainder of your days; you don’t have to put your life, creativity and joy on hold because of a chronic infection. Know that there are options. Know that you can be free of your suffering.
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For normal people, taking antibiotics like amoxicillin is quite alright for treating infections brought about by different kinds of bacteria. But is the same applicable for pregnant women, taking into consideration the fact that they’re in a condition where they are also caring for a growing fetus?
If you’ll ask experts regarding this concern, they would all agree that it depends on a lot of different factors – the kind of antibiotic, the amount to be taken, the duration which you’re supposed to take the antibiotic, and at which point in your pregnancy will you be taking the antibiotic.
What kind of antibiotic are you going to take?
There are kinds of antibiotic medications that are safe to be used throughout a woman’s pregnancy. Some good examples for such drugs are penicillin, cephalosporin, and erythromycin. On the other hand, there are some antibiotics that may cause complications to the unborn baby when taken at any point of the pregnancy.
How much antibiotics do you need and for how long?
It is important to be mindful of how much antibiotics you’re going to take during the course of your infection treatment. Taking too many antibiotic pills during your pregnancy may cause your growing baby to develop deformities or abnormalities because of the medicine. The same goes with taking a standard amount of antibiotic but for an extended period of time. It may also affect the growing fetus in your womb.
At what point of the pregnancy will you be taking the antibiotic?
For most antibiotics, they are safe to be taken at any point of the pregnancy, be it on the first, second, or third trimester. However, there are some that can be taken only at certain times in the pregnancy. Metronidazole is safe to use once you’re pregnancy is over 14 weeks old, chloramphenicol is safe to use before you reach your 28th weeks of pregnancy, and sulfa drugs are safe to use prior to 34 weeks of pregnancy. There are still other antibiotics that can only be taken up to a certain point in the pregnancy, but there are some that should never be taken when pregnant. A good example of a very dangerous antibiotic drug to take during pregnancy is Tetracycline.
If you’re pregnant and need to take antibiotics for an infection, do not forget to inform your doctor about it, even if the medication you’re going to take has been approved for pregnant women. This way, you can be sure that while you’re getting better, your baby remains safe and sound.
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Combating known side effects of antibiotics: When the body is overwhelmed by a bacterial infection like tuberculosis, syphilis, or meningitis, antibiotics can be used to help the body’s white blood cells make your body healthy once again. However, in some cases, antibiotic-medicines have very dangerous side effects. If you use any kind of medicine while you are sick, it is important to talk to your doctor about the side effects you can expect.
The body already makes natural antibiotics through the immune system. Called antibodies, in many cases, these natural antibiotics are all your body needs to fight bacteria in the body. Many times, you won’t even experience symptoms. Prescription antibiotics are only needed when the body’s natural-antibiotics aren’t strong enough to ward off infections.
The most common type of antibiotic-drug prescribed is penicillin, but this is not the only antibiotic your doctor might suggest. Typically, antibiotics are safe, with only very mild side effects, if you experience side effects at all. Some common side effects, no matter what kind of antibiotic-medication prescribed to you, are diarrhea, fever, and nausea. In general, side effects happen because the antibiotics kill “good” bacteria along with bad bacteria. Usually, you don’t have to worry unless the symptoms are extremely severe.
However, there can also be very serious side effects if you aren’t careful. Some people are allergic to some kinds of antibiotics, leading to an anaphylactic reaction that includes symptoms such as swelling and difficulty breathing. In addition, mixing antibiotics and alcohol can cause dangerous reactions. When antibiotics and alcohol are in your body at the same time, the reaction time of that antibiotic-drug will change. Sometimes, it prolongs the antibiotic’s effect. Other times, it causes the body to metabolize the drug more quickly. Antibiotics-drug and alcohol together can also cause general side effects to intensify, leading to more dangerous problems. The bottom line is that antibiotics and alcohol aren’t good together.
Sometimes, you may fall ill while pregnancy. When you have to take antibiotics at this point, you’ll undoubtedly be concerned about the wide effects not just on you, but also on your baby. Is antibiotic-medicine during pregnancy safe? The answer to that, which your doctor will tell you, is this: maybe. Not all antibiotics during pregnancy are safe. Sometimes, they can cause birth defects. Other times, antibiotic-drug is safe up to a certain point in a pregnancy, but as you approach birth, it could cause problems for your baby. Your body’s natural antibiotics are not always enough to fight infection, and when you are sick, your baby is sick. So, it is important to treat yourself. However, make sure you talk to your doctor about the potential dangers to your baby, and always make sure to strictly follow dosing instructions.
Antibiotics are, in many cases, the best way to help your body get better. Some people try to avoid medications because they are worried about the side effects, but in most cases, this does more damage to your body than good. Yes, you should always research the medications you’re taking so you’re aware of the side effects, but for most people, these side effects are very mild and don’t warrant avoiding medications to help you get over an illness.
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Kidney stones are a very painful and common medical issue, affecting about one in ten Americans. Most people who are afflicted with the nausea and pain of this condition are between 30 and 45 years of age, although all age groups can experience kidney stones. Treatment for kidney stones varies widely, depending on composition, size, location, and comorbidities. For example, stones that are smaller than 4mm in diameter can usually be passed with no medical intervention.
However, stones larger than 4mm in diameter often require treatment, frequently at a urological ambulatory surgery center. These centers provide a variety of treatment options, including the holmium laser, which can target and break up stones with a beam of light. Another treatment option involves shockwave lithotripsy machines (ESWL), which use shockwaves on kidney stones to eliminate them without injuring tissue nearby. Medical professionals may also rely on miniature ureteroscopes, which are inserted into the urethra to allow surgeons to see the stones in order to eliminate them. For larger kidney stones, percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) or other surgery may be required to remove the stone. These more invasive surgeries are generally only used when other treatment options are not possible.
At Specialists in Urology, we are experienced in these and other kidney treatment options. However, the Specialists in Urology medical team also believe in preventative measures, which is why our team offer dietary and preventative measures as well. With blood work, 24-hour urine collection, chemical stone analysis, and other tests, it is possible to address the most common risk factors for kidney stones and to help patients enjoy far fewer recurrences of kidney stones.
There are many things that patients with kidney stones can do to help prevent kidney stones in the future. Drinking more fluids to increase urine production to 2500 cc or more daily is an excellent preventative measure, as is eating citrus fruits such as pineapples, oranges, lemons, and limes. Patients who have stones formed from calcium oxalate may be able to avoid further stones by avoiding foods rich in oxalate. These foods include black pepper, chocolate, nuts, and spinach.
A low salt diet can also help. If patients do not need calcium supplements and have good bond density, stopping calcium supplements can also help prevent future stones. Due to the risk of osteoporosis, however, it is a good idea to discuss any such decision with a physician. Patients who suffer from uric acid kidney stones can eat less poultry, beef, and shellfish to prevent future stones. They can also take potassium citrate, which can help urine at a pH of 6.5-7.0, which can help prevent further development of stones. Since many kidney stone sufferers have recurring kidney stones, taking some preventative measures is advisable.
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