Reviewed 2/26/2024
Antibiotic use: True or false?
Used correctly, antibiotics can help you bounce back from an infection. But if you use them the wrong way—or when they're not needed—they can be harmful. Take this quiz to test your knowledge of these medication mistakes.
True or false: Antibiotics don't help against all infections.
True. They only fight infections caused by bacteria, fungi and certain parasites. When an infection is caused by a virus—such as the flu or the common cold—antibiotics won't help at all.
True or false: Taking antibiotics—if not needed—won't do any harm.
False. Every time you take an antibiotic you don't need—for example, if you have a cold—you increase the risk of antibiotic resistance. This means that when you do have an illness that can benefit from antibiotics, the antibiotics may not be able to work as well.
True or false: You can stop using antibiotics if you feel better.
False. Be sure to take all of the medication you're prescribed, unless your doctor tells you otherwise. That's a must even if you start to feel better in a few days. Finishing the entire prescription lowers the odds that any bacteria left in your body will become resistant to antibiotics.
True or false: There are risks to taking antibiotics—even if they are prescribed.
True. Antibiotics can provide a very powerful cure. Still, these medications carry potential side effects, such as diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, allergic reactions, vaginal infections, and nerve or tendon damage.
True or false: It's OK to take antibiotics that are left over from a previous illness.
False. The old medicine might not work against the new germs. And even if it does, there's probably not enough remaining to completely kill the surviving bacteria. And those bacteria may be more likely to become resistant to antibiotics.
It's better not to get sick in the first place. One of the best ways to prevent illness is also the simplest: Wash your hands frequently.
Sources
- American Academy of Family Physicians. "Antibiotics: When They Can and Can’t Help." https://familydoctor.org/antibiotic-resistance.
- American Academy of Pediatrics. "Why Most Sore Throats, Coughs & Runny Noses Don’t Need Antibiotics." https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-home/medication-safety/Pages/Antibiotics-for-a-Sore-Throat-Cough-or-Runny-Nose.aspx.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Antibiotic Do’s & Don’ts." https://www.cdc.gov/antibiotic-use/do-and-dont.html.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Antibiotic Use Questions and Answers: What Everyone Should Know." https://www.cdc.gov/antibiotic-use/community/about/should-know.html.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Antibiotics Aren’t Always the Answer." https://www.cdc.gov/patientsafety/features/be-antibiotics-aware-infographic.html.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Antimicrobial Resistance Questions and Answers." https://www.cdc.gov/antibiotic-use/antibiotic-resistance.html.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "When and How to Wash Your Hands." https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/when-how-handwashing.html.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "When Prescribed Incorrectly, Lifesaving Antibiotics Can Be Dangerous, Carry Real Risks." https://blogs.cdc.gov/safehealthcare/when-prescribed-incorrectly-lifesaving-antibiotics-can-be-dangerous-carry-real-risks.
- Consumer Health Choices. "Antibiotics: Will They Help You or Hurt You?" https://consumerhealthchoices.org/catalog/antibiotics-will-help-hurt.
- National Library of Medicine National Center for Biotechnology Information. "Antifungal Antibiotics." https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538168.