Avoid antibiotics for a cold: expert

[snoop1130]

Avoid antibiotics for a cold: expert

By Puangchumpoo Prasert 
The Nation

 

Sirikiat Liangkobkit

 

Health experts have warned people against seeking unnecessary antibiotics for the common cold or other common minor illnesses.
 

“The human immune system can recover from such symptoms without the help of antibiotics, and that’s the better and more sustainable solution,” Sirikiat Liangkobkit, the head of Thai Health Promotion Foundation’s Health Risk Control II Section, said on Thursday. 

 

He said diarrhea, food poisoning, and minor cuts usually did not pose serious health threats either. 

 

“Antibiotics kill not just bad, but also good, bacteria in the body. That’s why we should avoid the use of antibiotics for non-serious health conditions,” Sirikiat said. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30321993

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-7-27

[petedk]

He is a real expert.

 

Most Thai doctors prescribe antibiotics for every little illness (including colds)

 

Every time I sneeze or have a slight cold I hear Thais say "go to the doctor. Get some medicine."

 

Antibiotics can never help cure a cold. Antibiotics kill bacteria. Colds are caused by viruses.

Antibiotics can be used to cure complications arising from bad colds but not the colds.

[observer90210]

This gentleman could not be more true...

 

Homeopathy can work miracles on minor symptoms...

 

If obviously one cannot do much against pollution that can cause some unpleasent health issues, on closer observing one's body, it can help to avoid certain alimentary consumptions that can cause minor sore throats or nasal congestion...

 

Certain elementary precautions also can help... for instance I am always intrigued when I see people boarding a plane in a tropical country, dressed in shorts and flip flops...the sneezing usually starts a few hours after takeoff...same with aircons that are on full throttle in Thai malls or public transport...always a good idea to carry a light jacket and a light scarf as I usually do in the SkyTrain in Bangkok and don't give a damm if it makes me look stupid!

 

(Before getting "quote bigoted", naturally all of this car vary from one individual to another, it's just my humble opinion etc, etc, etc,...but it just could be worth to try out to remain healthy!)

[YetAnother]

22 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

“Antibiotics kill not just bad, but also good, bacteria in the body. That’s why we should avoid the use of antibiotics for non-serious health conditions,” Sirikiat said. 

illustrates a huge gap in most or all education systems; basic anatomy, food,drugs; along the way, likely jump start of few bright kids into the medical profession

[williamgeorgeallen]

over prescription of antibiotics is a problem the world over. once resistance becomes a problem the pharmaceutical companies will make a fortune creating the next drug to be over prescribed. system works up to a point that there are just no drugs left to create.

nice article but of course it is unlikely to change anything. 

[Rancid]

Cold and flu are viral so antibiotics have no effect, only used in viruses like pneumonia for secondary bacterial infections. But doctors are like politicians, in that they need to be seen to be doing something even if what they do is useless or harmful.

[yellowboat]

The less you take antibiotics and the more water you drink the healthier you are. 

[wgdanson]

And you CANNOT get a cold by going out in the rain without a hat or coat.

[madmitch]

I've been telling my GF this for years

 

Does that make me an expert?

[decca60]

Don't take antibiotics except if really needed for a true bacterial infection. For the rest, there is enough antibio in the chicken, beef and pork you eat everyday.........

[wildewillie89]

Antibiotic resistance deaths in Thai annually is 38,000. All of Europe is 25,000 from memory. Says it all really. 

It isn't purely a doctor issue, yes many doctors over prescribe here of course. But it is also a societal issue. My doctor tells the wife and I that we are her favourites as we do not ask for drugs. She says, even if she says no to the patients demands for drugs, they will make a complaint about her and move to have their children to be seen by another doctor who WILL prescribe. 

 

Just a lack of education really. The mother-in-law was surprised when our baby magically got better by herself every time she had a cold, and now is going around the village telling other families not to use antibiotics. 

 

It is one reason that as a 27 year old, my primary doctor in Thailand is a pediatrician. And why I have made her the family doctor. I tried many other doctors in the area and the majority of them were not that great or did want to prescribe (I would ask for drugs to test them after they said it was a cold). Educate your family and find one doctor who you do trust here, and just stick with them. No excuses these days, there are viral vs. bacteria posters up around hospitals everywhere, if the Mrs still cant believe it, then I suggest do not reproduce lol. 

 

 

Edited July 28, 2017 by wildewillie89

[Krataiboy]

Doctors, for a variety of reasons, have become the sales arm of Big Pharma. They get lots of perks from drugs firms and many  hard-working GPs yield to temptation and push pills on their patients rather than give them the  proper examination, diagnosis and treatment they deserve.

 

There is far too much emphasis on dishing out antibiotics and other dubious "cures" when commonsense indicates that the emphasis should be on  disease prevention, primarily through public education.

 

I am astonished at how little Thai people generally know so little, for example, about the importance of a healthy diet and  food hygiene - an ignorance reflected in the Kingdom's numerous food poisoning outbreaks. Or, rather, I was shocked - until I learned from my own children how little formal education they are given on these vital subjects.

 

They are in distinguished company. I read the other day that less than ten per cent of doctors are trained in nutrition!

 

This is tragic, for as late and great Muhammad Ali sagely observed, we are what we eat.  Until we get this message, we will continue to spend massive amounts of taxpayers' money in a bid to remedy conditions which, with a little foreknowledge,  could easily have been avoided.

Edited July 28, 2017 by Krataiboy

[wgdanson]

1 hour ago, madmitch said:

I've been telling my GF this for years

 

Does that make me an expert?

Tell her to go out NAKED and see if she gets a cold.

[Orton Rd]

why can you still go into any pharmacy and buy them over the counter?

[Gumballl]

As a young adult, I have been afflicted with the colds, with influenza (the flu), strep throat and even sinus infections.  Some of these illnesses exhibit the same symptoms, but after a while, a person should learn to distinguish one illness from the other without the help of a doctor.

 

The latter two illnesses are trivial to diagnose, and typically would require antibiotics to remedy such.  The first two should be allowed to run their course, for which there are over-the-counter remedies (not cures!) to allay the symptoms.  One of the most underrated 'medicines' is sunlight, which helps the body produce vitamin D... and helps prevent colds.

[scubascuba3]

Maybe Drs should give them placebos instead.

I had 5 back to back colds last year in Pattaya, i put it down to the poor air quality around at the time

[VBF]

On 7/27/2017 at 7:09 PM, observer90210 said:

This gentleman could not be more true...

 

Homeopathy can work miracles on minor symptoms...

 

If obviously one cannot do much against pollution that can cause some unpleasent health issues, on closer observing one's body, it can help to avoid certain alimentary consumptions that can cause minor sore throats or nasal congestion...

 

Certain elementary precautions also can help... for instance I am always intrigued when I see people boarding a plane in a tropical country, dressed in shorts and flip flops...the sneezing usually starts a few hours after takeoff...same with aircons that are on full throttle in Thai malls or public transport...always a good idea to carry a light jacket and a light scarf as I usually do in the SkyTrain in Bangkok and don't give a damm if it makes me look stupid!

 

(Before getting "quote bigoted", naturally all of this car vary from one individual to another, it's just my humble opinion etc, etc, etc,...but it just could be worth to try out to remain healthy!)

@observer90210 I totally agree that malls and public transport in Thailand are "over-air-conditioned" however you do NOT get a cold or flu from being IN the cold. They are viral as has been pointed out above. The only reason for wearing more clothes in those circumstances is to make you FEEL more comfortable. In fact, it could be said that the cold conditions are more likely to kill off the viruses than exacerbate their effect. 

Having said that, I do the same as you if on a train or bus, but the fact is that it's just that I don't like feeling cold for hours at a time - I could stay in England for that!

Edited July 28, 2017 by metisdead
Please do not modify someone else's post in your quoted reply, either with font or color changes.

[scubascuba3]

18 minutes ago, VBF said:

@observer90210 I totally agree that malls and public transport in Thailand are "over-air-conditioned" however you do NOT get a cold or flu from being IN the cold. They are viral as has been pointed out above. The only reason for wearing more clothes in those circumstances is to make you FEEL more comfortable. In fact, it could be said that the cold conditions are more likely to kill off the viruses than exacerbate their effect. 

Having said that, I do the same as you if on a train or bus, but the fact is that it's just that I don't like feeling cold for hours at a time - I could stay in England for that!

Except the cold can weaken your immune system to fight the cold.

 

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/nationalpost.com/health/why-do-we-catch-more-colds-when-the-temperature-drops-blame-our-immune-system/wcm/f6cfea43-ef70-42ad-ab39-adfbfd509214/amp

[Gumballl]

1 minute ago, scubascuba3 said:

Except the cold can weaken your immune system to fight the cold.

 

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/nationalpost.com/health/why-do-we-catch-more-colds-when-the-temperature-drops-blame-our-immune-system/wcm/f6cfea43-ef70-42ad-ab39-adfbfd509214/amp

I disagree.  People catch colds by the spread of the cold virus.  Such transmissions, occur more easily/frequently in confined quarters, such as what you would expect to find when the weather is cold.  The coughing, sneezing and blowing one's nose all contribute to the spread of the virus... and this is exacerbated when people are confined to the indoors.

 

In the summertime, people are generally outdoors, so there is less risk of contaminating a broad range of people.  Sure, people still contract the cold virus in summer, but it is rare.

 

When I travel to Thailand (typically I'm here in the summer), it amazes me to see people sick with the cold.  This proves that it has very little to do with the weather, and more to do with hygiene.  Wash hands often, and avoid touching eyes/nose/mouth.  Keep surfaces (counter tops, door handles and light switches) clean of the virus.

[VBF]

17 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Except the cold can weaken your immune system to fight the cold.

 

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/nationalpost.com/health/why-do-we-catch-more-colds-when-the-temperature-drops-blame-our-immune-system/wcm/f6cfea43-ef70-42ad-ab39-adfbfd509214/amp

Now THAT is an interesting theory / fact (?) of which I was unaware, but if one's immune system is that weak, may there not be an underlying issue? So perhaps my point is not quite as relevant as i thought. However @Gumballl posted his/her response whilst I was writing this and I do tend to agree with what he/she said.

 

However, getting back to the OP, it remains true that antibiotics are not the answer to every ailment as some people are led to think.

Edited July 28, 2017 by VBF

[Ceruhe]

It's a real struggle to not tell people to <deleted> ALREADY after you told them for the 5th time you aren't going to a doctor because you got a cold, compound that annoyance by the fact that more than 1 person keeps telling you to go see a doctor.... /sigh

 

While people be talking of cold causing or being a cause of getting the cold, albeit I can't jump on that bandwagon myself from experience...did any of you hear about Wim Hof yet or looked into that to whatever degree? Got some decent science behind it, though both aspects of his teachings(?)have been around  for quite some while to one degree or another.

[scubascuba3]

24 minutes ago, Gumballl said:

I disagree.  People catch colds by the spread of the cold virus.  Such transmissions, occur more easily/frequently in confined quarters, such as what you would expect to find when the weather is cold.  The coughing, sneezing and blowing one's nose all contribute to the spread of the virus... and this is exacerbated when people are confined to the indoors.

 

In the summertime, people are generally outdoors, so there is less risk of contaminating a broad range of people.  Sure, people still contract the cold virus in summer, but it is rare.

 

When I travel to Thailand (typically I'm here in the summer), it amazes me to see people sick with the cold.  This proves that it has very little to do with the weather, and more to do with hygiene.  Wash hands often, and avoid touching eyes/nose/mouth.  Keep surfaces (counter tops, door handles and light switches) clean of the virus.

"Yale University has found when the core body temperature inside the nose falls by 5C, the immune system does not work as well to fight the cold virus"

 

Do i believe Yale University or a Thaivisa BM? tough one

[VBF]

So taking all the above posts into account, it would appear that possibly, the immune system is weaker in the cold, but fending off viruses by good hygiene and cleanliness also helps to avoid contact with the virus. Sorry to bang the drum, but the fact remains, as i said above (and getting back to the OP,) it remains true that antibiotics are not the answer to every ailment as some people are led to think.

  

[bberrythailand]

20 hours ago, petedk said:

 

Antibiotics can never help cure a cold. Antibiotics kill bacteria. Colds are caused by viruses.

 

 

 

Maybe even doctors don't know it in this country :-)

 

 

 

 

[tryasimight]

8 hours ago, yellowboat said:

The less you take antibiotics and the more water you drink the healthier you are. 

Depending, of course, on the source of the water.

[tryasimight]

8 hours ago, wgdanson said:

And you CANNOT get a cold by going out in the rain without a hat or coat.

Well you can, but the rain without a coat and hat is not the reason.

[tryasimight]

6 hours ago, Orton Rd said:

why can you still go into any pharmacy and buy them over the counter?

why not? I think it is a good thing.

[metisdead]

An off topic trolling post has been removed, this is not about obesity in western countries. 

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

7 hours ago, VBF said:

@observer90210 I totally agree that malls and public transport in Thailand are "over-air-conditioned" however you do NOT get a cold or flu from being IN the cold. They are viral as has been pointed out above. The only reason for wearing more clothes in those circumstances is to make you FEEL more comfortable. In fact, it could be said that the cold conditions are more likely to kill off the viruses than exacerbate their effect. 

Having said that, I do the same as you if on a train or bus, but the fact is that it's just that I don't like feeling cold for hours at a time - I could stay in England for that!

Overall I agree with what you say, but some people like observer and myself find that long periods of being in cold conditions, or the constant change from hot to cold seems to lower the resistance to the cold virus,

or what we used to call getting a chill.

??

 

 

[anon789561]

Whilst the thai doc is stating the obvious! in other news this week should you really finish a course of antibiotics which has always been the rule

http://www.bbc.com/news/health-40731465