why do doctors treat a virus with an antibiotic when an antibiotic is to treat bacterial and not viral?
79753
They do it to make you, the consumer, spend lots of unnecessary money on things you don't need, and also to make you feel like they are doing something to help you! My doctor used to do that with me, until one day, I was very upfront with him. He doesn't prescribe anything for my family or me without us actually needing it.
49456
Our micro biology minor gave the best answer...I would like to add that the same disease may present itself differently in people.  Also, the general health and lifestyle of a person may be a major factor in treatment.  If a person has a chronic disease such as diabetes, or has allergies to certain antibiotics, or has cancer, a series of different treatments for their chronic disease may be needed over time, or if a secondary disease to the chronic disease is a problem, may need a different treatment than a healthy person would need.  Just as people have subtle differences....so too diseases....There are some staph bacteria resistant to antibiotics....some staph bacteria respond very well to antibiotics.  The same but different.
287493
Because antibiotics kill bacteria, and an inner Ear infection is a virus. Check the link below to find out about the difference between the two. Not to be rude because in no way do I want to be but ottis media as described in the response below mine is the middle ear. But some of the drops described may help.
142131
Well this depends on a couple of things. Is this a proven bacterial infection? If so, that's fine. If it is a viral infection, it's not going to kill the virus. If it's been prescribed because of the possibility of a superinfection BY a bacteria it's a reasonable option. Antibiotics when used properly are generally safe.\n\nAn editorial note: Never give non-prescribed antibiotics to your child. Antibiotics are bacteria specific. Like other medications, they need to be prescribed by a physician.
682807
the point about cold medicine is to treat symptoms. when it comes down to it, the larger part of viruses is practically impossible to treat. in many cases you just wait for it to self-resolve after supportive treatment.\n\nerm although i agree in some terms with the below poster, there's no denying the scientific improvements have guided us to better treatment not in terms of supportive care but of prevention, direct treatment of pathologies and/or prognosis. the twentieth century in all terms was an accomplishment for medicine.
578900
First, why it can be bad. Antibiotics are substances that kill bacteria; penecillin is one of the most famous. They help the body by killing bacteria that are causing an infection. But they don't work against viruses. Sometimes it's hard to tell if a virus or bacteria is causing an illness. Bacteria can become immune to antibiotics, just like people can develop a tolerance to medicines and they don't work like they should. When bacteria become immune to an antibiotic, that means that the antibiotic won't be effective at killing that strain of bacteria. So the next person who needs an antibiotic for that strain of bacteria needs a different (and usually stronger) antibiotic. If bacteria get immune to enough antibiotics, they can cause serious outbreaks that people won't be able to deal with. But there's sort-of good news: there are many strains of bacteria out there. Although that means many chances of infection, it also means that people will get different strains (and different strains mean different medicines and different susceptibilities to antibiotics). If a bacteria strain is immune to some of the strongest antibiotics available, then it would be a super-bacteria, causing potentially millions of deaths world-wide.\n\nDoctors prescribe antibotics for a number of reasons. A lot of people don't feel like their doctor visit was worthwhile unless they get a prescription to help them feel better. Sometimes it's hard to tell if a virus or a bacteria is causing the problem. Sometimes doctors prescribe antibiotics for virus illnesses because they think that it will help kill any bacteria in the body, so the immune system can focus on the virus infection.
931024
You go to your doctor and he'll give you something for it. If it's a bacterial infection, then you'll probably end up with antibiotics.
299385
antibiotics only treat bacteria, a cold sore is a virus.  Pretty straightfoward.
1186829
It is a strong antibiotic used to treat bacterial problems, STDs, and even acne,infections of the skin, bone, stomach, respiratory tract, sinuses, ear, and urinary tract. It also treats Lyme disease.
147948
I'll try to use a simple talk.\nAntibiotics work to kill bacteria. Bacteria are single-cell organisms. If bacteria make it past our immune systems and start reproducing inside our bodies, they cause disease. We want to kill the bacteria to eliminate the disease. \nAn antibiotic is a selective poison. It has been chosen so that it will kill the desired bacteria, but not the cells in your body. Each different type of antibiotic affects different bacteria in different ways. For example, an antibiotic might inhibit a bacterium's ability to turn glucose into energy, or its ability to construct its cell wall. When this happens, the bacterium dies instead of reproducing. At the same time, the antibiotic acts only on the bacterium's cell-wall-building mechanism, not on a normal cell's. Ok?
205313
The cough...or a cold is a virus and yes, you can get it while on antibiotics.  The flu is also a virus....Antibiotics are for bacterial infections.  And if you take them all the time (some people do), your body will become immune and they won't work when you really do have an infection...like strep throat.
34067
Nope. Colds are viral. Antibiotics do nothing to viruses. If you get a sinus infection or something like that along with the cold the antibiotics would cure the infection, but it wont help the cold. Take some things like vitamin C and echinacea to naturally boost your immune system and you may get over it quicker.
658448
Making sure the full course of antibiotics is taken to make sure  all bacteria are killed and none are left to build up resistance. Using a combination of antibiotics is also needed./
134025
Antibiotics are specificly to kill bacteria.  When misused they can promote the development of bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics so should always be used by following a physician's directions
483281
antibiotics are supposed to make it not work
319665
Virus' cant be treated with antibiotics, you would use an antiviral med.  Pneumonia can kill you and it is treatable with antibiotics such as Keflex.
518461
Antibiotics will not work on viral infections, because viruses are not alive and the word ANTI-BIO-TIC means anti-living thing. That's why they work on bacterial infections- bacteria are organisms. \nWhat’s the harm in taking antibiotics\nanytime? Using antibiotics when they are\nnot needed causes some bacteria to become\nresistant to the antibiotic.\nThese resistant bacteria are stronger and\nharder to kill. They can stay in your body\nand can cause severe illnesses that cannot be\ncured with antibiotic medicines. A cure for\nresistant bacteria may require stronger\ntreatment – and possibly a stay in the hospital.\n\nUsing antibiotics for a virus:\n• Will NOT cure the infection\n• Will NOT help you feel better\n• Will NOT keep others from catching\nyour illness