Ali res potrebujete antibiotik?

In winter, the number of colds increases significantly. As a result, waiting rooms in medical institutions are also filled. In general, we would say that when we have a cold, we often consult a doctor and mistakenly expect treatment with antibiotics.

Antibiotics are medicines used to treat bacterial infections. Antibiotic agents are derived from fungi, bacteria, lichens or higher plants. The best known antibiotic, penicillin, is a mold product. Some antibiotics today are produced semi-synthetically and synthetically. The pharmaceutical industry has so far developed broad-spectrum antibiotics that act on many different types of bacteria and narrow-spectrum antibiotics that act only on a specific type of bacteria.

Antibiotics destroy or inhibit the reproduction of a microorganism that causes an infection in the body. In many cases, the causes of inflammation of the throat and respiratory tract are viruses, on which antibiotics have no effect or have done more harm than good.

Unnecessary antibiotic treatment increases the risk of later-onset infections with resistant bacteria. However, antibiotic-resistant bacteria can also cause infections in other people, not just the person who has (unnecessarily) taken the antibiotic, as the bacteria spread among humans, animals and the environment. The more antibiotics used, the more bacteria develop resistance to them. Viral respiratory disease, which includes colds, is treated symptomatically: rest, foods rich in vitamins, drinking plenty of fluids, medicines to reduce fever with fever, nasal decongestants for nasal congestion (to improve nasal congestion), and analgesics for headache

Viral diseases can be treated symptomatically and never with antibiotics

You can buy self-testing tests in pharmacies. With the tests you get the first result right at home. Veroval self-test " Do you need an antibiotic?" is the first indicator of the direction your disease is progressing.

Quick tests for self-testing even in case of a cold

Use the test to find out in 5 minutes if your a cold is a reflection of a bacterial or viral infection. The test is based on measuring the concentration of C-reactive protein (CRP) in the blood. CRP is an acute phase protein and is present in very low concentrations in healthy individuals. It is an indicator of a bacterial infection. As a rule, there is no increase in CRP concentration in viral infections. A rapid drop in CRP levels during recovery allows monitoring of the course of the disease and the success of antibiotic treatment. The quick test makes it easier to monitor your comfort at home, as the test is 95% reliable.

A positive test result means that it is probably a bacterial infection and consequently the possibility of proper use of antibiotics. Don't diagnose yourself! In case of positive test results and long-term symptoms, it is obligatory to see your personal doctor.

The right diagnosis is made by your doctor

When the flu and cold season arrives. it also makes sense to take preventive measures. This means frequent hand washing, use of disinfectant, avoiding touching the mouth, eyes and nose. In addition to hygiene recommendations, influenza vaccination is the most effective.