Posted on 09/20/2023 2:38:40 PM PDT by DallasBiff
Most bacterial and viral infections are contagious, and different types of pathogens may lead to symptoms of varying severity. Some illnesses may require antibiotics or antiviral treatments, while others may be prevented with the help of vaccinations.
In this article, we take a look at the primary differences between bacterial and viral infections. We explore how these infections are transmitted and treated and what you can do to prevent getting and passing them on.
(Excerpt) Read more at healthline.com ...
A few drops of hydrogen peroxide in your ears is a great preventative.
Especially when your ears itch.
Has worked well for me when I’m starting to feel puny
“ I’m going out on a limb here, but bacterial infections are caused by bacteria and viral infections are caused by viruses.”
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Well, that IS a leading theory. /sarc
“doctors prescribe antibiotics for viruses all the time”
That’s because the docs know that there are opportunistic bacterial infections that can follow a viral infection if you are run-down and have a weakened immune system. I’ve never had a doc prescribe an antibiotic for a viral infection, but they have often given me antibiotics to avoid a subsequent bacterial infection.
You should be the new Healthcare Czar.,.
I can’t begin to tell you the number of people I know who think you should take an antibiotic anytime you’re sick with a virus. It just doesn’t compute for some people.
Doctors do it (give an antibiotic) to avoid hearing from a patient that they aren’t doing enough to treat them. And because of this horrible practice, we have created resistance to the antibiotics. Just swell. I did research on this a pretty long damn time ago, when I was in HS.
Opportunistic bacterial infections are real, but doctors should not prescribe antibiotics until the virus has run its course, and the opportunistic infection shows up. To do so early is to invite a problem later on.
Thanks. I’ve gotten antibiotics long after the viral infection cleared and the bacterial infection started. It’s mainly been for viral bronchitis.
In an interesting twist, my old doc retired and the young doc who took his place said I don’t have bronchitis at all, but severe post nasal drip. This is the first doc in about 40 years to think that.
It sounds like you had opportunistic bacterial infections that preyed on your bronchial conditions. I have had environmental allergies that have caused me to have chronic bronchitis since I was a teenager. When I control my allergies (ie.post-nasal drip), I control my bronchial issues. Maybe someone is finally paying attention to his patient? Not sure, but it is interesting that your new young doctor thinks something different. Certainly worth investigating. Best of luck to you!
Thanks. You mentioned “interesting that your new young doctor thinks something different.” Interesting that you mentioned that because she was tooting her own horn to me in that regard. She was stating that she is young, has different approaches, looks at things differently. She stated that a couple times. It was almost on the verge of bragging. I wasn’t sure what to make of it.
I think they were on to something!"
How Rye Bread May Have Caused the Salem Witch Trials
Some of them may have been on something
I understand what you mean. There is sometimes a certain amount of confidence these younguns have that seems to put me off, but at the same time, if I have a problem that they correctly diagnose and fix, then I start giving them more respect, which has to be earned, in my book.
Fascinating story. Thanks for posting that link.
I’ve got some sourdough bread in the bulk fermentation state right now in the kitchen. I use a blend of high-protein hard red wheat flour, whole wheat flour and RYE flour. If I start writing crazy things, you can check me for ergotism!
At least, more crazy things than normal.
I give that a 7 on the honking hoot scale.
You're going to drive physicians crazy by posting something like that. NO - they do not prescribe antibiotics for a virus. Sometimes, when you get a virus you become more susceptible to an opportunistic bacterial infection and need an antibiotic. Physicians do not want to prescribe antibiotics unless they're really needed - plus the patents on many of them have now expired so the drug companies make less profit from them.
BTW in case anyone is interested - bacterium is the singular form of the noun and bacteria is the plural - like auditorium/auditoria, gymnasium/gymnasia, natatorium/natatorium, medium/media, datum/data. Then there's alumnus vs alumna but that's a whole nother story.
What did we ever get from the Romans?
My favorite plural construction is “deer.”
My second favorite is the plural of “Attorney General.”
so thats where gasket sealer comes from
You’re going to drive physicians crazy by posting something like that. NO - they do not prescribe antibiotics for a virus. Sometimes, when you get a virus you become more susceptible to an opportunistic bacterial infection and need an antibiotic. Physicians do not want to prescribe antibiotics unless they’re really needed - plus the patents on many of them have now expired so the drug companies make less profit from them.
BTW in case anyone is interested - bacterium is the singular form of the noun and bacteria is the plural - like auditorium/auditoria, gymnasium/gymnasia, natatorium/natatorium, medium/media, datum/data. Then there’s alumnus vs alumna but that’s a whole nother story.
I think you ae wrong here. I see doctors prescribing antibiotics for seasonal allergies all the time, as well as colds and flu.
I think you should consider changing doctors.
I see doctors prescribing antibiotics for seasonal allergies all the time, as well as colds and flu.
I think you should consider changing doctors.
Not my doctor, I don’t know if he would or not, but other people’s doctors do, as does Teladoc.
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