MEDICAL MYTHOLOGY

The Antibiotic Myth

Antibiotics are one of the greatest innovations in the history of medicine, making cures possible for many of mankind’s worst and most long-lasting enemies.

Contrary to popular opinion, however, they can’t do everything, and the differences between what they can and cannot do are sometimes confusing.

Here’s a classic example: antibiotics cannot treat a sore throat, but they’re the perfect choice for strep throat.

What’s the difference?

Antibiotics work only against bacteria (germs), not viruses. A simple sore throat is caused by a virus, while strep is caused by a bacterial infection.

For the same reason, antibiotics are completely ineffective against COVID-19, which is caused by a virus. Having said that, a patient with COVID might receive antibiotics if they have some kind of bacterial infection on the side.

The magical reputation of antibiotics is such that their misuse and the resulting antibiotic resistance is a big problem in medicine. privacy is a major benefit. Not only does no one hear your conversation with the medical receptionist — which can sometimes be full of private details about the reason for your visit — but you don’t have to hear the same details from other patients either, or their conversations while they wait, whether on their cell or with other waiting patients.

Let’s say someone has a bacterial infection and they are prescribed an antibiotic and told to take all of the pills as prescribed. That might be a 7-day course of treatment. But after three days or so, they feel great and decide to save the pills for their next infection, saving the cost of a doctor visit and another prescription (or so they think).

What happens instead is that they have not killed off the infection by cutting short their treatment. The surviving bacteria are now antibiotic-resistant (the old “whatever doesn’t kill me makes me stronger” syndrome). The next time the patient uses that very medication, its effectiveness will be mysteriously educed.

In another common scenario, the person who took the 3-day regimen instead of the 7-day course generously offers his leftover pills to a friend or family member who has a cold, the flu, or a runny nose, all common viral infections. In other words, antibiotics will be completely ineffective against them.

Meanwhile, antibiotics can actually kill perfectly harmless or even beneficial bacteria. Curiously, harmful bacteria can, in effect, “learn” survival techniques from harmless bacteria that survives an antibiotic treatment and passes along its drug-resistant properties.

The key to the curative magic of antibiotics is simple: take them exactly as prescribed and only as prescribed. Good health to you.

From the standpoint of a medical practice, notes Woods, the absence of a traditional waiting room removes a germ incubator that staff members don’t have to be exposed to either. Keeping patients from having to spend time in such a room helps keep them healthier too.

“It’s a major space that we don’t have to build, furnish, heat and cool all year round, or clean and sanitize throughout the day,” says Woods. “It means a smaller building can be just as efficient, so a smaller lot can be suitable and construction costs can be lower.”

The concept may seem to be a logical response to pandemic-era infection control, but it was actually conceived well before anyone had ever heard of COVID-19, the brainchild of Dr. Troy Coon, one of Perfect Health’s founding physicians.

The office has only been open for a few months, and time will tell if the concept catches on elsewhere, but Perfect Health staffers say the feedback from patients so far has been overwhelmingly positive.

The only problem is, it’s so new that an accurate description of it hasn’t yet been hatched. What would you call this method of healthcare delivery?

Drive-thru medicine isn’t quite accurate, and drive-up is not exactly a good description either. So what is it? Room Service Medicine?

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN URGENT CARE AND THE EMERGENCY ROOM?

There are major differences that sometimes confuse patients, especially in those hectic moments after an injury occurs.

Urgent care might be considered the middle ground between a family doctor and the ER. Their hours might be longer, offering treatment on weekends or evenings. Sometimes they’re staffed by nurses, nurse practitioners and physician’s assistants. Some specialize in specifics like sports medicine, but most offer a limited but still extensive menu of treatment options. They are not a fullfledged emergency department, but they can be a great option for minor cuts and burns, sprains and simple fractures, flu symptoms, rashes, etc.

An ER, by comparison, is open 24/7. Wait times and costs will likely be greatly increased, but the level of treatment is heightened too, and is exactly what is needed for serious conditions like compound fractures, seizures, major lacerations, uncontrolled bleeding and more.

There are situations like chest pain, stroke, heart attack, and shortness of breath where the ER is definitely the place to go but you don’t want to drive yourself or the patient there. Call 911, which offers the advantage of emergency care on the way to the ER. +

Suite Spot Healthcare? Private Prompt Care or Private Access Health? Personal Space Medicine?

If you come up with something accurate yet concise and catchy, let them know at Perfect Health.

Maybe they’ll give you a free appendectomy or something.