Antibiotics
Antibiotics are powerful medicines that can stop some bacterial infections and save lives. However, antibiotics can cause more harm than good when they aren’t used the right way. You can protect yourself and your family by knowing when you should use antibiotics and when you shouldn’t.
Antibiotics do not work against infections caused by viruses, which are the cause of colds, flu and most episodes of coughs and sore throats.
Antibiotics have been used so often that new variants of disease causing bacteria have started to infect people in the NWT. These "super bugs" have become more tolerant to commonly used antibiotics, and some have become resistant to all available antibiotics. Therefore, wise use of antibiotics is very important.
The following links provide information on treating common illnesses at home, without the use of antibiotics:
- bronchitis;
- colds;
- ear infections;
- flu;
- sinus infections; and
- sore throat.
Self care advice on treating these illnesses is also found in "Do I Need to See the Nurse/Doctor?", a book that was mailed to all NWT households in March 2003. If you need a copy, talk to your nurse or call the Department of Health and Social Services at (867) 873-7155. In addition, you can call Tele-Care NWT at 1-888-255-1010 for more information on treating illnesses.
Don't expect your doctor to give you antibiotics to treat your flu or cold. If you take them when you don't need them, you could contribute to the development of "super bugs". That means that when you really need the antibiotic, it might no longer work.
In your own home, you can further prevent the emergence of super bugs by:
- frequently washing your hands; and
- getting flu vaccinations.
In the NWT, health professionals fight super bugs by:
-
screening for super bugs in all hospitals;
-
tracking super bugs by reporting them to the Chief Medical Health Officer;
-
treating common infections like colds and the flu without antibiotics;
-
controlling infections in all health centres; and
-
encouraging everyone to maintain up to date immunizations.
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Last Updated: November 14, 2006 |
