When Should an Antibiotic Be Used in Wound Care?
Some of the most common advice when it comes to treating a wound at home is to consult a doctor if you have any questions or concerns.
When you go to the doctor and are examined, many people are often prescribed an antibiotic—even if they may not 100% need it.
Overuse of antibiotics, however, can do more harm than good. Taking antibiotics too often can diminish their effect and cause what’s called antibiotic resistance; bacteria become used to the drugs and are harder to kill. The World Health Organization (WHO) calls antibiotic resistance one of the biggest threats to global health today. Antibiotic resistance can lead to extended hospital stays; in the case of wound care (especially pressure ulcers in diabetic patients), it could mean the loss of a limb.
CHC has a look at how you can determine and work with your doctor to talk about when antibiotics are necessary.
Is an Antibiotic Necessary?
This article says that an infection needs to be confirmed before any antibiotic is prescribed. The author suggests a tissue biopsy as the best way to accomplish this because it identifies organisms that are invading the wound, whereas a swab only identifies what is on the surface.
If the tissue biopsy confirms the presence of a bacterial infection, then that information can be used to prescribe a targeted antibiotic. This will be more effective than a drug that’s prescribed to treat a broad spectrum of bacteria.
If your doctor just looks at a wound and prescribes an antibiotic, ask how he’s sure a bacterial infection is present.
Understanding Side Effects
Remember, antibiotics can often come with unpleasant side effects, which include nausea, diarrhea, and other potentially serious maladies. Exposing a patient to these risks should only be done when necessary; in other words, when it’s confirmed that a bacterial infection is present and the use of antibiotics is absolutely required.
