Antibiotics or no?

Oct 10, 2005 by Naomi.

Two scientists were rewarded for finding the cause of ulcers is bacteria, not stress or spicy foods. Pathologist Dr. Barry J. Marshall and microbiologist Dr. J. Robin Warren, Australians, were awarded the 2005 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their work on gastric disorders. Their findings overturn the long held view that ulcers were physiological illnesses which could be treated with antacids.

The researchers faced years of ridicule from scientists and drug companies. Physicians argued for decades that the interior of the stomach was too acidic for bacteria to grow. Alert physicians observed that ulcers could be cured with a short course of antibiotics and bismuth compounds that killed the bacteria, Helicobacter pylori, which causes more than 90% of duodenal stomach ulcers and 80% of upper intestinal ulcers. The remainder are caused by overuse of aspirin and similar drugs which may eat away at the stomach lining.

Dr. Warren observed a bactium in more than half the patients from which biopsies were obtained. Dr. Marshall joined forces and together they preformed new biopsies finding the same organism in the majority of patients and all of those with ulcers. The bacterium infects roughly half the population around the world but only a small proportion of those infected develop ulcers. What business the bacteria are up to when not making ulcers is yet to be discovered.

The kicker is - when do physicians dispense antibiotics? If I have the nasty culprit in my system it can and will cause distress. That happened a year ago when I suffered debilitating muscle spasms. I had to roll slowly out of bed and breath deeply to recover enough strength to get to the medical center. The gynecologist insisted I had cancer and took every test known to technology. I drew the line on a mammogram but succumbed to all others. Of course nothing noteworthy was found and I was sent on. An internist found ulcers and prescribed a well known and very expensive antacid medication to be taken for several months. Even after the ulcers were gone I was advised to remain on the medicine to prevent recurrence of the ulcers.

I may be one to have Helicobacter pylori in permanent residence in my system. When I had infected gums that caused earaches a few months ago, an antibiotic was prescribed and now all is well. Or is it? At the first sign of a cold or ear ache my inclination is to get the antibiotic treatment. Not a good idea. Antibiotics aren’t guided missiles zeroing in on one target. They are more like scatter guns taking out all bacteria around. Well I’ve got a lot of “good” bacteria that guard my system so killing all in sight may do more harm than good.

So what’s the answer? Stress and a poor diet aren’t the cause of physical problems but they may very well wear down the immune system, making the body unable to prevent ravaging of the stomach lining or other vulnerable areas such as ears and throats. I eat less, drink more water, and sleep whenever I get a chance to avoid getting worn out. With that I may stay lucky and healthy.

Posted in Social Commentary | No Comments »