The Side Effects of Antibiotics

Antibiotics were hailed as "wonder drugs" when they were discovered in the mid-twentieth century. The foremost version of antibiotics then was penicillin, famously made from mold, which was able to treat previously life-threatening diseases and sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea. Today, antibiotics come in varied versions ranging in effectiveness. The primary function of antibiotics however, is its antibacterial effect by killing the bacteria themselves or preventing them from reproducing, giving more time for the body to get immune to them or expel them. Antibiotics are still highly potent and effective medicine even today.

Unfortunately, just like any other medicine, they can give side effects. Here are some of them:

• Mild stomach upset
• Soft stools or diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Allergic reaction such as hives, shortness of breath, swelling of the lips, face, or tongue, fainting
• Vaginal itching or vaginal discharge
• White patches on the tongue

If you have any of these symptoms especially allergic reaction and vomiting, you have to go to your doctor immediately so that you will be checked. Allergic reaction from antibiotics can be dangerous if it will lead to anaphylaxis, a medical condition noted for hives, shortness of the breath, causing of the airways, and multiple organ failure.