Warning from an expert: 'Do not use medication unconsciously for colds and flu'

Stating that the sudden changes in air temperatures in recent days have brought about illnesses such as colds, the common cold, headaches, and flu infections, Internal Medicine Specialist Dr. Mesut Şahin said, “Illnesses we can call seasonal diseases caused by weather conditions, such as colds, flu, and the common cold, are serious and should be taken seriously. A person should not decide on the treatment of the illness on their own and should not use antibiotics without a doctor's recommendation.”

In recent days, changing weather conditions and sudden temperature spikes due to seasonal factors have brought about illnesses such as colds, the common cold, headaches, and flu infections. Internal Medicine Specialist Dr. Mesut Şahin warned citizens against seasonal illnesses, stating that the treatment to be applied for each illness is different and that citizens should not apply treatments to themselves or use antibiotics unconsciously.

Specialist Dr. Şahin stated, “Illnesses we can call seasonal diseases caused by weather conditions, such as colds, flu, and the common cold, are serious and should be taken seriously. A person should not decide on the type and treatment of the illness on their own, and especially should not use antibiotics without a doctor's recommendation.”

''WHILE ANTIBIOTICS CAN HEAL A PERSON WHEN USED CORRECTLY...''

Underlining that antibiotics used on one's own without consulting a doctor are much more harmful to body health, Specialist Dr. Şahin said, “We see serious problems in the use of antibiotics in our society. Patients often come to us having already applied a treatment of their own. In most of these cases, we witness that antibiotics are used unconsciously without consulting a doctor. While an antibiotic can heal a person and restore their health when used correctly, it can also cause some harm to the human body when used incorrectly.”

''INCORRECT ANTIBIOTIC USE...''

Discussing the harms of incorrect antibiotic use, Şahin said, “As a result of unconscious antibiotic use, resistance to antibiotics can develop in the body and the effectiveness of the drug can decrease. It can negatively affect kidney and liver functions, suppress bone marrow and the immune system, increase fungal and parasitic infections, cause bloody diarrhea in patients, lead to tooth yellowing in children, hinder children's growth process, and trigger anemia and asthma. Superinfections can occur and the illness can deepen further. For example, after a simple upper respiratory tract infection, diseases such as pneumonia, sinusitis, or middle ear infections can develop. To avoid encountering such negative outcomes, our citizens should not use antibiotics on their own in the treatment of illnesses and must not neglect to consult a specialist doctor.”