Why won't my doctor prescribe an antibiotic?

In association with Hidden Hearing I recently had an ear infection which was quite painful but my doctor wouldn't prescribe an antibiotic for me. In the end, it did clear up after several days but can you tell me why my doctor would have been reluctant to prescribe something. Jane There are two principle causes of an infection; virus and bacteria. If your doctor decides that your ear infection was caused by a virus, an antibiotic will not help to clear it up. An antibiotic is a selective poison that kills certain bacteria but doesn't harm the cells in your body. An antibiotic will not work on a virus because a virus is not alive. You might well ask; why not take an antibiotic anyway, to be on the safe side? The danger with taking unnecessary antibiotics is twofold. Firstly, about one in five people who take antibiotics suffer some kind of side-effect, such as rash, stomach upset or diarrhoea. Just as important is the risk of bacteria become resistant to an antibiotic. If you take many courses of antibiotics, bacteria can change so that the antibiotic no longer works against them. These bacteria are then much harder to treat. If, in future, you suffer from an infection that is resistant to antibiotics, your infection may become prolonged and require hospital treatment. In particular, you shouldn't expose your children to many rounds of unnecessary antibiotics. Most common infections clear up by themselves. An ear infection should have cleared in around four days, a sore throat in one week and a common cold in around ten days. A cough may last up to three weeks, while a sinus infection should clear in slightly less time. If any of these infections last longer, you should consult your doctor again for more advice. Rather than take an antibiotic, you should ask your doctor to recommend a medicine that will help ease your symptoms while you are suffering the virus. Many of these are available over the counter without prescription. Of course there are many cases where you must take antibiotics to clear an infection as soon as possible. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics for infections that are caused by bacteria - such as kidney infections, chest infections or, indeed, some ear infections. And antibiotics can save lives for serious infections such as meningitis. If you or your child needs antibiotics, you should take them exactly as prescribed. Some antibiotics must be taken with food, while others should be taken on an empty stomach. You should also complete the full course of treatment as directed by your pharmacist, even if your symptoms clear up. If you don't, some bacteria may be left in your body and it may then become resistant to antibiotics. Only take antibiotics that have been prescribed for you - you should never, ever take left-over drugs that were prescribed for somebody else. On an on-going basis, you can reduce your exposure to harmful bacteria by washing your hands with soap and water before eating and after using the toilet. Also do make sure that you have all the vaccinations you need to protect you from infection and ensure that any children are up-to-date with their immunisations.   You can book a hearing test free of charge at any of Hidden Hearing's 60 clinics nationwide. Freephone 1800 882884 or visit www.hiddenhearing.ie.