MRSA Treatment - Complications From Ongoing Antibiotic Treatment For MRSA

MRSA is methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus, a mutated form of staph bacteria that is able to endure the curative abilities of medication such as antibiotics. The mutation was caused both by misuse and overuse of antibiotics resulting in a strain of the bacteria able to proliferate and eventually create infections and complications unabated. Initially, it was penicillin that was able to cure staph infections but as time passed on, together with the misuse and overuse, the bacteria was able to develop resistance against penicillin. Then there was methicillin to which the bacteria was also able to develop a resistance. Now, one of the few antibiotics able to counteract the effects of MRSAis vancomycin but there are the complications from ongoing antibiotic treatment.

The Effects of Antibiotic Treatment 

There is a growing misconception as to antibiotics in general. Antibiotics, by themselves, do not cure infection. These types of medication do not kill the bacteria or contaminant. I does not have the ability to identify dangerous and foreign elements in the body and take action to neutralize them. The body's immune system is the one with both the capacity and ability to do this. What the antibiotic does though is supports the body's own immune system to be better able the increased activity of viral antigens or bacteria in the body. The antibiotic stimulates the creation of more immune agents in the body to enable it to combat and effectively kill off the bacterial infection.

Thus the misuse and overuse of antibiotics creates an occasion that the body has a higher tolerance for antibiotic agents. With the greater amount of antibiotic medication present, the body adjusts itself to accommodate the chemical change. As one stops taking antibiotics, the bacteria that was not destroyed is able to flourish, assimilating itself to the environment of higher tolerance to the chemicals brought about by the antibiotic overuse or misuse. This is one of the complications from ongoing antibiotic treatment and how antibiotic resistant bacteria are created, like the dreaded MRSA.

The Complications Identified 

The greatest complication from ongoing antibiotic treatment has been identified, that is the creation of "superbugs". Here are some other complications from ongoing antibiotic treatment. 

Contraction of clostridium difficile, or C-Diff. This new bacteria is well known in the community as a result of antibiotic therapy. Often it presents itself as a form of intestinal flu resulting in diarrhea that is hard to cure.
Some types of antibiotics, such as Vancomycin is effective against staph infection but there is already growing concern that the drug creates Vancomycin resistant intestinal flora which creates infections of the gastrointestinal tract.
The use of the antibiotic Linezolid or Zyvox has been found to have a significant effect on the bone marrow. The drug, when used long term, has been seen to cause anemia, low white blood cell count, low platelet counts or even lead to a decreased production of the cell products of the bone marrow.
To better understand what you are up against in MRSA and in order to find out the complications from ongoing antibiotic treatments prescribed you.

Let's recap what we've learned in this article:

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When a Spider Bite Isn't a Spider Bite - MRSA Infection - Dangers and Treatment

You swear you've been bitten by a spider. Naturally you didn't see the 8-legged critter - you were sleeping. But there are spiders in your house and you spent a lot of time cleaning cobwebs over the weekend. When you notice a red bump that looks like a bug bite, it's only logical to think that it's a spider bite. But when the little red bump becomes larger and redder you ask yourself if perhaps it was a poisonous spider. Or maybe you're allergic to spider bites. When the spot becomes large enough, you decide to see your doctor.

The above is a common scenario, sending thousands of patients to their doctor each week. But if you go to your doctor with the above story, your doctor will likely say the lesion is not a spider bite.

Why? In recent years a new infection has been spreading that has the appearance of what people assume is a spider bite. This infection, community-acquired methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, is not really new. It's been around in hospitals for decades, but in recent years it has moved into the community. Luckily, it's generally not as severe as that seen in hospitals, in part because its victims are usually healthier than hospitalized patients, and also because the bacteria itself is somewhat less aggressive.

MRSA presents most commonly as a skin infection, but over the past few years I have seen other infections caused by this microbe including pneumonia, urinary tract infection, and bowel infection. However, it has the potential to effect any body part.

The problem with this infection is that antibiotics that normally work to kill staph germs do not necessarily kill off MRSA germs. Specifically, antibiotics that are usually chosen to treat staph infections (methicillin and other forms of penicillin) will not work. Nowadays if a staph infection is suspected, your doctor may treat you with two different types of antibiotics until the results of a culture are available. If there is a high prevalence of MRSA in your community, your physician may choose an antibiotic to treat this specific infection from the outset.

What's the big deal about a staph infection? A lesion the size of a bug bite may heal itself if you have a good immune system. However, the risk is that it will spread to your blood stream, your bones, your heart, or your lungs - all potentially fatal infections.

Don't take a chance. If you think you have a spider bite, and didn't actually see the spider bite you, go to your doctor. There are effective antibiotics. It's not worth dying in case you were wrong.

Copyright 2010 Cynthia J. Koelker, M.D.

For practical advice on affordable health care visit: http://101waystosavemoneyonhealthcare.blogspot.com/

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Permission is hereby granted to publish this copyrighted article elsewhere on the web or in print media, in whole or in part, with the stipulation that Dr. Koelker be properly credited as author, and that the material be unaltered with regard to content.

Cynthia J. Koelker MD is a family physician of over twenty years, and holds degrees from MIT, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, and the University of Akron. She is the author of "101 Ways to Save Money on Healthcare."

Why Most MRSA Treatment Approaches Eventually Fail

New MRSA Treatment Approach Provides Missing Link to Ending Recurring MRSA Infections

I thought it could never happen to me. After all, I was a Microbiologist and studied bacteria like Staph aureus everyday. I knew what made bacteria grow and what antibiotics stopped them. Despite all my education and experience researching bacteria, I was shocked in 1997 when I started to struggle with recurring infections.

I dutifully followed my doctor's advice and tried all kinds of antibiotics, none of which stopped my recurring infections. I was aghast that the standard treatment methods that I learned in school and put so much trust in simply weren't working for me. I was trapped in the cycle of infection, then antibiotics, then re-infection. I was frustrated and literally sick from all of the antibiotics side effects. I could barely keep anything in my stomach. And for the next few years my health, energy and quality of life kept deteriorating.

Weeding Out Fact from Fiction
At the low point, I finally realized that antibiotics weren't going to help me. And, if I wanted to stop my infection for good, I was going to have to find a solution on my own. Being a research scientist, I immediately began searching for a solution. I spent months looking online, talking to my colleagues, scouring medical journals, learning from natural and integrative health doctors and testing natural health programs to find out what would work to stop my infections. What I found was a lot of confusing, contradictory and bogus information along with bits and pieces of helpful knowledge. Fortunately, my background in Microbiology, science and research helped me weed out fact from fiction, and helped me scrutinize and accurately interpret all the data.

What I learned is not taught by most medical doctors, but it has stopped my recurring infection cycle. And, it makes perfect scientific sense. The truth is, simply addressing your infection, no matter what MRSA treatment method you use, will not stop the recurring infection cycle. This revelation has changed my life and thousands of others forever. And, I've now been infection free without using antibiotics for over 7 years.

The Simple Truth: Why MRSA Treatment Programs Fail
No matter what MRSA treatment approach you use or how effective your MRSA treatment may be, stopping your current infection has little bearing on stopping recurring infections. This is true for both antibiotic treatments as well as home remedies available online. Stopping your current infection and stopping the cycle are two very different things. By only focusing on treating your current MRSA infection, you set yourself up for future failure in ways that are not commonly known.

Surprisingly, I found that many common MRSA treatment approaches actually promote recurring infections. It's no wonder that ending recurring infections is the biggest problem people have with Staph and MRSA infections.

Here are the three steps I discovered to stop recurring infections for good:

1) Step 1 - Eliminate Your Current Infection

I'm a firm proponent of only using antibiotics if absolutely necessary. Most people are unaware of the very potent, natural medicinal products available that have effectively handled MRSA and Staph infections for many years. However, it takes a lot of knowledge and research to find out what those truly are and to avoid products that don't work.

It is also important to be aware that there are different needs for different types of MRSA infections. Additionally, two people with the same infection may require two different MRSA treatment approaches to stop their infection most effectively.

Virtually all mainstream and home remedy MRSA treatment programs only address eliminating your current infection without regard to the following two steps. This is why such treatments fail at stopping recurring MRSA infections. While Step 1 is certainly critical, it must be complemented with Step 2 and 3 for long-term success.

2) Step 2 - Heal Damage from Bacteria and Antibiotics

If you've ever used antibiotics, or are currently using them, you may have already realized that antibiotics wreak havoc on your digestive system and your immune system. The bacteria responsible for Staph and MRSA also damage your body in both seen and unseen ways.

Most people are surprised to find out that up to 80% of a healthy immune system is about having the right types of gut bacteria. These friendly bacteria fend off infection, support vitamin and nutrient absorption and even help defend your skin against attack. Infection and antibiotics can severely damage this critical life supporting system. Unless you rebuild the damage done from antibiotics, your body will be vulnerable to future MRSA attacks.

Another important part of any successful MRSA treatment is to repair the damage done to your body by invasive bacteria. This damage includes long-lasting and embarrassing scars, bacterial toxins in your lymph and other tissues and stealth L-form bacteria which can contribute to re-infection.

3) Step 3 - Address the Root Cause of Re-infections

Step 3 is usually forgotten by mainstream medicine and home remedy approaches, yet I've found it to be mandatory from both personal experience and from my research on what's helped other MRSA survivors. Most people's immune systems are not functioning optimally, and having a depressed immune system leaves the door wide open for recurring infections and chronic illnesses. Yet most people sabotage their own immune system and don't even realize it.

Antibiotics are certainly one cause of depressed immunity, but they aren't the only cause. Nutrition, diet, pH, stress and many other factors have major implications on how well your immune system functions. As an example, one medical journal study shows that drinking two colas impairs your immune system by 92% for 5 hours! This is certainly not what you need if you're battling MRSA or Staph.