Durg resistance: Challanges in the treatment of infectious diseases.

Drug resistance in treating infectious diseases has become a big concern for the medical field. 

My two patients came with same issue of urinary tract infection (UTI). In my 30 years of experience treatment of UTI is 4-5 days of homeopathy medicine. Both patients were suffering with UTI for 2-3 years. Both gave history of drug resistance. I was surprised with the case history and amount of drugs they had taken with temporary relief. With all confident I said, don’t worry within a week time you will be fine. To my further surprise it took almost 8 weeks to ensure no repeat attack. Both patients never had any further UTI attack in last 2 years.

During our CME programs all the doctors (Allopathy, Homeopathy, Ayurveda) were discussing in challenges in treatment of any infectious diseases.

Since long I have been hearing about the above problem. Big discussion is happening among the doctors in medical forum. Since I have been connected with many people and groups, I have seen the concern among the people also and due to it a negative image about medical field.

Today, I happen to attend the CME on infectious disease where every speaker showed concern about the drug resistance. So, I thought of writing a blog for the common person’s understanding, which can help them make the right decision if they or someone in their family is suffering from infectious diseases and what they should do so they are not facing the drug resistance issue and its complications. 

Infectious diseases are illnesses caused by harmful agents (pathogens/microbes) that get into your body. The most common causes are viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites. Infectious diseases usually spread from person to person through contaminated food or water and through bug bites.

Low immunity is the culprit of infection. One can have low immunity due to stress or due to ad-hoc approach in health management for a medicine-free life. Ad-hoc dieting or exercise to keep oneself fit can also lower the immunity.

Drug resistance is simply defined as the ability of disease-causing pathogens (e.g., bacteria or viruses) to continue multiplying despite the presence of drugs that usually kill them.

Treatment is planned according to the type of pathogens infecting the person. Delay in treatment is cause of increases pathogens load in the body, further complicating the treatment and delays the healing process.

Drug resistance is caused by changes (mutations) in the pathogen’s genetic structure. Drug Resistance during the treatment of infectious diseases has become a massive challenge in treatment. New drug research is a long-term process & will take a long time to come in the market. We know that post-COVID, pathogens are more intelligent in developing drug resistance due to new mutation. So, it becomes essential to use every anti-infection medicine wisely and judiciously. 

Do you that 3rd cause of death is due to infectious diseases.

Why pathogens are becoming drug-resistant:

Various pathogens cause infection. Each of these microorganisms will require specific drugs for treatment. Drugs (medicine) for treatment have various parameters in selection. The smallest mismatch in the section leads to drug resistance.

Below are a few reasons for the reader’s understanding from non-medical background:

• Inappropriate medicine (drug) selection due to self-medication or prescription by a non-medical person
• Inappropriate dose selection
• Improper medicine intake means not taking drugs as per requirements.
• Not completing the required course of medicine e.g. if one drug course is five days but taken for 2-3 days
• Overuse of medications by various other industries like animal, food and other industries
• Use of steriod for fitness
• Ad-hoc approach in dieting
• Lack of hygiene is a cause of multiple pathogens infection.
• Pressure for early recovery leading to steroid use.

Role of Alternative Therapy like Homeopathy, Ayurveda, Unani etc:

• Drug resistance in the acute phase also reduces the desired outcome by alternative therapy
• Alternative medicines are helpful but every science has limitations when misused. 
• Time is often critical, and alternative therapy may not have enough time to help. 

Role of Home remedies:

• Do read the blog on steam inhalation benefits and side effects: https://radhee.org/steam-inhalation-benefit-and-side-effects/ 
• Home remedies like Kada when overused lose its impact due to microbe resistance.

Challenges for Doctors and Conflicts with Patients:

• Patients and their family members feel doctors cannot help and prescribe costly treatment. The real cause is drug resistance, not a doctor or hospital.
• Every citizen must know that when patients are doing treatment under the guidance of quacks or well-wishers’ guidance, it complicates the cases and causes of drug resistance and can end in hospitalization with critical conditions.
• It also overburdens the healthcare infrastructure and delays the treatment, further complicating the patient’s condition. 

Complications of Drug Resistance:

• Long duration of recovery period
• Costly treatment
• Complications of multiple drugs side effects used for treatment
• Immunosuppressive disease leading to poor health for the rest of life
• Multiple organ failure
• Depression
• loss of career
• early age death
• etc

Takeaway messages for the reader:

• Don’t treat yourself.
• Do consult the Doctor (Allopathy, Homeopathy, Ayurveda, Unani)
• Consult qualified doctors to refrain from quack or well-wishers.
• Internet Wikipedia WhatsApp YouTube wellness website well-wishers shouldn’t be a choice when it comes to your health problems solution to live medicine free life.
• Judicious use of medicine to avoid drug resistance is a need of time.
• Instead of changing doctors, discuss with the Doctor and, under the guidance of the same Doctor, meet expert/consultant.

Remember, it is about your health, your suffering, your family’s suffering, your money, and your future, so don’t compromise with the wrong choice. I hope it helps in making the right decision.

Note: It is about your health and well-being, so don’t experiment or invite health issues due to ad-hoc health tips implementation.

Be Wise and Stay Healthy