Virus vs. Bacteria: What You Need to Know!

We’ve all been there. You’re going through your day when you begin to notice you don’t really “feel yourself.” You start feeling overcome with fatigue, your throat begins to feel sore and scratchy, and all you want to do in that moment is go home to curl up under a blanket. This is the very time that you replay in your mind over and over, “Who around me is sick?! I don’t have time to be sick! It must have been the kids. Ugh, I should have taken that extra vitamin C.” Over and over. This is also when you tell yourself that you’ll begin taking better care of yourself next time so you don’t get sick again.

In the end, you not only want to know what you have, but you want to know how to get rid of it…fast!

Patients at Innovative Health Partners come in with all kinds of general health concerns and goals, but when it comes to them being in the midst of a sickness, everyone’s goal is to get them well then and there. Thankfully, due to the art of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the doctors use diagnostic signs that your body tells them to determine if what you are fighting is a viral or bacterial infection. They encourage their patients who begin feeling the onset of sickness to make an appointment so they can prescribe the correct treatment plan.

Due to today’s “quick-fix” mentality, unfortunately there is an epidemic of over-prescription of antibiotics. Because of this, too many patients are prescribed antibiotics when they actually have a virus and not a bacterial infection. This over-prescription of antibiotics for non-bacterial infections compromises gut health…the gut contains 70% lymphoid tissue of the immune system…the immune system is what you need to work and function while fighting a virus or infection. Therefore, you’re increasing your risk of a long recovery with secondary health complications.

General rules of thumb that we tell our patients to use:

Viral – low grade fever (around 100-101 degrees F)

Bacterial – high spike in fever (102-104 degrees F)

Keep in mind that fevers are okay as long as they are monitored. Fevers are your body’s way of killing off the infection. Even though fevers are good, to prevent a high spike that could cause harm, we always recommend a homeopathic remedy called Ferrum Phos. This does wonders to bring that fever down that is in a safe range for infants, kids and adults.

Use the picture below as a great tool to determine whether your symptoms are consistent with a virus (influenza) or bacteria (common cold).

Most respiratory issues (cough, throat, etc.) start off viral, and if it is not caught or taken care of in early stages, then the mucus becomes secondary and turns into a bacterial infection. With the increase in mucus, the doctors always tell their patients to modify their diet by avoiding dairy or sugar. Dairy produces more mucus, and bacteria feeds off of sugar. Both are no-no’s while fighting a bacterial infection.

Some of IHP’s favorite natural antibiotics to kill off bacterial infections are:

Biocidin (Oregano is the main ingredient and has anti-bacterial/anti-microbial properties)

EHB – high-dose echinacea

Our go-to antivirals are:

V-Clear

Biotox Vi

Engystol

For any questions about symptoms or products mentioned, please call the office! 314-219-1888