With the arrival of the cold in winter, it is very common for many truckers to begin to feel the symptoms of the cold and flu, since they are heavily exposed to temperature changes when having to unload the truck in the cold and then return to the heat of the interior of the vehicle cabin, among other situations. Not to mention the infections when constantly having to interact with people on their journey.

Once they have a cold, they need to be cured as quickly as possible to continue working and guarantee their income, since most of them cannot afford to stop working for a few days until they feel well. For this reason, they go to the doctors asking to be prescribed with antibiotics, but it is very possible that they leave the office empty-handed.

It is very possible that the doctors are doing a great favour to the truck drivers by not prescribing any antibiotic. These drugs must be used when they are really necessary. This type of medicine is used to treat different diseases by fighting the bacteria responsible for that pathology. Its use entails side effects and excess consumption can make germs more resistant.

When using any medication, the truck driver is exposed to possible side effects, in the case of antibiotics, the most common effects are:
• Gastric discomfort
• Weakness
• Fatigue or tiredness
• Dizziness
• Diarrhea
• Infections caused by fungi – usually in the mouth, digestive system and sexual organs.

The longer the duration of the treatment and the use of the antibiotic, the more serious the adverse reactions can be. In fact, one of the most severe complications occurs when the antibiotic stops being efficient in combating the bacteria and this happens because the patient abused of the medication, using it excessively.

Then, the search begins for another drug that can fight the bacteria that became resistant and mutated genetically. Possibly that bacterium can mutate again, reducing the chances of the new drug to fight it and the search for drugs that fight that bacterium can end without a favourable result.

Truck drivers, trust your doctors and if those do not prescribe antibiotics it is because they do not need them. Do not use antibiotics you might have saved or from someone that has given them to you, self-medication can have serious consequences for your health. Seek the help of your doctor to recover from the disease you are facing in the best possible way.