A complete guide to antibiotics: When you need them, how they work and safe online prescription options

When you come into contact with pathogens like harmful bacteria, you can get an infection.

Most mild bacterial infections get better on their own. But serious or persistent bacterial infections can be treated using antibiotics.

These medicines work by killing bacteria or preventing them from multiplying. But while antibiotics are an effective bacterial infection treatment, they can’t treat non-bacterial infections like viruses, fungi or parasites.

It’s not possible to get antibiotics over the counter in the UK. That’s because overuse encourages antibiotic resistance, which has led to the emergence of superbugs.

However, when necessary, you can still get a prescription antibiotic for infection from a medical professional. You can also buy antibiotics online in the UK from a licensed provider. As long as the dispensing clinic is well established and officially regulated, it’s both legal and safe to get an online antibiotics prescription.

Patients throughout the UK order antibiotics online through The Online Clinic following a safe consultation with a doctor. We’re a UK licensed, registered and approved online medical service with over 20 years’ experience and 13 qualified doctors offering trusted medical advice.

Register online and complete a short medical health questionnaire to request a prescription for antibiotics. Please note that the doctor will assess you based on your symptoms. A prescription for antibiotics will only be offered if it is clinically indicated. The doctor may offer an alternative to antibiotics, if that is considered to be more suitable.

Register as a patient

How do antibiotics work?

There are many different types of prescription antibiotic for treating infections. But they all fall into one of two groups depending on how they work:

• Bactericidal antibiotics kill bacteria by attacking structures that are essential for survival, like the cell wall or DNA (e.g. Penicillin, Amoxicillin, Cephalosporins)
• Bacteriostatic antibiotics don’t kill bacteria directly, but rather stop them from multiplying so your immune system has time to destroy them (e.g. Tetracycline, Macrolides, Sulphonamides)

Why is it important to take a full course of antibiotics?

You should complete your full course of antibiotics even if you feel better.

Your symptoms might clear up before the bacteria is fully destroyed. If you stop taking your antibiotics too soon, the infection could return.

Worse still, bacteria that are exposed to but not killed by antibiotics can develop a resistance to that drug. This makes them much harder to treat in the future.

Never save leftover antibiotics for later, and never use someone else’s antibiotics. Doing so could cause serious harm to you and others in the long run.

When you get a prescription antibiotic for infection, your doctor will give you clear instructions on how often to take them and for how long. This is true whether you get them through the NHS in the UK or buy antibiotics online from a licensed provider.

When should you take antibiotics?

What infections do antibiotics treat?

Prescription antibiotics are effective against bacterial infections like:

• Skin and wound infections
• Ear, throat and chest infections
• Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
• Some sexually transmitted diseases (STIs) like chlamydia and gonorrhoea
• Certain eye infections
• Dental infections

However, antibiotics are no longer considered a routine bacterial infection treatment due to growing antibiotic resistance. Instead, they’re only prescribed when:

• There’s a risk of more serious complications
• It’s likely the infection could spread to others
• The infection is unlikely to clear up on its own
• The patient is more vulnerable to harm

Not all antibiotics can treat all bacterial infections. For example, antibiotics for UTI might not help with a throat infection, and antibiotics for throat infection might be ineffective in treating a UTI.

Your doctor will advise whether a prescription antibiotic for infection is suitable during your initial consultation. You don’t need an existing prescription to order antibiotics online in the UK.

Book an online consultation

Signs that an antibiotic prescription is necessary

For most people, the body’s immune system is strong enough to fight off bacterial infections without treatment. But a prescription might be necessary if you experience:

• Persistent or worsening symptoms that last for 10 or more days
• High or persistent fever of over 38.3oC lasting more than 3 days
• Swelling, warmth or pain that could suggest a skin infection
• Coughing with chest pain especially with shortness of breath
• Painful urination with cloudy or foul-smelling urine and pelvic pain
• Sore throat with swollen tonsils and lymph nodes but no cough

Even if you qualify for an online antibiotics prescription, you may still be infectious after starting treatment.

Depending on your infection and how it’s treated, it can take between 48 hours and 14 days to stop being infectious.

Can I get antibiotics without seeing a doctor?

You can’t buy antibiotics over the counter in the UK. But you can order antibiotics online without seeing a doctor face-to-face.

However, a regulated online doctor will still conduct a medical assessment before offering an online antibiotics prescription. Make sure to only buy antibiotics online from an approved clinic to ensure your medication is safe and legal.

Do antibiotics treat viral infections?

Antibiotics are an effective treatment for bacterial infection. But they’re completely ineffective against viruses.

That means antibiotics don’t work against viral infections such as:

• Common cold or flu
• Bronchitis
• Most sore throats, coughs and ear infections
• Stomach flu
• COVID-19

Bacterial and viral infections may cause similar symptoms like fever, inflammation and diarrhoea. And they can both be spread by coughing, sneezing, kissing and touching contaminated surfaces. But these microbes work in very different ways.

Most bacteria are actually harmless. Many even help us digest food, fight against disease and gain essential nutrients. In fact, less than 1% of bacteria cause diseases in people. They can also survive without a host.

Viruses, in contrast, need to attach themselves to host cells. They then reprogramme them to make new viruses until the cells burst and die. Unlike bacteria, most viruses cause diseases.

Taking antibiotics for a viral infection won’t cure the virus or keep others from getting sick. But it could contribute to antibiotic resistance.

You could also suffer side effects from taking antibiotics unnecessarily.

Types of prescription antibiotics

Recommended antibiotics for different infections

Which antibiotic your doctor prescribes will depend on your symptoms and medical history, as well as any allergies you have.

But in general, certain antibiotics are recommended for different types of bacterial infection.

Type of infection	Recommended antibiotics
Skin	Flucloxacillin, Clindamycin
Wound	Flucloxacillin, Clindamycin
Respiratory	Amoxicillin, Clarithromycin, Doxycycline
Chest	Amoxicillin, Clarithromycin
Throat	Penicillin V, Erythromycin
Ear	Neomycin
Eye	Chloramphenicol, Fusidic acid
Dental	Amoxicillin, Clarithromycin, Metronidazole
UTI	Nitrofurantoin, Trimethoprim, Pivmecillinam
STI	Azithromycin, Doxycycline

Always ask a medical professional for expert advice on which medication is most suitable for you before you request a prescription or order antibiotics online in the UK.

Consult a doctor

Common side effects and safety precautions

Each prescription antibiotic for infection has its own side effects.

But there are a number of side effects reported across all categories.

Common side effects of antibiotics include:

• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Diarrhoea
• Bloating
• Indigestion
• Abdominal pain
• Loss of appetite

Most side effects are mild and should go away once you’ve finished your course of treatment.

Allergic reactions to antibiotics

Some people can have an allergic reaction to antibiotics, especially penicillin and cephalosporins.

In most cases, the allergic reaction is mild to moderate. Symptoms can include:

• Skin rash or hives
• Itching
• Mild swelling, especially of the face or lips
• Nasal congestion or sneezing

You can soothe these symptoms by:

• Talking to your healthcare provider about stopping the antibiotic
• Taking an antihistamine under medical guidance
• Applying a cool compress or calamine lotion for skin relief

Allergic reactions to antibiotics are uncommon.

In the UK, around 6% of people have a penicillin allergy label on their medical record. But when fully assessed, more than 90% of those people were found not to have an allergy.

Severe allergic reactions are very rare. But they can be fatal.

Call 999 or go to A&E if you:

• Have a serious skin rash
• Are wheezing
• Feel tightness in your chest or throat
• Are struggling to speak or breathe
• Experience swelling in the mouth, face, lips, tongue or throat
• Feel dizzy or faint

These could be symptoms of anaphylaxis, which requires immediate medical attention.

Antibiotic resistance: The risk of overusing antibiotics

The World Health Organisation (WHO) considers antibiotic resistance – also called antimicrobial resistance – to be one of the top global public health and development threats.

Modern medicine relies on antibiotics to treat common infections and perform life-saving procedures.

But overuse of these drugs has caused certain bacterial strains to develop resistances.

This makes these infections harder to treat, and makes medical procedures like surgery, caesarean sections, hip replacements, organ transplantations and cancer chemotherapy much riskier.

Resistance also impacts the health of animals, reducing farm productivity and threatening global food security.

Drug-resistant infections can lead to:

• More serious illness
• Longer recovery times
• More visits to the doctor
• More expensive treatments
• Untreatable illness and death

Antibiotic stewardship: How you can help

Taking actions to limit antimicrobial resistance is called antibiotic stewardship. You can:

Your healthcare provider will consider alternatives to antibiotic therapy

• If prescribed, follow your healthcare provider’s guidelines for antibiotic use
• Finish your full course of treatment and never take leftover antibiotics for another illness
• Never take someone else’s antibiotics, and never let someone else take yours
• Wash your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds, following NHS handwashing guidelines
• Clean any cuts or wounds immediately to reduce the risk of bacterial infection
• Don’t drink raw milk and always cook foods to a safe internal temperature
• Get all recommended vaccines, especially before you’re travelling to another country

How to get a safe and legal online prescription for antibiotics

An increasingly popular way to get treatment for bacterial infection in the UK is to buy antibiotics online.

It can take weeks to book an appointment at a busy local NHS surgery. But you can get prescription antibiotics for infection online in less than an hour from the comfort of your own home, often with next-day delivery. And you don’t need an existing prescription to order antibiotics online.

However, not all online dispensaries are legal or credible.

If you use an unregulated provider, there’s no knowing whether the dosage you receive is correct or whether the medication contains the stated ingredients. These mystery substances might have no health benefits. And at worst, they could lead to significant harm or even death.

Before you order antibiotics online, look for these 5 signs of a reputable provider:

• CQC registration: Make sure your provider is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and has a recent report with positive results
• Proper qualifications: Only accept an online antibiotics prescription from a licensed UK-registered doctor
• Medical assessment: Your online consultation should include a full medical assessment to make sure it’s safe for you to take the prescribed drugs
• Transparency: A trusted healthcare provider will give you clear, accurate information about the risks, side effects and alternative options
• Follow-up care: Make sure you can check in regularly to discuss how well you’re responding to treatment and get advice for managing side effects safely

Why choose The Online Clinic for an antibiotic prescription?

As one of the UK’s most well-established online healthcare providers, we’ve dispensed thousands of prescription antibiotics for UTI, throat infection and other bacterial conditions – but only when absolutely necessary.

All 13 of our UK-licensed doctors are registered with the General Medical Council. And we’re regulated by the CQC, who in their latest report confirmed our service to be safe, effective, caring, responsive and well led.

When you reach out for an online antibiotics prescription, we first ask you to complete a medical health questionnaire. This is reviewed by a doctor – not a pharmacist – who will determine whether antibiotic treatment is likely to be safe and effective for you. The process usually takes just 30-60 minutes during normal business hours.

If you qualify for bacterial infection treatment, your order will be dispatched that same day if you order before 3:30pm Monday to Friday (public holidays excluded). Your prescription will arrive quickly in discreet packaging, ensuring total confidentiality. We also offer a same day collection service for antibiotic prescriptions in a pharmacy local to you (throughout the UK).

And if you need further advice, you can use our informative online resources or arrange a follow-up appointment to discuss your care.

Start your questionnaire

Easy process and glad I’ve found this site I was very apprehensive to try in case I was scammed. But after reading a few reviews I took the chance as I was in pain, feeling unwell and was unable to go to the dentist due to health reasons. The process was so simple and very quick. Within a few hours I had a prescription for antibiotics and had the choice of next day delivery to arrive before 1pm tracked and signature needed, or I could get it sent to chemist and collect that day as it was classed urgent which I was unable to do. I started at 12pm and had them in my hand 24 hours later. Could've had them within a couple hours if collecting. So with prescription then 8 antibiotic tablets and delivery it was just under £45. Will definitely use again as getting face-to-face for me is difficult. Great to have for emergencies, especially antibiotics. Kassie

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Buy antibiotics online under trusted medical supervision

Register as a patient today and fill in your medical health questionnaire to request an online antibiotics prescription from a qualified medical practitioner.

Antibiotics frequently asked questions

Are antibiotics safe?

Antibiotics are generally safe when prescribed by a doctor and taken as directed.

Like all medications, they can have side effects. So only take them when necessary.

Are online antibiotics safe?

If you order antibiotics online through a UK-licensed healthcare service, your medications will be regulated and safe.

However, unlicensed online dispensaries are likely to sell harmful, unregulated medicines with no health benefits. These are unsafe and could cause significant harm.

How fast do antibiotics work?

Antibiotics start working almost immediately, and you should feel improvements within 3 days.

However, even if you start feeling better, be sure to finish your full course of treatment to prevent the infection from returning or developing antibiotic resistance.

Can antibiotics interfere with other medications I’m taking?

Some antibiotics can interfere with other medications like blood thinners and antacids.

Always inform your doctor of all the medications and supplements you’re taking.

Will antibiotics treat a cold or the flu?

No, they won’t.

Antibiotics treat bacterial infections, but colds and flu are caused by viruses. Taking antibiotics for viral infections doesn’t work.

What should I do if I miss a dose?

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember.

If it’s almost time for your next dose, skip the missed one. Don’t double up.

Can I drink alcohol while taking antibiotics?

Alcohol doesn’t interact with most antibiotics. But it can increase side effects like nausea and dizziness.

Some antibiotics (like metronidazole) can cause severe reactions with alcohol. Talk to your healthcare provider about your specific mediation.

Learn more about safe antibiotic use

National Health Service (NHS)

• About antibiotics

Patient

• Antibiotics: Types, uses and side effects

Cleveland Clinic

• Antibiotics: What to know

Mayo Clinic

• Antibiotics: Are you misusing them?

Healthline

• What are the most common antibiotics?

World Health Organization (WHO)

• Antimicrobial resistance