Ciprofloxacin: What it Treats and How to Use It Safely

Ciprofloxacin is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic doctors commonly prescribe for certain bacterial infections. You’ll see it used for complicated urinary tract infections, some types of prostatitis, certain gut infections like traveler’s diarrhea from E. coli, and selected respiratory or skin infections when other options aren’t right. It’s powerful, but it’s not first-line for every infection, and there are real safety issues to know about.

How to take ciprofloxacin

Take ciprofloxacin exactly as your prescriber tells you and finish the full course, even if you feel better after a few days. Typical adult dosing ranges from 250–750 mg every 12 hours depending on the infection. Take it with a full glass of water. You can take it with or without food, but high‑fat meals might slow absorption a bit. Avoid dairy products, calcium-fortified juices, antacids, multivitamins with iron or zinc, and sucralfate within 2–6 hours of a dose because those can cut how much drug your body absorbs.

If you have kidney problems your doctor may lower the dose or space doses further apart. Never split or crush extended‑release tablets unless the pharmacist confirms it’s safe. And don’t share your pills with anyone else — the dose and duration are tied to the exact infection being treated.

What to watch for: side effects and warnings

Ciprofloxacin works well, but it carries risks. Common mild side effects include nausea, diarrhea, headache, and a metallic taste. More serious but less common problems are tendon pain or rupture (especially the Achilles), nerve pain or numbness (peripheral neuropathy), mood or sleep changes, and long-lasting joint or muscle issues. If you get sudden tendon pain, new numbness, tingling, or unusual mood changes, stop the drug and call your doctor right away.

It can also raise the effect of warfarin (bleeding risk), increase caffeine sensitivity, and should never be used with tizanidine. Fluoroquinolones may raise the risk of Clostridioides difficile infection and can affect blood sugar in people with diabetes. Pregnant women and most children are usually steered away from ciprofloxacin unless there’s no safe alternative.

Antibiotic resistance is a growing issue. Use ciprofloxacin only when a healthcare provider recommends it and when the bug is likely to respond. If you’ve had an infection fail on this drug before, mention that to your prescriber — cultures and sensitivity tests help pick the right antibiotic.

Short practical tips: take the medicine on schedule, avoid interacting foods and supplements around the dose, report any tendon or nerve pain immediately, and keep follow-up if symptoms don’t improve in 48–72 hours. If you have serious side effects or signs of an allergic reaction — rash, swelling, trouble breathing — seek emergency care.

Need personalized advice? Your pharmacist or prescriber can check for drug interactions, adjust doses for kidney function, and explain when a different antibiotic is safer. Ciprofloxacin can solve tough infections, but it must be used carefully.