Common Cold (cont.)
Are antibiotics a suitable treatment for the common cold?
No. Antibiotics play no role in treating the common cold. Antibiotics are
effective only against illnesses caused by bacteria, and colds are caused by
viruses. Not only do antibiotics not help, but they can also cause allergic
reactions that can be fatal (1:40,000). Furthermore, using antibiotics when they
are not necessary has led to the growth of several strains of common bacteria
that have become resistant to certain antibiotics (including one that commonly
causes ear infections in children). For these and other reasons, it is important
to limit the use of antibiotics to situations in which they are medically
indicated.
Though occasionally a bacterial infection, such as sinusitis or a
middle ear infection, can develop following a cold, treatment with antibiotics
should be left at the discretion of your physician or health-care practitioner.
When should a doctor or other health-care practitioner be
consulted?
Generally speaking, the common cold can be treated at home and managed with over-the-counter medications. However, if you develop more severe symptoms such as shaking chills, high fever (greater than 102 F), severe headache or neck stiffness, nausea, vomiting, difficulty breathing or chest pain, you should consult your physician or health-care practitioner immediately.
If you have a sore throat and a fever with no other cold symptoms, you should also be seen by your physician. This illness may be
strep throat, a bacterial infection requiring treatment with antibiotics.
Finally, if you notice facial pain or yellow/green drainage from your nose accompanied by a fever, it is possible that you have a sinus infection (sinusitis) that would benefit from a medical evaluation and a possible course of antibiotics.
Next: How do you prevent the common cold? »
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