Why Wasn't I Prescribed an Antibiotic?

When you’re not feeling well, it is easy to want a “quick fix” to make the symptoms go away. But most often, an antibiotic is not the answer.

On average, an adult will get 2 to 4 colds each year. Common symptoms of a cold or  the flu include a runny or stuffy nose, sinus congestion, sneezing and a sore  throat. Symptoms more often  associated with the flu include extreme fatigue, a fever, muscle aches, coughing  and a headache. Cold symptoms generally last about a week. The flu can last for  24 hours to a week or even longer, but it typically lasts 4 to 5 days. Some  people have persistent symptoms, such as a nagging cough that lasts for several  weeks; and a few will develop another illness in addition, such as an ear or  sinus infection, or bronchitis. Colds and flu are caused by a virus, not a bacteria.

Antibiotics kill specific types of bacteria and, when used correctly, are effective in curing an infection. However, antibiotics do NOT kill viruses.  When antibiotics are prescribed inappropriately, not only are they not treating your viral symptoms, but bacteria in your body can develop a resistance to these medications, making the antibiotic ineffective in the future when you really need it. As well, in certain patients, antibiotics can cause serious side effects.

Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that one third of all office prescriptions for antibiotics are unnecessary. When you take antibiotics for viral illnesses, such as a cold or the flu, they primarily attack the "good" bacteria that live in your body. When you have fewer of these "good" bacteria, your body provides favorable conditions for "bad" bacteria to thrive.

For these reasons, your health care provider will be very cautious about prescribing an antibiotic. It is our practice at the Women’s Medicine Collaborative to fully assess your symptoms in person in order to determine whether or not an antibiotic is the right treatment for you. If you have symptoms of a virus and not a true infection, over-the-counter remedies such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), along with decongestants, antihistamines, cough medication, saline nasal spray, and cough/throat lozenges will be prescribed. Also, remedies like the neti-pot, humidifier, hydration, and plain old rest will be suggested. These remedies are really the best interventions to help you feel better.

Colds happen. They are not fun and will make you feel miserable for a while, but if your health care provider feels an antibiotic is not necessary, understand that this is because we have your best interest and health in mind. You may have been given an antibiotic in the past and thought this cured your symptoms, but often it was not the antibiotics at all, the symptoms of your virus ran their course and resolved on their own. Be open to over-the-counter remedies that may help relieve your symptoms. Let your cold run its course. It takes time to recover from a cold or the flu. But if your illness lasts longer than 2 weeks, please call us.

Illnesses that are caused by viruses and cannot be treated with antibiotics include:

• Most colds and "flu"
• Most sore throats
• Some ear infections
• Most coughs or bronchitis
• Many Sinus infections – a runny nose and discolored mucus does not always mean that you need an antibiotic.

So, as it turns out, Henry David Thoreau was correct: “'Tis healthy to be sick sometimes.”