Medical and Prescription Drug Plan (Pension, Hospitalization, and Benefit Plan of the Electrical Industry) (PHBP)
Antibiotics and Colds
One of the most common questions patients ask their doctor is whether to take an antibiotic for a cold. Colds are caused by viruses and are not affected by antibiotics. Antibiotics only work if you have a bacterial infection for which that antibiotic is effective in that part of your body. An antibiotic is more likely to hurt you than a virus.
Here is some helpful background about what to do when you have a cold and the risks of taking antibiotics when you don’t need them.
- We all tend to wait with a cold and see the doctor at its peak, right before it starts to get better on its own. Viral illnesses get better on their own—though not as quickly as we would like.
- Simple measures like rest, lots of fluids and two wonderful “medicines”—chicken soup and tea with honey—actually do help.
- Over-the-counter cold medicines and acetaminophen may help a bit, but remember that they are not right for everyone. Check with your doctor if you are not sure.
- Some stores and many Internet sites sell products that make many kinds of claims to help colds, but none have been shown to actually work and some can cause serious harm. Save your money.
- If you feel very sick, see your doctor even if you think it is just a virus—it could be something more serious. A good doctor will carefully evaluate you to be as certain as possible about what is going on.
- If your doctor advises you that it is probably viral, that diagnosis is based on what the doctor finds at that time. If things change, persist or worsen, be sure to check back with your doctor.
- Antibiotics can cause serious problems. Those relatively small risks are worth taking when you really need an antibiotic, but not worth it for you if the antibiotic has no way of helping you.
- Your doctor has no reason or desire to deprive you of an antibiotic when you need it, but your doctor is obligated to offer you treatments only if he or she is as certain as possible that the treatment is right for you.
November 2011
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