It can be difficult to know what causes an infection, because viral and bacterial infections can cause similar symptoms. Your doctor may need a sample of your urine, stool or blood, or a swab from your nose or throat to see what sort of infection you have.
As discussed, if your symptoms are caused by a virus (like a cold or flu virus), you won't need antibiotics. But if you have a sore throat due to bacteria — for instance, strep throat or bacterial tonsillitis — you will need antibiotics.
“Some bacterial infections get better on their own, but that's rare,” Dr. Price said. Most of the time, your doctor will prescribe an antibiotic. If that's the case, it's essential to take the entire course—even if you feel better, you need to take all of your medication to make sure you clear the infection.
Without adequate rest and hydration, the body's defenses can weaken and not only lead to a bacterial infection, but the symptoms of the cold may last longer or be more severe. In summary, the use of antibiotics to treat the common cold is not necessary.
Even without antibiotics, most people can fight off a bacterial infection, especially if symptoms are mild. About 70 percent of the time, symptoms of acute bacterial sinus infections go away within two weeks without antibiotics.
Even if you're coughing up yellow or green phlegm, you might not need antibiotics. Your mucus color alone can't tell you if a virus or bacteria is causing your cough. If your cough lasts longer than 3 weeks, it's time to see a healthcare provider. You may need an X-ray or antibiotics.
When viruses that cause colds first infect the nose and sinuses, the nose makes clear mucus. This helps wash the viruses from the nose and sinuses. After 2 or 3 days, mucus may change to a white, yellow, or green color. This is normal and does not mean you need an antibiotic.
Mucus can turn different colors for a variety of reasons. White snot can occur with a cold, for example, and pink boogers can be a sign of pregnancy. And while green or yellow snot may indicate a bacterial infection—and a need for antibiotics—it can also signal that your body is on the mend.
Symptoms of a viral infection depend on where you're infected, but some common ones include: Flu-like symptoms: fever, head and body aches, fatigue. Upper respiratory symptoms: sore throat, cough, sneezing. Digestive symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea.
Share on Pinterest General symptoms of a bacterial infection include fever, chills, exhaustion, and headache. The signs and symptoms of a bacterial infection typically depend on where in the body the infection occurs. gastrointestinal symptoms, such as: nausea.
Most often, a sore throat is caused by a virus like the flu or common cold. The sore throat will go away on its own in a few days without any treatment. When a sore throat comes on fast, it may be caused by the bacteria streptococci (strep-tuh-kaak-sai), or strep. Antibiotics will not help treat viruses.
Bacteria are single cells that can multiply and cause infection. Viruses are much smaller than bacteria and need a host cell to reproduce. Viruses can only infect living cells, while bacteria can also infect non-living things like soil or water.
Yes. While the presence of mucus may indicate an underlying issue, coughing up phlegm is a good thing because it helps clear irritants, allergens and infections out of your system.
You Should See a Doctor...
If a cold lasts longer than one week with congestion and headaches. This could be a sign of a sinus infection or allergies. If you experience shortness of breath and a fever that returns after two or three days of not having a fever.
Yellow mucus
This can mean a cold or infection that's progressing. The yellowish tinge comes from white blood cells that rush to the site of the infection and then are swept away after working to fight it off. “Yellow or green snot can sometimes mean that you have an infection,” Dr. Sindwani says.
Green or Yellow Mucus
It's no reason for concern, and in fact, it means your body is working extra hard to fight off infection. White blood cells rush to battle infection, and when they've done their job, they get flushed out of the body along with the virus.
Small amounts of white mucus may be coughed up if the bronchitis is viral. If the color of the mucus changes to green or yellow, it may be a sign that a bacterial infection has also set in.
You can spread the common cold from a few days before your symptoms appear until all of the symptoms are gone. Most people will be contagious for up to 2 weeks. Symptoms are usually worse during the first 2 to 3 days, and this is when you're most likely to spread the virus.
Antibiotics aren't recommended for many chest infections, because they only work if the infection is caused by bacteria, rather than a virus. Your GP will usually only prescribe antibiotics if they think you have pneumonia, or you're at risk of complications such as fluid building up around the lungs (pleurisy).
If symptoms get worse instead of better after 3 days or so, the problem could be strep throat, sinusitis, pneumonia, or bronchitis, especially if your child smokes.
Colds can lead to secondary infections. These include bacterial, middle ear, and sinus infections that may need to be treated with antibiotics. If you have a cold along with high fever, sinus pain, swollen glands, or a mucus-producing cough, see your healthcare provider.