Download Ask Your Pharmacist Antibiotics: Not for Colds or Flu

 Ask Your Pharmacist Here are some non‐drug options for cold or flu:  Drink more fluids  Use a cool mist vaporizer or a saline sinus rinse for congestion  Use ice chips for a sore throat Your pharmacist can recommend appropriate over‐the‐counter medications for your symptoms. Ask anytime! If You Do Need Antibiotics Antibiotics: Not for Colds or Flu  Follow the instructions exactly to take the antibiotics correctly.  Do not skip doses.  Finish the entire prescription, even if you feel better sooner.  Do not save antibiotics for later — use them for the infection they were prescribed for.  Do not share antibiotics with others. Each prescription is specific for that person and infection. Photos of capsules by sparktography Photo of man by williambrawley Photo of thermometer by rocknroll_guitar Photo of pharmacist by IPSF All under Creative Commons licensure Antibiotics: Not Always the Answer You want to feel better fast. However, many illnesses are caused by viruses, which cannot be treated with antibiotics. Using antibiotics when they aren’t appropriate may create a big problem: resistant bacteria. Unnecessary antibiotic use can breed bacteria that are resistant to that antibiotic. If these bacteria then make someone sick, they are harder to kill, so it is more difficult to treat that infection. Use antibiotics only when they are needed – for bacteria, not viruses. Many Infections Are Caused by Viruses In healthy people, these illnesses are usually due to viruses:  Common cold  Flu, including flu with a fever  Chest cold  Sore throat  Bronchitis  Runny nose with green or yellow mucous  Fluid in the middle ear Remember, antibiotics cannot cure a viral infection! Your healthcare provider can tell you if you have an infection due to bacteria or a virus. Antibiotics will not make you feel better faster if you have a virus, because antibiotics do not affect viruses. Antibiotics will not keep others from catching your viral infection. Green or yellow mucous does not mean that you need antibiotics. It is normal for mucous to change color during the course of a viral cold.