Why won't my doctor give antibiotics for my cold?
Answered by the AskDoc Medical Team · Medically reviewed under our Medical Director, MBBS
Colds and flu are viruses, and antibiotics kill only bacteria; taking them for a virus adds side effects and breeds resistant bacteria while the cold runs its identical course. Green mucus does not mean bacterial, it means the immune system is working.
Most coughs last up to three weeks; that duration alone is not failure.
What earns reassessment: fever returning after improvement, one-sided facial pain beyond ten days, breathlessness, or feeling much sicker rather than slowly better. Antibiotics saved for real bacterial moments still work when your family actually needs them.
Go deeper, free
If you are buying a thermometer
A basic digital stick thermometer is accurate and costs a few dollars. Forehead scanners are fine for quick checks on children; ear thermometers need good technique to read true.
See digital thermometersAs an Amazon Associate, AskDoc earns from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. It never changes what we recommend.
Is this your situation right now?
General answers only go so far. A doctor can look at your numbers and history and give you a written answer about you.
People also ask
Health education, not personal medical advice. In an emergency, contact your local emergency service now.