What can I do if antibiotics do not help? | When do I need antibiotics for a cold?

What can I do if antibiotics do not help?

If the antibiotic taken does not relieve the symptoms, a doctor should always be consulted! This is because the treatment of a bacterial infection usually shows a significant improvement in symptoms within the first two days. Nevertheless, there may be other reasons why antibiotics do not help with a cold: The simplest reason for this would be that a viral rather than a bacterial infection may be present and antibiotics are still taken. So if antibiotics have been prescribed, but there is actually no bacterial infection, the duration of the cold is not shortened and the symptoms persist. In this case, the cold itself should continue to be treated.

Am I still contagious when I take antibiotics?

Whether one is still contagious after taking an antibiotic depends strongly on which disease is treated with the antibiotic. If a bacterial infection is also treated in the course of a cold, the cold, which was primarily caused by viruses, is still contagious, since these cannot be fought with an antibiotic. With a bacterial tonsillitis (also called tonsillitis or angina), the risk of infection for fellow men is usually very low again 1-2 days after the start of antibiotic therapy.

Other illnesses, such as pneumonia, can also be contagious for a longer period of time, so you should always ask your doctor how long you should stay at home. In general, however, the typical hygiene measures should always be observed until the symptoms subside completely. These include, for example, avoiding shaking hands with other people in order to reduce the risk of infection.

Hand hygiene should also be ensured by washing or disinfecting the hands regularly. Close contact from face to face should also be avoided, as pathogens can also be transmitted through speech; this process is called droplet infection. In general, however, the typical hygiene measures should always be followed until the symptoms have subsided completely.

This includes, for example, avoiding shaking hands with other people in order to reduce the risk of infection. Hand hygiene should also be ensured by washing or disinfecting the hands regularly. Close contact from face to face should also be avoided, as pathogens can also be transmitted through speech; this process is called droplet infection.