Cough is a common symptom in our daily life and can be caused by a variety of reasons such as colds, allergies, tracheitis, etc.
When we have a cough, our first instinct is often to look for antibiotics.
However, does cough necessarily require antibiotics?
There is no one absolute answer to this question as it depends on the cause of the cough and the physical condition of the individual.
Bacteria vs. Viruses: Small but Huge Differences.
First, let's take a look at the basic properties of bacteria and viruses.
Bacteria are about 1,000 times larger than viruses, which means that their lifestyles and survival strategies in the microcosm are significantly different.
Therefore, the principle of their drug ** is also different.
Antibiotics are used to destroy bacteria, and this drug is completely ineffective for clearing the coronavirus.
Coughing**: Virus or bacteria?
Although both bacteria and viruses can cause respiratory infections and symptoms such as fever, cough, and sputum production, it is important to make a correct diagnosis.
Cough caused by a virus is not needed in most cases without antibiotics. This is because viral infections are usually "self-contained", with adequate rest and appropriate symptomatic treatment**, with significant relief of fever and systemic symptoms within 3-5 days.
Co-infection with bacteria: Yes or no?
However, when a viral infection is combined with a bacterial infection, antibiotics need to be considered**.
This usually happens in older people or people with underlying medical conditions such as diabetes.
In this case, local mucosal damage to the respiratory tract, impaired immune function, and secondary bacterial infections may occur.
The main manifestations of secondary bacterial infection are:
Fever for a long time (e.g., 5 days or more), coughing up more yellow purulent sputum, purulent discharge, etc., high proportion of white blood cells and neutrophils in blood (white blood cells infected by new crown viruses are usually not high or low, but they are also elevated), other examinations such as chest CT show that bacterial infection may be present, and sputum bacterial culture is positive.
In addition, we also need to note that coughing does not necessarily mean that there is a disease.
3 Some people may have a cough caused by smoking, air pollution, etc., which is not necessarily a sign of disease. In this case, we can improve cough symptoms by changing lifestyle habits, reducing exposure to harmful substances, etc.
Overall, the question of whether antibiotics are needed for post-infectious cough is not a simple question and needs to be judged on a case-by-case basis.
For cough caused by a general viral infection, we usually don't need antibiotics.
However, if there is a bacterial infection, then we need to use antibiotics to**.
Therefore, it is very important to diagnose the condition correctly and do it according to the doctor's advice.