What medications should be taken for bacterial cold?
Disease description:
Recently, I've been coughing a lot, and the cough is quite severe. The doctor told me that my cold is caused by a bacterial infection. I didn't remember much else, but I wanted to ask: what medications should I take for a bacterial cold?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Yang Ziqi
Treatment medications for bacterial colds:
1. Antibiotics: The key to treating bacterial colds lies in antibacterial therapy, making antibiotics the first-line treatment. Commonly used antibiotics include penicillins, cephalosporins, erythromycins, and respiratory quinolones. The specific choice of antibiotic should be determined based on the patient's individual condition and results from bacterial culture.
2. Symptomatic treatment medications: These are used to relieve symptoms caused by the cold. For symptoms such as runny nose, sneezing, and nasal congestion, combination preparations containing pseudoephedrine and chlorpheniramine maleate may be selected. For symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle pain, and sore throat, combination preparations containing acetaminophen may be used, such as phenylephrine, dextromethorphan, acetaminophen, and doxylamine tablets or capsules.
Antibiotics should be used strictly according to medical instructions to avoid misuse and overuse. Meanwhile, adequate rest, sufficient fluid intake, and appropriate nutrition are also key to helping the body recover. If severe symptoms such as high fever, persistent cough, or difficulty breathing occur, prompt medical attention should be sought.
