are antibiotics any good for flu?
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Antibiotics won't help if you have flu. When you have flu, antibiotics will not help you feel better. Antibiotics won't help you, and their side effects could cause harm.
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Because antibiotics only fight bacteria, and not viruses, they're usually ineffective against colds. Sometimes a cold may lead to a bacterial infection, though. In that case, antibiotics would have a benefit if they were able to prevent that kind of infection.
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Antibiotics such as amoxicillin, cephalexin, or penicillin are used to treat strep throat. Antibiotics work only against bacterial infections such as strep throat. They will not help sore throats caused by allergies or viral infections such as colds.
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(Note that Zicam itself doesn't claim to treat the flu, but it's often mixed in among the flu treatment products at the drugstore.) Some time ago, there was preliminary evidence that zinc might reduce the duration of a cold, but there was never any evidence that it could work for the flu.
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The single best way to prevent seasonal flu is to get vaccinated each year, but good health habits like covering your cough and washing your hands often can help stop the spread of germs and prevent respiratory illnesses like the flu. There also are flu antiviral drugs that can be used to treat and prevent flu.
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Antibiotics. As if coming down with strep throat isn't bad enough, the antibiotic your doctor might prescribe to cure it can set you up for a vaginal yeast infection. “Antibiotics alter the very delicate balance of normal bacteria found in the vagina,” explains Dr. Dweck.
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No specific treatment for viral meningitis exists at this time, and antibiotics will not work against viruses. Most patients completely recover with supportive measures. Doctors often will recommend bed rest, plenty of fluids and medicine to relieve fever and headache.
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Because most cases of bronchitis are caused by viral infections, antibiotics aren't effective. However, if your doctor suspects that you have a bacterial infection, he or she may prescribe an antibiotic. In some circumstances, your doctor may recommend other medications, including: Cough medicine.
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Ciprofloxacin belongs to a class of drugs called quinolone antibiotics. It works by stopping the growth of bacteria. This antibiotic treats only bacterial infections. It will not work for virus infections (such as common cold, flu).
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Ofloxacin belongs to the class of drugs known as fluoroquinolone antibiotics. It works by killing bacteria or preventing their growth. However, this medicine will not work for colds, flu, or other virus infections.
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Interactions between your drugs No interactions were found between amoxicillin and Day Relief Cold and Flu. This does not necessarily mean no interactions exist.
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In routine clinical practice, antibiotics are chiefly used to eliminate various pathogens (bacteria, viruses, and parasites). Many antibiotics were later found to have anti-inflammatory properties apart from their antimicrobial action.
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Seasonal use of Antibiotics and Asthma Inhalers More antibiotics are prescribed during the cold and flu season. Some of those antibiotics are tetracycline or a derivative of tetracycline. Anyone of this family of antibiotics can cause brown striping on the enamel of your teeth.
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Usually, you'll need nothing more than bed rest and plenty of fluids to treat the flu. But if you have severe infection or are at higher risk for complications, your doctor may prescribe an antiviral medication, such as oseltamivir (Tamiflu), zanamivir (Relenza), peramivir (Rapivab) or baloxavir (Xofluza).
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Because antibiotics are useless against viruses, you're likely to be infectious for much longer. As a rule, doctors don't recommend that you fly with pneumonia. They will certainly not recommend that you embark on a holiday while you're suffering from it.
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Antiviral drugs are medicines that decrease the ability of flu viruses to reproduce. When used as directed, antiviral drugs may help reduce the duration of flu symptoms in otherwise healthy children and adults and may reduce the severity of common flu symptoms.
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Antibiotics are used to treat or prevent some types of bacterial infections. They are not effective against viral infections, such as the common cold or flu. Antibiotics should only be prescribed to treat health problems: that are not serious but are unlikely to clear up without antibiotics – such as acne.