It’s a common question, one that I’m likely to hear on any given
day in my family practice: “Doc, I’ve had this bad cold for
weeks. I’ve been coughing a lot, my throat is sore, and my nose
has been draining thick, yellow mucus. Do you think that I might
need to take an antibiotic?” This may seem like a simple
question, but answering it accurately requires knowing whether
the infection is caused by bacteria (and, therefore, can be
cured by antibiotics) or by a virus (which cannot). It is also
helpful to know whether the patient has already tried any herbs
or supplements as a first line of treatment. Under pressure to
avoid extra laboratory fees and to avoid making their patients
endure another three to four days of discomfort while waiting
for test results, doctors often choose to go ahead and prescribe
antibiotics, “just in case” the infection is bacterial. That
choice is often inappropriate: Except for strep throat (caused
by streptococcal bacteria), upper-respiratory infections such as
bad colds, bronchitis