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Hi This Is Reba XXXXXXX And Just Have A Cold
Brief Answer:
Usually coughs like yours are caused by viruses
Detailed Answer:
Hello, I'm Dr. Branch, thanks for using Ask a Doctor. Unfortunately, we are not able to prescribe any medications from this website, we can only give advice. But in your case, it does not sound like you would need antibiotics at this point. Most colds are caused by viruses, for which antibiotics do not have any effect. Coughs from colds can be prolonged, sometimes up to 10-14 days. Usually patients seek help and get prescribed antibiotics at the point it is at its worst, and afterwards they get better, and feel like it was from the antibiotics, but actually they would have gotten better anyways.
So hopefully this is the case for you and you will see some improvement in the next few days. In the meantime, only if you had a fever (above 100.4 F or 38.0 C) or difficulty breathing would I normally consider getting a chest x-ray to evaluate you for pneumonia. Otherwise, you can try medications that have dextromethorphan in it, to help with the cough.
I hope that helps, please let me know if you have any questions about any of that, and I would be glad to discuss it with you further.
Usually coughs like yours are caused by viruses
Detailed Answer:
Hello, I'm Dr. Branch, thanks for using Ask a Doctor. Unfortunately, we are not able to prescribe any medications from this website, we can only give advice. But in your case, it does not sound like you would need antibiotics at this point. Most colds are caused by viruses, for which antibiotics do not have any effect. Coughs from colds can be prolonged, sometimes up to 10-14 days. Usually patients seek help and get prescribed antibiotics at the point it is at its worst, and afterwards they get better, and feel like it was from the antibiotics, but actually they would have gotten better anyways.
So hopefully this is the case for you and you will see some improvement in the next few days. In the meantime, only if you had a fever (above 100.4 F or 38.0 C) or difficulty breathing would I normally consider getting a chest x-ray to evaluate you for pneumonia. Otherwise, you can try medications that have dextromethorphan in it, to help with the cough.
I hope that helps, please let me know if you have any questions about any of that, and I would be glad to discuss it with you further.
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
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