Title: Do I Need Antibiotics for My Cough? - GoodRx
Headings: Do I Need Antibiotics for My Cough?
Do I Need Antibiotics for My Cough?
Sharon Orrange, MD, MPH
What should you expect with acute bronchitis?
Should acute bronchitis be treated with antibiotics?
If I cough up green or yellow sputum, doesn’t it mean I need an antibiotic?
But I’m also wheezing
How do doctors diagnose acute bronchitis?
What works to treat acute bronchitis?
What kind of cough does need antibiotics?

Content: Pneumonia can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi, and can also be a serious complication in patients with severe COVID-19 . Pneumonia looks very similar to the flu, though, so you’ll have to see a doctor to find out whether you need antibiotics. ( Flus are caused by viruses and don’t require antibiotics.). You can read more about the differences between COVID-19 and the flu here. The presence of a fever may be a clue that your cough is either caused by the flu or pneumonia rather than acute bronchitis. Symptoms of the flu and pneumonia also include the following (which usually don’t happen with acute bronchitis): Body ache
Headache
Fatigue
Nausea
A loss of appetite
On the other hand, chest pain and wheezing are more common with acute bronchitis. – – –
Dr O.
Share this article