Though a mainstream practice, it is not appropriate to routinely prescribe antibiotics for upper air passage infections, such as strep throat, laryngitis, tonsillitis, sinusitis, ear infections and similar. Upper air passage infections are mainly of viral origin and heal on their own in a few days. Prescribing antibiotics should only be considered for patients when there is a risk of the infection spreading to the lower air passages (that is, developing bronchitis or pneumonia) or if the clinical picture has worsened after a few days.

Advice from Altroconsumo

- Give yourself enough rest: the sense of exhaustion caused by viral illnesses allows the body fight infection. It is not advisable to take drugs to combat symptoms to “get right back to shape”. Eliminating symptoms does not mean fighting the illness and one risks slowing down healing.
- Don’t confuse the symptoms with the illness. For example, a cough is a useful symptom that helps the body expel phlegm. If it doesn’t cause particular problems (difficulty sleeping, for example), eliminating the cough with a drug that blocks the urge to cough is unnecessary and counter-productive. Even a fever is the body’s natural reaction, useful in fighting viruses and bacteria. If it doesn’t give excessive discomfort and is not too high, an anti-fever medication is not necessary.
- Resort to traditional remedies: drinking a lot helps make the mucus more liquid and therefore makes it easier to expel. Nasal inhalants and washes with physiologic saline solution help fight a blocked nose. A candy or ice cream can alleviate a sore throat.
- Humidifying the air in the house during the winter season helps to keep the mucous membranes moist and counteracts irritation.

In collaboration with

SIMG - Italian College of General Practice and Primary Care