Using Antibiotics Safely

 

Symptoms

• Headache
• Sore throat
• Runny nose
• Sneezing
• Coughing

The fluid that comes out of your nose might be:

• Clear
• Thick and yellow
• Thick and green

Prevention

• The best way to prevent getting colds is to wash your hands often to reduce the spread of germs.
• Make sure that you and your children have received all the vaccines you are eligible for:

• Cover your mouth and nose with tissues when you cough or sneeze, or cough and sneeze into the curve of your elbow. Put used tissues in the garbage right away, then wash your hands or use an alcohol-based hand rub.
  • Teach your children to do the same when they are old enough.

What can you do?

• If you have a cold, or are caring for someone with a cold, wash your hands often to reduce the spread of germs.
• Drink fluids (such as water, juice or tea) throughout the day, not just when you are thirsty.
• Acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help with aches and pains. Follow the instructions on the package.
• Saline drops or sprays can help with a stuffy nose.
• Cough and cold medicines may help with symptoms but will not shorten the length of the cold.
  • Check the label carefully or check with your pharmacist before using cough and cold medicines.
  • Check with your doctor, nurse practitioner or pharmacist before giving over-the-counter medications to babies or children younger than 6 years old.
• If you think you have COVID-19 and you are at high risk for getting severely sick, you should be tested for acute viral respiratory infections.

More information about colds and runny nose:

When to see a medical professional

Signs of an emergency - seek medical attention immediately

Symptoms

• Cough or chest pain
• Coughing up yellow or green mucous (this does not mean the cough is bacterial)
• Wheezing

NOTE It’s common for the symptoms of a viral cough to last for 2 or 3 weeks. Sometimes the symptoms last as long as 6 weeks.

Prevention

• Make sure that you and your children have received all the vaccines you are eligible for:

• Cover your mouth and nose with tissues when you cough or sneeze, or cough and sneeze into the curve of your elbow. Put used tissues in the garbage right away, then wash your hands or use an alcohol-based hand rub.
  • Teach your children to do the same when they are old enough.

What can you do?

• Drink fluids (such as water, juice or tea) throughout the day, not just when you are thirsty.
• Cough medicine can help children over the age of 6 and adults:
  • Check the label carefully or check with your pharmacist before using cough medicine.
  • Check with your doctor, nurse practitioner or pharmacist before giving over-the-counter medications to babies or children younger than 6 years old.
• Regular cough drops or lozenges can help:
  • Don't use antibacterial cough drops or lozenges.
  • Check the label carefully or check with your pharmacist before using cough drops or lozenges.
  • Do not give lozenges to children younger than 6 years old. They may choke on them.
• If you think you have COVID-19 and you are at high risk for getting severely sick, you should be tested for acute viral respiratory infections.

More information about coughs:

When to see a medical professional

Signs of an emergency - seek medical attention immediately

Children get ear infections more easily than adults do. There is a tube that runs from your middle ear to the back of your throat. In children, this tube is narrow. It can become clogged, especially when they have a cold. The blockage can cause an ear infection.

Symptoms

• Fever
• Ear pain
• Irritability

Prevention

• Wash your hands often to reduce the spread of germs and teach kids to wash their hands often. Most ear pain happens when the person has a cold. Handwashing helps prevent colds.
• Don't expose children to second-hand smoke.
• Don't give your child a bottle to drink while they are lying down.

What can you do?

• Use acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain and fever. Follow the instructions on the package.
• Place warm cloths over the outside of the ear(s).
• If your health care provider prescribes antibiotics, take them exactly as instructed.

More information about ear infections:

When to see a medical professional

Signs of an emergency - seek medical attention immediately

What can you do?

• For kids, please refer to Fever and temperature taking guidelines from the Canadian Paediatric Society:

• Acetaminophen or ibuprofen can reduce the fever and make the person feel more comfortable. Follow the instructions on the package.
• Wear clothing that is cool enough that you won’t get overheated but warm enough that you won’t shiver.
• If you think you have COVID-19 and you are at high risk for getting severely sick, you should be tested for acute viral respiratory infections.

When to see a medical professional

Signs of an emergency - seek medical attention immediately

Influenza (or flu) is caused by a virus. The virus can spread to others 3 to 7 days after symptoms start. Influenza season usually starts in November or December and ends in April or May. Sometimes influenza leads to pneumonia.

Symptoms

• Fever
• Chills
• Headache
• Muscle or body aches
• Feeling tired
• Sore throat
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Sneezing
• Cough

Prevention

• Make sure that you and your children have received all the vaccines you are eligible for, including the annual flu shot:

• Wash your hands often to reduce the spread of germs.
• Cover your mouth and nose with tissues when you cough or sneeze, or cough and sneeze into the curve of your elbow. Put used tissues in the garbage right away, then wash your hands or use an alcohol-based hand rub.
  • Teach your children to do the same when they are old enough.

What Can You Do?

• Drink fluids (such as water, juice or tea) throughout the day, not just when you are thirsty.
• Get plenty of rest or allow your child to get plenty of rest. Stay at home or keep your child at home for the first few days to rest and avoid spreading the flu to others.
• Consider using acetaminophen or ibuprofen for fever, headache, and body aches. Follow the instructions on the package.
  • Check the label carefully or check with your pharmacist before using acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
  • NOTE Do not give acetaminophen or ibuprofen to children younger than 6 years old.
• If you think you have COVID-19 and you are at high risk for getting severely sick, you should be tested for acute viral respiratory infections.

More information about influenza (flu):

When to see a medical professional

Signs of an emergency - seek medical attention immediately

 

Sinuses are air-filled sacs around your nose and eyes. A sinus infection (called sinusitis) happens when these spaces fill up with fluid. Sinusitis can be caused by viruses or bacteria. Often, people have a cold first before they get sinusitis. Sinusitis lasts longer than a cold and the symptoms are more severe (very bad). Colds usually don’t cause bacterial sinusitis.

Symptoms

• Pain or pressure in your face or head
• Toothache
• Feeling tired
• Cough
• Fever
• Stuffed up nose
• A runny nose

If the symptoms last for more than 10 days, you may need antibiotics.

What can you do?

• Acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help with pain and fever. Follow the instructions on the package.
• Children can use saline nasal spray. For adults, nasal irrigation (the process of flushing the nasal passages with saline using a device like a neti pot or squeeze bottle) may be more effective than saline nasal spray.
• A warm compress on your face can help with pain and discomfort.
• Steam can help you breathe better:
  • Take a hot shower or sit in the steamy bathroom after someone has taken a shower.
  • Place a pan of recently boiled water near you, out of reach of others (especially babies, children, pets).

More information about sinus infections:

When to see a medical professional

Signs of an emergency - seek medical attention immediately

Almost all sore throats (90%) are caused by viruses, such as colds. A sore throat is likely caused by a virus if you also have:

• a runny nose
• pink eye
• a cough
• diarrhea

Sometimes bacteria like Streptococcus (Strep throat) can cause sore throats. Your health care provider (doctor, nurse practitioner or pharmacist) cannot diagnose Strep throat just by looking at your throat. They will ask you questions.

• If the sore throat is part of a cold, it is likely viral.
• If your health care provider thinks the sore throat could be bacterial, they may swab your throat to test for Strep throat.
• If the test is positive, your health care provider may prescribe antibiotics.
• If the test is negative, antibiotics will not help.

Other people in your household and close contacts do not need to be tested or treated unless they have symptoms.

Prevention

Make sure that you and your children have received all the vaccines you are eligible for:

What Can You Do?

• Drink fluids (such as water, juice or tea) throughout the day, not just when you are thirsty.
• Acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help with throat pain and fever. Follow the instructions on the package.
• Throat lozenges may help with pain. Do not give lozenges to children younger than 6 years old. They may choke on them.
• For older children and adults, gargling with warm salt water will make the throat feel better:
  • Mix ½ tsp table salt with 1 cup (250 ml) warm water.
  • Gargle for 10 seconds.
  • May be done 4–5 times per day.
• If you think you have COVID-19 and you are at high risk for getting severely sick, you should be tested for acute viral respiratory infections.

When to see a medical professional

Signs of an emergency - seek medical attention immediately