Can I take antibiotics for flu symptoms?

When you’re sick, you probably have tried-and-true ways to combat symptoms, like sipping chicken soup to fight a sore throat and wrapping up in a blanket to ward off the chills.

Maybe you call your doctor, too. But before you ask for any medications, learn about the difference between bacterial and viral infections. What you’ve caught — the flu, a cold, COVID or something else — will determine your treatment. 

“Antibiotics are powerful, lifesaving drugs for bacterial infections, but influenza is a highly contagious respiratory virus,” says Tyler Policht, MD, a primary care physician at Geisinger 65 Forward. “So, taking antibiotics for flu symptoms won’t help you feel better and may actually do more harm than good.”

Can antibiotics help with the flu?

Antibiotics treat bacterial infections, but influenza is caused by a virus. So antibiotics don’t work against the flu. 

That’s because viruses infect your body in a different way. Unlike bacteria, viruses infect your cells and multiply inside of them. For the virus, your cells act as a sort of “Trojan horse” so they can reproduce. 

“Antibiotics work by targeting and disrupting bacterial cell processes,” says Dr. Policht. “But because viruses hide in your cells, antibiotics can’t affect viruses in the same way.” 

Antibiotics: Too much of a good thing

The fewer antibiotics we all take, the better — for ourselves and the whole planet.

Although antibiotics kill both good and bad bacteria, they can miss bacteria like Clostridium difficile (also called C. diff). After taking antibiotics, you could get a C. diff infection, which causes diarrhea and can require emergency medical attention. Antibiotics also can cause unwanted side effects by disrupting the body’s healthy bacterial balance, such as abdominal pain and yeast infections like vaginosis or thrush.

Overuse of antibiotics also contributes to the rise of “superbugs,” or antibiotic-resistant bacteria. 

“Through overuse or misuse of antibiotics, germs learn to survive the drugs we take to kill them,” says Dr. Policht. “And when those germs are passed to someone else, that same antibiotic will be less effective.”

Best treatment for flu

When you feel sick, talk to your doctor and ask whether you have a bacterial or viral infection. If it’s bacterial, antibiotics can help. If influenza is the culprit, your provider can recommend the best treatment for flu. But often, a viral infection just needs to run its course. 

In the first 2 days of your flu infection, your doctor can prescribe antiviral medications like Tamiflu. They help prevent the virus from multiplying, shortening the length of the sickness and limiting its severity. If you’re diagnosed with the flu after the 2-day window, over-the-counter medication can still help treat some symptoms.

But even without medication, viruses are “self-limiting,” meaning they’ll go away with or without treatment. Try some home remedies for flu, too, like:

• Rest: Getting plenty of sleep will help your immune system fight the illness.
• Drinking lots of fluids: Water, herbal tea with honey and lemon, clear broth and 100 percent juice can all help you feel better, soothe a sore throat and keep you hydrated.
• Trying a humidifier. Running a humidifier or simply breathing in steam from a hot shower will relieve irritation from dry indoor air and ease your sore throat and congestion.
• Using saline nasal spray. Saline nose spray breaks up mucus and reduces sinus congestion — plus it’s even safe for young kids.

“When you have the flu, you can expect to feel better in about a week with self-care at home,” says Dr. Policht. “But if you’re not getting better after 10 days or your symptoms are unusually severe — such as a bad cough that brings up mucus or pain in your chest — call your doctor right away.”

People at high risk of flu complications include: 

• Young children
• Adults age 65 and older
• Pregnant women
• People with weakened immune systems or certain medical conditions like asthma, diabetes and heart disease

Getting vaccinated, getting plenty of rest and staying on top of your nutrition will always help your immune system fight the flu. 

Flu prevention is the best medicine

Keeping yourself healthy during flu season starts with prevention.

“The best way to avoid getting the flu is to get vaccinated,” says Dr. Policht. “The flu shot may not be 100% effective, but even if you do get sick after getting the vaccine, it’s likely that your illness won’t be as severe.”

If you get a flu vaccine every year, it lessens not only your chances of getting sick, but also the chances of family members, friends, coworkers and other people you meet. 

Dr. Policht says, “Combining vaccination with good hygiene practices — like frequent handwashing, covering your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, keeping your hands away from your face and sanitizing high-touch surfaces — go a long way in reducing flu transmission.”

Next steps:

Getting your flu shot is easier than ever for Geisinger patients. Learn where you can get a walk-in flu shot during business hours or, to avoid a possible wait time, schedule an appointment.
Find out how long flu lives on surfaces
Should you get vaccinated at the pharmacy?