The flu is going around again.
The cold and flu are caused by viruses. This means that antibiotics are not helpful most of the time. Please don't try to persuade your doctor to give you antibiotics if he/she doesn't think they are necessary. You should get better in about a week, no matter what medications you take. Drink lots of fluids and get some rest. You can take over the counter medications for pain and fever, like Tylenol or Motrin, increase your fluid intake, and gargle with salt water if you have a sore throat.
Stay home if you are coughing so you don't infect your classmates or coworkers. When you cough, cough into the inside of your elbow, so that you can keep your hands germ free.
You may need antibiotics if you can see white stuff on your tonsils, if you have swollen painful neck glands, a high fever, a fever that lasts more than 2 days, a very bad cough with chest pain and/or shortness of breath, if you feel and look absolutely awful, if you are immunosuppressed for some other reason, or if it's your child that is sick and they are very young. Please see your doctor in these cases.
Come see me at the clinic if you are not feeling well or you need a check up. Call 327-6407 for an appointment or walk right in.
Love yourself, take care of your health! 

Very often when you have a cold or the flu, you will have a fever. As I said before, these are viral infections, and you don't usually need antibiotics. If you or your child has a fever for more than 2 days or has a very high fever you should come in to see the doctor. Give medication for the fever: acetaminophen, calpol, tylenol, panadol, or paramol (these are all the same medication, just different names). Rest, drink lots of fluids. If the fever doesn't break after 2 days, if the fever keeps coming back, is very high or you feel extremely awful or your child looks very droopy, see your doctor. If the cough is very bad, painful, there is shortness of breath, or the sputum has blood in it, see your doctor.