Most colds and mild flu bouts run their course at home, but the way people try to speed things along often does the opposite. Federal health authorities and hospital systems keep flagging the same self-treatment habits that either prolong illness or create new health risks on top of it.
Here are eight things clinicians and public health agencies warn against when you are sick with a cold or the flu.
1. Asking for antibiotics
Colds and flu are caused by viruses, and antibiotics only work against bacteria. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states plainly that antibiotics do not work against the viruses that cause a common cold, and that a cold will improve on its own.
Taking antibiotics you do not need still exposes you to side effects and, the agency warns, contributes to antimicrobial resistance and infections such as C. diff.
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2. Doubling up on cold products with acetaminophen
Many multi-symptom cold and flu products contain acetaminophen, and so do dozens of over-the-counter and prescription pain relievers. The US Food and Drug Administration has warned that people using several combination remedies at once may unintentionally exceed the safe daily dose, which can cause severe liver injury.
Read the active ingredients on every product before you stack them, and stay under the daily limit on the label.
3. Drinking alcohol to sleep it off
A hot toddy may sound comforting, but alcohol works against recovery. Research summarized by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism shows that alcohol impairs immune defenses in the lungs and airways, including the cells that clear pathogens and the mucus that traps them.
Heavy drinkers face higher rates of pneumonia and other respiratory infections. Alcohol is also dehydrating, which works against every other piece of standard cold advice.
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4. Pushing through a hard workout
Trainers often refer to the neck rule. Light activity may be fine with symptoms above the neck, such as a runny nose, but rest is the safer choice when symptoms are below it.
Mayo Clinic advises skipping exercise when you have a fever, fatigue, body aches, or a productive cough, because raising your core temperature further can worsen dehydration and prolong recovery.
5. Going back to work too soon
CDC guidance for respiratory viruses says you can return to normal activities once symptoms have been improving overall and you have gone at least 24 hours without a fever without using fever-reducing medication. The agency also recommends five days of added precautions, including good hygiene, better ventilation, and masking around others.
6. Silencing a productive cough
A wet, mucus-producing cough is the body clearing the airways. That is why guidance from clinics such as Cleveland Clinic notes that expectorants, which thin mucus so you can cough it up more easily, are the right choice for productive coughs, while suppressants like dextromethorphan are meant for dry, hacking coughs.
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Suppressing a productive cough with the wrong medicine can let mucus and pathogens sit in the chest longer.
7. Skipping fluids
Fever, sweating, and a runny nose all pull water out of the body. The CDC lists drinking plenty of fluids alongside rest as core cold care, and specifically recommends water, broth, and other clear liquids over caffeinated drinks and alcohol.
8. Attacking a mild fever
Fever is part of the immune response, not the illness itself. Treatment is typically aimed at comfort rather than at forcing the thermometer down, and medicines like acetaminophen or ibuprofen are used when symptoms interfere with rest or fluids.
Anyone with a very high, persistent, or unusual fever, or with chronic health conditions, should contact a clinician rather than try to manage it alone.
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Any cold or flu that suddenly worsens, causes trouble breathing, or drags on beyond about a week is a reason to call your doctor.
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