Appropriate antibiotic treatment for chest infections is determined by the bacteria (bugs) you grow in your airways –detected through sputum analysis. This is why regular sputum samples are essential to guide your treatment.
Oral Antibiotics (pills)
For most people appropriate oral antibiotics will be sufficient to treat infections. Early treatment is important in limiting the extent of the infection and in reducing any further damage caused to the airways.
Quite often the treatment plan will specify that a home stock of appropriate antibiotics is made available so that these can be taken quickly once an infection starts. But it is also important to take a sputum sample immediately as well – before the first antibiotics are taken – to test that the bugs expected are in fact those causing the infection.
It can often take a few days for you start to feel better but if you don’t improve or you get worse it is important that you go and see your GP again to check that you are on the right treatment.
Last Reviewed -10th July 2019