tracheitis

[mandimoo]

my doc told me i had this (sore throat, weird voice, raspy 'in' breaths, mild cold). would it be viral or bacterial tracheitis that i have? i have been prescribed amoxycillin but have put off cashing in the script in the hope it will go on its own, but its been two weeks now and my throat and voice are still not recovered. WILL it go away on its own?

[LazyGun]

@Mandi - From your description, there is no way of telling whether it is viral or bacterial in origin. The fact that your Doc prescribed amoxycillin means that they think it is bacterial.
If it was viral, I would have expected it to have resolved itself within 3-5 days, rather like a common cold. The fact that, 14 days post diagnosis (and presumably a few days before that, to warrant you seeing the Doc) it hasn't gone away is suggestive that it is chronic, bacterial, and higlhyunlikely to resolve on its own (It has had 2-3 weeks to do that already, after all).
The Doc prescribed amoxycillin - By far the most sensible course would be to take the antibiotics as prescribed - Why are you delaying, and prolonging your illness?

[Sqad]

//////WILL it go away on its own?///// It might.

There is no way of looking at a throat and saying with certainty whether or not it is viral or bacterial, only a throat swab will do that and the NHS couldn't cope if GP's sent throat swabs from everyone with sore throats, so, like swine flu, the guessometer is brought into play.

If you are a smoker or you work in a noisy environment, then your infection will last longer.

Good luck.

[mandimoo]

hi both, thanks for your answers. i delayed with the anti-biotics in the (perhaps misguided) theory that my immune system would get stronger if i let my body fight the infection itself. like exercising my immune system if you like. i worry that finally, when the mother of all flus comes, and if i have not relied on medicines to cure me all my life, then my immune system will be fighting fit, giving me a better chance of survival (havent you read 'the stand' by stephen king?!). in any case I respect you both and you have persuaded me to cash my prescription and hopefully ill be better for xmas. thankyou.