Cough Treatment: Do You Need Antibiotics?

Hi, it’s Ike in Boston. Have a cough? It might not need antibiotics. More on that later, but first …

Antibiotics are incredibly effective at killing bacteria: A shot of penicillin can destroy syphilis, and various versions can obliterate bacterial pneumonia. But antibiotics are not a cure for all ailments, and are often used in the US when they don’t need to be, wasting money and contributing to the development of superbugs.