Discolored phlegm doesn’t mean bacterial infection. Viral infections, and allergic sinusitis can cause it too.
Bacterial sinus infections are absurdly over treated [1]. It can take weeks to recover from a viral infection.
Not saying that you are a wuss, but my guess is, the doctor probably over-indexed on the throat pain, assumed you were a bit of wuss for calling the doctor for a sore throat, and decided to give you something to make you feel better quickly.
Either way unless you were 65+ a short course of oral steroids is very safe (and even then it’s only very mildly dangerous).
“Without antibiotics, rhinosinusitis resolved in 46% of patients after one week and in 64% of patients after 14 days.
Antibiotics can shorten time to resolution but in only five to 11 more people per 100 compared with placebo or no treatment.
Despite this, approximately 86% of U.S. ambulatory visits for acute rhinosinusitis result in oral antibiotic prescriptions.1 In Europe, antibiotic prescription rates for acute rhinosinusitis in primary care range from 72% to 92%”
Bacterial sinus infections are absurdly over treated [1]. It can take weeks to recover from a viral infection.
Not saying that you are a wuss, but my guess is, the doctor probably over-indexed on the throat pain, assumed you were a bit of wuss for calling the doctor for a sore throat, and decided to give you something to make you feel better quickly.
Either way unless you were 65+ a short course of oral steroids is very safe (and even then it’s only very mildly dangerous).
1.https://www.aafp.org/afp/2020/0615/p758
“Without antibiotics, rhinosinusitis resolved in 46% of patients after one week and in 64% of patients after 14 days.
Antibiotics can shorten time to resolution but in only five to 11 more people per 100 compared with placebo or no treatment.
Despite this, approximately 86% of U.S. ambulatory visits for acute rhinosinusitis result in oral antibiotic prescriptions.1 In Europe, antibiotic prescription rates for acute rhinosinusitis in primary care range from 72% to 92%”