Question:
Why does soda dehydrate you?

Answer:

Many sodas contain caffeine, which is a known diuretic and will actually accentuate the symptoms of fluid loss. In addition, sodas are more concentrated in sugar than the body's fluids, so the body will attempt to dilute them in the gut, thereby causing a loss of water from other areas of the body.

Question:
I have had a sore throat and a bad cough for about a week now and it keeps getting worse.

I have been taking Day-Quil every day to calm the symptoms. I have no voice now and have been having a lot of sinus problems as well, such as headaches and nose and eye pressure. Should I make an appointment to get checked or to get an antibiotic?

Answer:

Most upper respiratory illnesses, such as colds or bronchitis, are caused by viruses, which antibiotics do not affect or help. However, there certainly are bacterial respiratory infections that require further evaluation and treatment. The trick is to differentiate one from the other, and it is not always clear. Here a few guidelines to use.

If you have had a fever (100.5 degrees or higher) for three or more days, you should be evaluated by a health care professional. If you have a sore throat that lasts all day for more than a few days, is worsening or is accompanied by white pus on your tonsils and swollen glands in your neck, you should be checked.

A strep test may be negative, but it is worth getting it done. Other indications for an immediate evaluation include shortness of breath, chest pain or any neck pain or stiffness.

Despite the use of these guidelines, the course of an individual illness can be difficult to predict. In general, a cold not requiring antibiotics will resolve on its own in seven to 10 days. It typically begins with a sore throat that resolves in a couple of days and is then followed by sinus congestion and then a cough.

In your case, you have been ill for one week without any sign of improvement.

At this point, it is worth an evaluation to determine whether or not an antibiotic might be beneficial to you.

Call your primary health care provider or UHS for an appointment.

Submit HealthLine questions online at www.sa.psu.edu/uhs/questions/qa.cfm.

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This column is not intended to replace advice from your personal clinician. If conditions persist, see a clinician.