John is a 24-year-old who presents to Urgent Care with a 2-week history of cough and congestion. He says it started out as a “normal cold” and it will not go away. He has a cough productive of green mucous and has green nasal discharge. He says he has had a low-grade temperature for the past 2 days. John reports an intermittent frontal headache with this cold. He is otherwise health, with no known allergies.
In his assessment it is found that his vital signs are stable, temperature is 99.9 degrees F, tympanic membranes (TMs) are clear bilaterally, and pharynx is red with no exudate. There is greenish postnasal drainage, turbinates are swollen and red. Tenderness is present when the frontal sinuses are palpated, no cervical adenopathy, and lungs are clear.
Would you treat this patient for his cold? Why or why not?
If you were to treat this patient, what would you use? How many days would be appropriate?
How would this treatment vary if the patient was a child?