I came down with an unrelenting sore throat about 15-20 years ago. For years I have tried to be discreet in prescribing antibiotics in most of my patients, for fear of causing resistance in bacteria to the antibiotics. I did for me what I did for most of my patients, which was to avoid the antibiotics. However, after a week the sore throat was getting worse, it was starting to keep me from opening my mouth normally and I was running a fever. I called my friend, an ears, nose and throat doctor who practiced at our local clinic with me.