A bacterial infection often lasts 1 to 2 weeks although the length of time the bacterial infection lasts will depend on the type of bacteria that caused the infection and the severity of the bacterial infection and your immune system function and overall health.
Most mild bacterial infections will go away and resolve within 1 to 2 weeks.
Examples of mild bacterial infections include gastroenteritis, sore throats and the common cold.
Moderate bacterial infections can take 2 to 4 weeks to clear and go away.
Examples of moderate bacterial infections are skin infections, urinary tract infections and pneumonia.
Severe bacterial infections can take several weeks to a few months or longer to go away.
Examples of severe bacterial infections are bone infections, meningitis and sepsis.
Taking antibiotics can help you recover sooner from the bacterial infection although it's important to follow through with taking the complete course of antibiotics to allow the antibiotics to work at getting rid of the bacterial infections.
Some bacterial infections are more severe than others and may require hospitalization such as meningitis which can be deadly and even sepsis can be deadly if not treated promptly and require hospitalization.
Other less severe bacterial infections such as the common cold or sore throat can be treated at home.
Children and those with a weaker immune system may take longer to recover from bacterial infections and people with stronger immune systems will often recover quicker from the bacterial infection.