Upper Respiratory Tract Infection

Upper Respiratory Tract Infection – General Information

Upper Respiratory Tract Infection is a medical condition that is thought to be caused by an acute infection developed in the patient’s upper respiratory tract, which can include nose, sinuses, pharynx, larynx, trachea and bronchi. The most common complications of these infections can be experienced as common cold, also known as rhinitis, influenza, laryngitis, which is an inflammation of the patient’s voice box, pharyngitis, also known as sore throat, sinusitis, tonsillitis, and croup, which develops especially in young patients. There are over 200 types of viruses that can trigger the condition. These viruses are very contagious and usually spread by direct contact, including shaking hands, sharing food or drink, and kissing. There are cases in which the viruses can be spread by coughing and sneezing. These viruses can be spread from the hands to the patient’s upper respiratory tract by touching the eyes, nose and mouth.

When a patient is diagnosed with Upper Respiratory Tract Infection, it is very important for him to drink plenty of fluids. A patient should also inform his doctor if he experiences worsening of the symptoms. It is recommended to keep the mucous membranes moist using a humidifier and petroleum jelly around the patient’s nose. There are cases in which the patient can use saline nose drops to loosen the mucous. The patient can prevent Upper Respiratory Tract Infection developing by avoiding touching his eyes, nose and mouth, which will spread the virus that the hands have contacted. The doctor can help the patient to determine the proper treatment for the disease.

Upper Respiratory Tract Infection – Symptoms

A common cause in developing Upper Respiratory Tract Infection is the presence of a virus. There are many types of viruses that are contagious and can be spread by direct contact, through common actions including shaking hands, sharing food and drink, or kissing. There are cases in which the viruses are spread by simply coughing or sneezing. A virus can be spread from the patient’s hands to his upper respiratory tract by a simple touch of the nose, eyes or mouth. Usually, the condition is diagnosed depending on the types and duration of the patient’s symptoms. In all the cases, it has symptoms that can include sneezing, coughing, runny nose, congestion, headache, and sore throat. There are cases in which the condition can cause fever.

These signs and symptoms can last for about a week. Influenza starts suddenly causing more discomfort. Flu symptoms can be experienced as high fever, headache, chills, body aches, weakness, and fatigue. Laryngitis symptoms can also appear including hoarseness and voice loss, while pharyngitis develops as a severe sore throat. Usually, the sore throat symptom is caused by a bacterium called strep throat. Another medical condition, sinusitis can develop from cold and in this case the patient can experience symptoms such as headache, pain and pressure in the forehead, cheek, and nasal region, in addition to cold symptoms. The tonsillitis is considered an inflammation of the tonsils that causes sore throat and difficulty in swallowing. There are cases in which the Upper Respiratory Tract Infection can cause high fever, earache, severe headache which can last longer.

Upper Respiratory Tract Infection – Treatment

Usually, Upper Respiratory Tract Infection is diagnosed depending on the types and duration of the patient’s signs and symptoms. There are cases in which symptoms of cold last for more than three weeks, but they are not triggered by sinus problems and can be caused by certain allergies. The most effective treatment for the Upper Respiratory Tract Infection is considered bed rest and drinking plenty of fluids. Generally, medicines that are taken to relieve pain caused by cold, flu and sinus problems can only provide temporary relief from symptoms, but not shortening of the duration the infection manifests. Some doctors recommend gargling with salt water, providing relief of the sore throat symptoms. Usually, a bowl of soup can relieve congestion by loosening the patient’s nasal secretions.

There are cases in which treatments that consist in antibiotics are not effective, especially in treating viral infections, being recommended when the cause of the patient’s signs and symptoms is considered to have bacterial origins, such as strep throat, tonsillitis, earaches and sinus problems. In most cases, one of the causes leading to the appearance of Upper Respiratory Tract Infection is laryngitis, and the best way to handle the condition is by resting the voice. When the patient experiences repeated bouts of tonsillitis the first treatment option is surgery in order to remove the infected tonsils. When the patient presents mild croup, the best treatment is rest, dinking fluids or applying a humidifier. There are cases, in which small children are affected by severe croup, and the first step is hospitalization and only after this an available treatment will be applied. Most doctors prefer to treat the Upper Respiratory Tract Infection with antibiotics. These medicines act by decreasing the symptoms manifestation. The most common medicines used to treat the condition can include paracetamol, ibuprofen, and aspirin, which act by reducing fever and high temperatures, and relieve certain aches, pains and headache. It is very important for the doctor not to administrate aspirin to children under 16 years old, because it can cause severe complications. Although they have relieving effects, antibiotics are not always recommended, especially if the patient presents a normal health status.

It is very important to know that not all the antibiotics kill the virus. Even if the patient’s condition has been caused by a bacterium, antibiotics are not usually able to speed the patient’s recovery enough. There are cases in which the use of antibiotics only causes the worsening of the present signs and symptoms, or they lead to the appearance of certain side effects, including diarrhea, feeling sick and rashes. Usually, antibiotics are prescribed when the Upper Respiratory Tract Infection worsens, or if the patient already has a chronic lung disease. There are cases in which the medicines have been prescribed if the condition progressed in more severe diseases such as pneumonia, which usually does not develop if the patient has a healthy organism. It is important to treat the disease in an early stage in order to avoid complications and severe side effects.