Respiratory Infections
What is Respiratory Infections?
The majority of respiratory tract infections are viral infections.There different types of respiratory infections, such as Cold characterized by watery to mucoid nasal discharge often preceded by a sore throat, sometimes accompanied by fever. Tonsilitis a local infection of tonsils which gets red and swollen on the surface. Sinusitis & Obits Media, it is a painful inflammatory condition of sinuses and middle ear.
Laryngo-Tracheo Bronchitis which is an acute viral inflammation of larynx and trachea in small children. Often preceded by cold and accompanied by hoarseness, croaking cough . Acute Bronchitis, it is an inflammation of bronchi, accompanied by fever and cough, Acute Bronchiolitis an inflammation of terminal bronchioles in small children. Pneumonia & Bronchopneumonia, an acute respiratory disease accompanied by fever, restlessness and cyanosis and can be life-threatening.
Respiratory diphtheria is a bacterial infection that causes a mild sore throat with a grayish membrane over the infected area. In severe cases the neck tissue may become very swollen. It is contiguous and passed from person to person by droplet transmission, usually by breathing in diphtheria bacteria after an infected person has coughed, sneezed or even laughed. It can also be spread by handling used tissues or by drinking from a glass used by an infected person. These are some of the common respiratory infections.
Respiratory Infections Symptoms
Before you take any treatment or medication, it is advised that you know whether you are suffering from upper respiratory infections or lower respiratory infections. Though, their symptoms are almost the same, there is a minute difference. Hence, it may be difficult to identify, whether the infection is due to malfunction in the upper or the lower respiratory system.Upper Respiratory Infection Symptoms: The most commonly observed upper respiratory infection symptom is headache, sore throat, sneezing, muscle ache, facial pressure and stuffy or runny nose. Nasal congestion and excess mucous are also symptoms of upper respiratory infections. Coughing up blood can also be a symptom. Ear infection, common cold, sinusitis, bronchitis and laryngitis are also symptoms of upper respiratory infections. In most cases, the symptoms disappear within a week or two.
Lower Respiratory Infection Symptoms: The lower respiratory infections are more serious and severe than the upper respiratory infections. The most observed symptom or rather the main lower respiratory infection symptom is cough. The cough is very intense. It brings up phlegm, which is blood stained. Along with cough, the other observed symptoms are breathlessness, wheezing, headache, sinusitis, blocked nose, sore throat, a tight feeling in the chest and body pain. High fever and fatigue are also symptoms of lower respiratory infections symptoms.
