Upper respiratory tract infection (patient information): Difference between revisions

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{{Upper respiratory tract infection (patient information)}}
'''For the WikiDoc page for this topic, click [[Upper respiratory tract infection|here]]'''
'''For the WikiDoc page for this topic, click [[Upper respiratory tract infection|here]]'''


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Upper respiratory infections, commonly referred to the acronym URI or URTI, is the illness caused by an acute infection which involves the upper respiratory tract: nose, sinuses, pharynx or larynx. In the United States, this represents approximately one billion acute upper respiratory illnesses annually.
Upper respiratory infections, commonly referred to the acronym URI or URTI, is the illness caused by an acute infection which involves the upper respiratory tract: nose, sinuses, pharynx or larynx. In the United States, this represents approximately one billion acute upper respiratory illnesses annually.


==What are the symptoms of (condition)?==
==What are the symptoms of Upper respiratory tract infection?==
*Itchy, watery eyes
*Itchy, watery eyes
*Nasal discharge
*Nasal discharge
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==Diseases with similar symptoms==
==Diseases with similar symptoms==


==Where to find medical care for (condition)?==
==Where to find medical care for Upper respiratory tract infection?==
[http://maps.google.com/maps?q={{urlencode:{{#if:{{{1|}}}|{{{1}}}|map+top+hospital+Condition}}}}&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wl Directions to Hospitals Treating Condition]
[http://maps.google.com/maps?q={{urlencode:{{#if:{{{1|}}}|{{{1}}}|map+top+hospital+Condition}}}}&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wl Directions to Hospitals Treating Condition]


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* Sinusitis
* Sinusitis


==Sources==


[[Category:Infectious disease patient information]]
[[Category:Infectious disease patient information]]
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[[Category:Patient information]]
[[Category:Patient information]]
[[Category:Overview complete]]
[[Category:Overview complete]]
[[Category:Pulmonology]]
[[Category:Template complete]]


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Revision as of 13:35, 10 August 2011


Upper respiratory tract infection

Overview

What are the symptoms?

What are the causes?

Who is at highest risk?

When to seek urgent medical care?

Diagnosis

Treatment options

Where to find medical care for Upper respiratory tract infection?

What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?

Possible complications

Upper respiratory tract infection On the Web

Ongoing Trials at Clinical Trials.gov

Images of Upper respiratory tract infection

Videos on Upper respiratory tract infection

FDA on Upper respiratory tract infection

CDC on Upper respiratory tract infection

Upper respiratory tract infection in the news

Blogs on Upper respiratory tract infection

Directions to Hospitals Treating Upper respiratory tract infection

Risk calculators and risk factors for Upper respiratory tract infection

For the WikiDoc page for this topic, click here

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-In-Chief: Priyamvada Singh, M.B.B.S

Overview

Upper respiratory infections, commonly referred to the acronym URI or URTI, is the illness caused by an acute infection which involves the upper respiratory tract: nose, sinuses, pharynx or larynx. In the United States, this represents approximately one billion acute upper respiratory illnesses annually.

What are the symptoms of Upper respiratory tract infection?

  • Itchy, watery eyes
  • Nasal discharge
  • Nasal congestion
  • Sneezing
  • Sore throat
  • Cough
  • Headache
  • Fever
  • Malaise
  • Fatigue, weakness
  • Muscle pain

Who is at highest risk?

Any one can have common cold but children, older population, people with decreased immunity are affected more commonly

When to seek urgent medical care?

If you have the above symptoms contact a doctor.

Diagnosis

It is commonly diagnosed clinically based on the signs and symptoms.

Treatment options

  • Treatment depends on the underlying cause. Treatment comprises symptomatic support usually via analgesics for headache, sore throat and muscle aches.
  • There is no evidence to support the age-old advice to rest when you are sick with an upper respiratory illness. Moderate exercise in sedentary subjects with a URI has been shown to have no effect on the overall severity and duration of the illness.
  • Getting plenty of sleep
  • Increasing fluid intake
  • Antibiotics

Judicious use of antibiotics can decrease unnecessary adverse effects of antibiotics as well as out-of-pocket costs to the patient. But more importantly, decreased antibiotic usage will prevent the rise of drug resistant bacteria, which is now a growing problem in the world. Health authorities have been strongly encouraging physicians to decrease the prescribing of antibiotics to treat common upper respiratory tract infections because antibiotic usage does not significantly reduce recovery time for these viral illnesses.

  • Decongestants
  • Alternative medicine
    • The use of Vitamin C

Diseases with similar symptoms

Where to find medical care for Upper respiratory tract infection?

Directions to Hospitals Treating Condition

What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?

Upper respiratory tract infection usually gets better in few days and normally have a good prognosis

Possible complications

  • Abscess
  • Bone infection (osteomyelitis)
  • Meningitis
  • Skin infection around the eye (orbital cellulitis) * Bronchitis
  • Ear infection
  • Pneumonia
  • Sinusitis


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