Acute respiratory infection disturbs your regular breathing pattern and does a lot of damage to your upper respiratory system. It initiates at the sinuses and then proceeds to your vocal cords. If it begins at your lower respiratory system, it may start in the vocal cords and head to the lungs. AFC Urgent Care Paramus can help diagnose any upper or lower respiratory illness. Visit us today for immediate symptom relief.
Causes
A lot of reasons can cause acute upper respiratory problems. Infections can occur due to the common cold, acute ear infections, or acute pharyngitis. This causes “head colds”, a runny nose, headache, or sinus congestion. Lower respiratory infections can occur from bronchiolitis, pneumonia, or bronchitis. These cause more “chest colds,” coughing, or fevers.
All of this can come about if you smoke tobacco, develop a severe infection, or breathe in secondhand tobacco fumes, air pollution, asbestos, or radon.
Prevention Tips
To protect yourself and others against acute respiratory problems, you can follow the prevention tips below:
- Make sure your annual flu vaccine and all other essential vaccines are up to date. More so now that the COVID-19 is such a significant health threat.
- Wash your hands frequently during the day with an antibacterial soap. It would be best if you mostly did this when you come from a public place. While going out of your home, remember to carry sanitizer along.
- Eat a healthy and balanced diet. Make sure your meals contain sufficient minerals and vitamins.
- Make exercise a firm part of your daily routine. Also, make meditation a habit to control your stress levels.
- Get between seven to eight hours of restful sleep every night.
In case you suffer from any severe symptoms and feel you have developed a respiratory tract infection, you must not delay visiting your doctor. During the pandemic, every individual must be conscious of their health and not ignore any symptoms they feel.
Chronic Respiratory Illnesses
Illnesses can also become chronic. This can occur through recurrent exposure to air pollutants, such as cigarette smoke. These include:
- Lung cancer
- Asthma
- Emphysema
- Chronic bronchitis
- COPD- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Pleural effusion
- Pneumonia
- Bronchiectasis
Treatment for Respiratory Illnesses
Since respiratory illnesses exist in varied forms, only a doctor can determine the right treatment option or medications for your particular condition. In cases of infections in the respiratory tract, doctors recommend medications or antibiotics.
Some treatment options as per the condition include oxygen therapy, surgery, and the following medications:
- Inhaled bronchodilators
- Corticosteroids
- Theophylline
- Phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitors
It is also essential to maintain a healthy diet from an early age to prevent all sorts of chronic diseases, including those of the respiratory system. As a practice, you must ensure each of your meals contains balanced proportions of fruits, vegetables, dairy, protein, and grains.
At all times, it is best to restrain from consuming too much salt. Maintain a low-salt eating habit permanently will prevent your body from retaining water, a condition that causes breathing strains.
