One of the most common problems to bring people to the doctor is an upper respiratory infection.
This may include a cough, fever, sore
throat, runny nose, headache, sputum (phlegm) production, fatigue,
muscle aches, etc. It may include just some of these or any combination.
Many people do not realize that most upper respiratory infections are due to viruses and common cold viruses do not respond to antibiotics (antibiotics
are drugs used to treat bacterial-not viral infections). Viruses such
as HIV-AIDS,hepatitis and flu may be suppressed by
anti-viral drugs but the viruses causing the common cold are not
touched by these anti-viral medications. Unfortunately, although we have
made many
advances in medicine, the common cold is still treated symptomatically
- which is to say with medicine designed to make you feel better --
aimed at your
symptoms. Most colds are caused by rhinoviruses which do not respond
to antibiotics or anti-viral drugs. Rhinoviruses infect and cause
inflammation of the
airways from the nose through the mouth and into the trachea (the big
windpipe) and bronchioles (the smaller pipes) leading to the lungs. It
is this
irritation, swelling, and pus that leads to the stuffy or runny nose,
sore throat and irritated, red and raw windpipe causing cough.
Learn more about Upper respiratory infection
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