"Preventing Respiratory Infections: Key Symptoms and Precautions"

Respiratory Tract Infections (RTIs)

• Definition: “Infections of parts of the body involved in breathing, such as the sinuses, throat, airways or lungs”

  • https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/respiratory-tract-infection/ 

• Diagnosis

  • Common symptoms

    • Coughing

    • Sneezing

    • Nasal congestion

    • Sore throat

    • Headaches

    • Tight chest, wheezing

    • Fever

  • RTIs, depending on the region of infection, are categorized as follows:

    • Upper Respiratory Infections (Respiratory tract infection above the vocal cord)

      • Common cold

      • Sinusitis

      • Pharyngitis

    • Lower Respiratory Infections (Respiratory tract infection below the vocal cord)

      • Pneumonia

      • Bronchilolitis

      • Flu

      • Tend to be more severe than the URIs 

        • Symptoms:

        • Cough producing green, yellow, or blood-tinged mucus

        • Wheezing or crackling sounds in the lungs

        • Chest pain, difficulty when coughing or breathing

• Precautions

  • Vaccination

    • Staying up-to-date with vaccinations for illnesses like COVID-19, flu, etc

  • Hand hygiene

    • Washing hands often, preventing harmful viruses and bacteria from entering our bodies

  • Strengthen immunity

    • Strenghtening immunity by eating balanced diet rich in nutrients, exercising regularly, and getting adequate sleep, etc.

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/4022-upper-respiratory-infection