How and with what to treat inflammation of the upper respiratory tract. Inflammation of the upper respiratory tract

Bacteria, respiratory illness, URTI… All these concepts mean one thing - diseases of the upper respiratory tract. The list of their causes and manifestations is quite extensive. Consider what a respiratory tract infection is, the treatment and drugs used in therapeutic methods, which medicine is the most effective, how viral and bacterial respiratory tract infections differ.

Respiratory diseases are the most common reasons for visiting general practitioners and pediatricians. This disease is mainly seasonal. The peak incidence for such an ailment as viral and bacterial infections of the respiratory tract occurs in the autumn-winter months. Diseases of the upper respiratory tract are both common and life-threatening.

In the vast majority of cases, respiratory diseases (acute infectious diseases) occur in children. But there is also an infection in adults, mainly of viral origin. Even in the absence of complications, the first choice drugs are often antibiotics. One of the reasons for their use in children and adults is to meet the requirements of the patient or the child's parents, aimed at the best and most effective treatment.

It is clear that antibiotic therapy should be used for bacterial infections. It is estimated that in about 80% of cases, antibiotics are used to treat an ailment such as acute respiratory infections and respiratory diseases. It is more dangerous in children. Approximately, in 75% of cases, drugs from the group of antibiotics are prescribed for inflammation of the upper respiratory tract.

However, so-called prophylactic antibiotic therapy. It is used for upper respiratory infections, but it does not prevent possible complications that occur later. Therefore, in most cases, people without immunological disorders or other risk factors, without the presence of underlying chronic diseases, symptomatic therapy is recommended.

Upper respiratory tract infections symptoms and treatment

In cases where the course of the disease is confirmed by the results of analyzes of the selected biological material, and in case of inflammation, antibiotics are prescribed.

In uncomplicated upper respiratory tract infections and in immunocompetent individuals, symptomatic treatment is the mainstay of treatment. Acute rhinitis, sinusitis, otitis media, pharyngitis and laryngitis in 80-90% of cases are caused by viruses. Antibiotic therapy has practically no effect on their clinical course. In cases where the course of the disease is confirmed by the results of analyzes of the selected biological material, and in case of inflammation, antibiotics are prescribed.

In addition, if a high temperature persists for a long time (longer than a week), the involvement of bacteria can be recognized. For common pathogens - Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pyogenes, Mycoplasma pneumonie and Chlamydia pneumonie - aminopenicillins or cotrimoxazole, macrolides or tetracycline preparations are prescribed.

Upper respiratory tract infection: treatment of complications

Acute epiglottitis with bacterial etiology and streptococcal tonsillitis are diseases that require penicillin antibiotics. In particular, in the case of epiglottitis, hospitalization with parenteral administration of broad-spectrum penicillin or a second or third generation cephalosporin is advisable. Therapy is supplemented with corticosteroids.

Lower respiratory tract infections

Similar recommendations apply for the treatment of lower respiratory tract infections such as tracheobronchitis and acute bronchitis. Viral etiology is the most common and accounts for up to 85% of cases. But even in these cases, antibiotic treatment in both children and adults is not necessary and is only considered in cases of severe disease or in a person with an immunodeficiency.

If, during a long and severe illness, the presence of intracellular pathogens (Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia pneumoniae) is proven, the first choice drugs are macrolides, cotrimoxazole or doxycycline.

The most common infectious respiratory attacks include acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Although it is known that exacerbation can be caused by several non-infectious causes, in practice antibiotics are also administered in these cases. The etiological agent, according to many studies, in COPD can be identified in 25–52% of cases.

However, there are doubts whether the disease is caused by the bacterium pneumococcus or Haemophilus influenzae, which chronically colonizes the respiratory tract (difficulty breathing) and leads to pathogenic exacerbations of the disease.

If upper respiratory tract infections occur, symptoms include increased production of colored, purulent sputum, decreased breathing and shortness of breath along with bronchitis symptoms and sometimes high fever. The administration of antibiotics is indicated when inflammatory markers are detected, including C-reactive protein, leukocytes, and sedimentation.

Procalcitonin is a sensitive acute phase reagent for distinguishing between bacterial and non-infectious causes of inflammation. Its value increases within 3–6 hours, peak values ​​are reached after 12–48 hours from the moment of infection.

The most commonly administered antibiotics include aminopenicillin, tetracycline, and from the macrolide generation - clarithromycin, azithromycin. Quinolone drugs are suggested for the treatment of infections in which bacterial agents have been demonstrated. The benefit of macrolides is a wide antibacterial spectrum, high concentration of antibiotic in bronchial secretions, good tolerability and relatively low resistance.

Despite these benefits, macrolides should not be administered as the first choice of antibiotics. No less important are factors such as the relatively low cost of treatment. Therapy usually lasts 5–7 days. Its effectiveness and safety are comparable.

Flu

Influenza is a viral infectious, highly contagious disease that affects all age groups. Both a child of any age and an adult can get sick. After the incubation period, that is, from 12 to 48 hours, fever, chills, headache, muscle and joint pain, and a feeling of weakness appear. The disease is accompanied by cough, stomach upset and can cause other serious secondary infectious complications.

In adults who already suffer from certain chronic diseases, the course of the flu can be complicated. Young children and elderly people are the most vulnerable group. It is estimated that on average there are about 850,000 cases of flu season. Symptomatic treatment with bed rest is necessary. In case of secondary complications or patients at serious risk, antibiotics are administered.

Pneumonia

The main criteria for diagnosing pneumonia and its difference from lower respiratory tract infections are as follows:

• acute cough or significant worsening of chronic cough;
• dyspnea;
• rapid breathing;
• high fever lasting more than four days;
• new infiltrates on chest x-ray.

Many studies have shown that consistently the most common cause of community-acquired pneumonia in European countries is pneumococcus, followed by Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis, staphylococcus, and, less commonly, gram-negative bacteria.

In the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia, two approaches are used, which are based on the findings of retrospective studies. We are talking about combination therapy with a beta-lactam antibiotic together with macrolides or doxycycline, or quinolone monotherapy.

In the first variant, the immunomodulating effect of macrolides is positively used, which are also effective in cases of simultaneous infection with mycoplasma pneumonia, chlamydia pneumonia, legionella.

Mixed infection with the presence of more pathogenic microorganisms occurs in 6-13% of cases. If after three days there is no improvement in the clinical condition, or progression of radiological findings, the original option should be reconsidered and antibiotic treatment changed.

New samplings of biological material from the respiratory tract, including bronchoscopic aspirates, can prevent this condition so that the treatment is fully targeted. In these cases, it is necessary to cover not only the usual bacterial spectrum, but also often resistant strains - pneumococcus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and anaerobic bacteria.

With nosocomial pneumonia, in which the infectious agent comes from the hospital environment, it is most often about enterobacteria - Pseudomonas aeruginosa, pneumococcus, staphylococcus, anaerobic bacteria. In this case, early treatment within four hours is very important, which is initially untargeted. Typically, therapy includes a combination of aminoglycosides to cover Gram-negative bacterial populations and drugs effective against anaerobic pathogens and fungi.

Complications and risks of respiratory infections

Typically, therapy involves a combination of aminoglycosides to cover gram-negative bacterial populations and drugs effective against anaerobic pathogens and fungi.

Among the most serious and life-threatening complications, epiglottitis should be noted. In severe cases, suffocation may occur. Pneumonia is another serious disease that causes symptoms that affect the entire body. In some cases, a serious condition develops very quickly, requiring hospitalization.

Pleurisy is a common complication of pneumonia. In the case of these complications, the pain subsides and breathing becomes worse as the lungs become oppressed by the fluid that has formed between the layers of the pleura. In some cases, pneumonia is accompanied by a lung abscess, rarely by gangrene in patients with immunodeficiency, or by extensive bacterial infection.

Severe pneumonia can lead to sepsis and so-called septic shock. In this fortunately rare complication, severe inflammation of the entire body occurs with the risk of multiple organ failure. In this case, artificial ventilation of the lungs, administration of a combination of very strong antibiotics and maintenance of vital functions are necessary.

It should be expected that the course of relatively mild respiratory infections may be complicated by the adverse effects of several risk factors. The most common include chronic smoking, including passive smoking, age over 65 years, alcohol abuse, contact with children, pets, poor social conditions, and poor oral hygiene.

For some people, chronic diseases - diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease, liver disease, kidney disease, immunosuppressive therapy for other diseases - represent a serious risk factor that can seriously complicate the situation in respiratory diseases and lead to a life-threatening condition.

Flu vaccination

Voluntary vaccination and vaccination of risk groups remains the only effective preventive measure. There are currently three main types of flu vaccines. They vary in composition, depending on the content of either inactivated virus, inactivated viral particles, or only hemagglutinin and neuraminidase antigens. Another difference is reactogenicity and immunogenicity.

The most commonly used vaccine is an inactivated vaccine made from trivalent inactivated viral particles. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the use of a trivalent vaccine against only two subtypes of influenza A virus and one influenza B virus. Subtype selection is carried out annually by WHO, in particular for the northern and southern hemispheres.

Vaccination against pneumococcal infection

The primary source of pneumococcal infection is pneumococcal bacteria, there are more than 90 serotypes. Invasive pneumococcal infection is considered dangerous, which causes pneumococcal pneumonia, meningitis, otitis media, sepsis, and arthritis. Risk groups include people over 60 years of age, as well as children under 5 years of age. The source of infection is a sick person or a carrier of the pathogen. The disease is transmitted by droplets. Incubation time is short, within 1–3 days.

Vaccination against pneumococcal infection with a polysaccharide vaccine is carried out for persons in medical institutions and nursing homes, as well as for long-term patients. In addition, immunization against pneumococcal infection is indicated for patients suffering from chronic respiratory diseases, diseases of the heart, blood vessels, kidneys, and for insulin treatment of diabetes. Patients after organ transplantation, people with cancer, who have been receiving immunosuppressive therapy for a long time should be vaccinated.

The most commonly used vaccine for vaccination is a 13-valent conjugate vaccine containing serotype 13 polysaccharide, or a 23-valent vaccine.

Finally

Respiratory infections are very common and affect almost all categories of the population. The majority of victims are treated in outpatient settings, and this trend is expected to continue in the future.

One of the most important points in making decisions regarding therapeutic options is determining whether it is reasonable to treat only symptomatically, or whether antibiotic treatment is mandatory.

In the case of upper respiratory tract infections and acute bronchitis without a visible bacterial agent, a combination of antipyretic drugs, plenty of fluids and vitamins is especially effective. The impact of this therapy is underestimated.

The person's risk factors and possible complications should be taken into account. Currently, a variety of antibacterial drugs are used to treat bacterial infections. In addition to the undoubted benefits of such treatment, adverse effects should also be expected. They are individual and can have different manifestations for each person.

In addition, the ongoing risk of the spread of antibiotic resistance and the increase in the number of initially susceptible pathogens must be taken into account.

Skillful use of antibiotics can reduce the problem and prevent the devaluation of these drugs. Vaccinations, a healthy lifestyle, and reducing the risk factors mentioned above will reduce the incidence and risk of complications of respiratory infections.

Both upper and lower are diagnosed in every fourth inhabitant of the planet. Such diseases include sore throat, sinusitis, rhinitis, laryngitis and pharyngitis. Most often, diseases begin to develop in the autumn-winter period, since this is when influenza or acute respiratory viral infections become widespread. According to statistics, every adult gets sick three times a year, diseases in children are diagnosed up to ten times a year.

Description of the human respiratory system

The respiratory system is a set of organs connected to each other and ensuring the supply of oxygen, the removal of carbon dioxide and the process of gas exchange in the blood. This system consists of the upper and lower respiratory tract and lungs.

The respiratory system performs the following functions:

• participates in thermoregulation of the body;
• provides the ability to reproduce speech and distinguish smells;
• participates in metabolic processes;
• humidifies the air inhaled by a person;
• provides additional protection of the body from environmental influences.

When you inhale air, it first enters the nose, where it is cleaned with the help of villi and warmed thanks to a network of blood vessels. After this, the air enters the pharyngeal plane, which has several sections, then through the pharynx it passes into the lower respiratory tract.

Today, inflammation of the respiratory tract is a common occurrence. One of the very first and fairly common signs of pathology is a cough and runny nose. Diseases affecting the respiratory tract include tonsillitis, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, sinusitis, rhinitis and laryngitis, tracheitis and acute respiratory infections.

Reasons for the development of the disease

Inflammation of the upper and lower respiratory tract occurs for several reasons:

• Viruses: influenza, rotavirus, adenovirus, measles and others - when they enter the body, they cause an inflammatory reaction.
• Bacteria: pneumococci, staphylococci, mycoplasmas, mycobacteria and others also provoke the development of the inflammatory process.
• Fungi: candida, actinomycelium and others - cause local inflammation.

Many of the above microorganisms are transmitted from one person to another. Some viruses and fungi can live in the human body for a long time, but manifest themselves only when immunity decreases. Infection can occur through household or airborne routes. Transmission of infection can occur through conversation with an infected person. In this case, the first barrier for pathogenic microorganisms becomes the respiratory tract, as a result of which an inflammatory process develops in them.

Inflammation of the respiratory tract can occur in a person of any age, gender and nationality. Neither social status nor material condition play a role in this.

Risk group

The risk group includes:

• People with frequent colds and chronic pathologies of the upper respiratory tract, which leads to a decrease in resistance to the negative influences of the external environment.
• Persons constantly exposed to hypothermia and other negative natural factors.
• HIV-infected people with concomitant secondary diseases.
• Children's and old age.

Symptoms and signs of the disease

Symptoms of inflammation of the respiratory tract are similar in different diseases, they differ only in the localization of pain and discomfort. The location of the inflammatory process can be identified by the symptoms of the pathology, but only an experienced doctor can make an accurate diagnosis and identify the pathogen after a comprehensive examination.

All diseases have an incubation period lasting from two to ten days, it all depends on the causative agent of the disease. For example, with the flu, signs of pathology appear quickly; a person’s body temperature rises strongly, which does not subside for about three days. When parainfluenza enters the body, the patient develops laryngitis. Adenovirus infection occurs in the form of tonsillitis and pharyngitis.

Rhinitis and sinusitis

Rhinitis (runny nose) is inflammation of the mucous epithelium of the nose. A person develops a runny nose, which comes out profusely when pathogenic microorganisms multiply. As the infection spreads rapidly, both sinuses are affected. In some cases, inflammation of the respiratory tract, the symptoms and treatment of which are discussed in this article, leads to the development not of a runny nose, but of nasal congestion. Sometimes the discharged exudate is presented in the form of green pus or clear liquid.

Inflammation of the sinuses, accompanied by difficulty breathing and severe congestion, is called sinusitis. In this case, swelling of the nasal sinuses leads to the development of headaches, impaired vision and smell. Pain in the bridge of the nose indicates an advanced inflammatory process; pus may begin to drain from the nose. All this is accompanied by an increase in temperature, fever and malaise.

Tonsillitis

Tonsillitis is an inflammation of the tonsils. In this case, the person exhibits the following signs of the disease:

• pain during swallowing;
• increase in body temperature;
• swelling of the palatine tonsils;
• the appearance of plaque on the tonsils;
• muscle weakness.

Tonsillitis develops as a result of a virus or pathogenic bacteria entering the body. In some cases, pus may appear in the form of yellow deposits on the mucous epithelium of the throat. If the pathology is caused by fungi, the plaque will have a white color and a cheesy consistency.

Pharyngitis, laryngitis and tracheitis

In this case, inflammation of the respiratory tract is manifested by perspiration and dry cough, periodic difficulty in breathing. Body temperature is increased inconsistently. Pharyngitis usually develops as a complication of influenza or ARVI.

Laryngitis, or inflammation of the larynx and vocal cords, is also a complication of the flu, whooping cough, or measles. In this case, a person develops hoarseness and cough, swelling of the larynx and difficulty breathing. If left untreated, the disease can cause muscle spasms.

Tracheitis is inflammation of the trachea, which is accompanied by a prolonged dry cough.

Bronchitis and pneumonia

Moving lower, pathogenic microorganisms cause inflammation of the lower respiratory tract. A person develops bronchitis. The disease is caused by a dry cough or sputum discharge. The person experiences signs of intoxication and malaise. If left untreated, the infection spreads to the lungs, causing pneumonia. In this case, the patient complains of a sharp increase in body temperature, intoxication, chills, and cough. If the disease is not caused by an infection, but by other reasons, symptoms may not appear, the person will only feel the signs of a cold.

In severe cases, the pathology leads to a disorder of consciousness, the development of seizures and even death. It is very important to promptly prevent the development of severe complications. In this case, it is recommended to pay attention to nonspecific manifestations of cough; you cannot treat it yourself.

Diagnostic measures

Antibiotics are usually prescribed for inflammation of the respiratory tract. But before this, the doctor must make an accurate diagnosis in order to choose the most suitable drug. Diagnosis begins with collecting anamnesis, examination and questioning of the patient. Next, laboratory tests are prescribed. It is important in this case to distinguish between viral and bacterial diseases of the respiratory tract.

Laboratory research methods include:

• A blood and urine test, which will make it possible to determine the nature of the disease.
• Examination of mucus from the nose and throat to determine the causative agent of the infection, as well as to select the drug to which it is sensitive.
• Bacteriological culture of throat mucus for the causative agent of diphtheria.
• PCR and ELISA for suspected specific infections.

Instrumental diagnostic methods include:

• Laryngoscopy to determine the nature of the inflammatory process.
• Bronchoscopy.
• X-ray of the lungs to determine the extent of inflammation.

Based on the results of a comprehensive examination, a final diagnosis is made and appropriate treatment is prescribed.

Disease therapy

Four types of therapy are used in medicine:

1. Etiotropic treatment aimed at stopping the reproduction of the infectious agent and its spread throughout the body. If the pathology is caused by viruses, the doctor prescribes antiviral drugs, for example Kagocel or Arbidol. Antibiotics are prescribed for inflammation of the lower respiratory tract, as well as the upper, when the disease is caused by pathogenic bacteria. The choice of remedy in this case depends on the localization of the pathological process, the age of the patient and the severity of the disease. For example, for angina, macrolides are often prescribed.
2. Pathogenetic therapy is aimed at stopping the inflammatory process, as well as shortening the recovery period. In this case, treatment of inflammation of the upper respiratory tract, as well as the lower, is carried out with the use of immunomodulators, anti-inflammatory combination drugs, and NSAIDs.
3. Symptomatic treatment, the purpose of which is to alleviate the patient’s condition and improve his quality of life. The doctor prescribes nasal drops to relieve congestion, throat sprays, expectorants and antitussives. These medications must be taken together with antibiotics for inflammation of the upper and lower respiratory tracts.
4. Inhalation treatment allows you to quickly get rid of cough and inflammatory processes. Steam inhalations and nebulizers are used for this.

As you can see, the treatment of respiratory tract inflammation must be comprehensive. Without treatment, serious complications may develop, sometimes causing death.

Forecast

If you contact a medical facility in a timely manner, the prognosis is usually favorable, provided that all the doctor’s prescriptions and recommendations are followed. Often diseases provoke the development of serious negative consequences. Illnesses such as influenza, sore throat and pneumonia can cause complications that are difficult to treat.

Prevention

Preventive measures include primarily vaccination for certain infections. In the autumn-winter period, it is recommended to use special preparations. You can also use traditional medicine that helps increase the body's defenses. In this case, you can include onions and garlic, honey, and linden decoction in your diet. People who are at risk need to avoid disease-provoking factors. Hypothermia must not be allowed. It is recommended to give up bad habits.

For inflammation of the upper respiratory tract, doctors recommend:

• Avoid cough drops as they will not help cure a sore throat.
• In addition to gargling, you also need to take medications that should be prescribed by a doctor. In some cases, rinsing with soda solution is contraindicated, as this only aggravates the course of the disease.
• Vasoconstrictor drops can be used for no more than five days, otherwise drug addiction may occur.

Damage to the upper respiratory tract by infection very often manifests itself in tracheitis. Moreover, this disease most often occurs during epidemics of influenza and ARVI.

Tracheitis is manifested by inflammation of the tracheal mucosa and can occur in both acute and chronic forms. According to doctors, infections are the main cause of inflammation of the trachea.

Trachea looks like a cartilaginous tube, consisting of one and a half dozen segments - rings. All segments are interconnected by ligaments of fibrous tissue. The mucous membranes of this tube are represented by ciliated epithelium. Mucous glands are present in large numbers on the membranes.

When the trachea becomes inflamed, its mucous membranes swell. There is tissue infiltration and the release of large amounts of mucus into the tracheal cavity. If the source of the disease is infection, then clearly visible pinpoint hemorrhages can be seen on the surface of the mucosa. When the disease enters the chronic stage, then the mucous membrane of the organ first hypertrophies and then atrophies. With hypertrophy, mucopurulent sputum is produced. With atrophy there is very little sputum. Moreover, the mucous membranes dry out and may even become crusty. Against this background, the patient develops a persistent dry cough.

1. Infectious path of development. Various viruses and bacteria enter the upper respiratory tract and cause inflammation, which then spreads to the trachea. The disease can be caused by influenza virus, pneumococci, streptococci, staphylococci and fungi.
2. Non-infectious path of development. Inflammation of the trachea can develop due to hypothermia of the upper respiratory tract or exposure to dust, chemicals, or steam.

The likelihood of developing tracheitis is much higher if a person is exposed to the following factors:

Infectious infection, which causes inflammation of the trachea, usually occurs upon contact with a sick person or contaminated object. By the way, the carrier of the infection may not even suspect that he is infected. He may not have any clinical manifestations of the disease.

Infection can occur through airborne droplets and household contact. For this reason, almost all people experience tracheal inflammation at least once in their lives.

Symptoms of the disease

Tracheitis can be acute or chronic. Each form of the disease has its own symptoms and characteristics.

Acute inflammation of the trachea

The disease manifests itself on the 3rd day after the onset of symptoms of inflammation of the nasopharynx and damage to the larynx. The first symptom of acute tracheitis is low-grade hyperthermia. Less commonly, body temperature can rise to 38.5 ° Celsius. Next come signs of intoxication. The patient begins to complain of weakness, pain throughout the body, and sweating. Often the patient's nose is stuffy.

A characteristic symptom of the disease is a severe dry cough that does not bring relief at night, and a morning cough that produces a large amount of sputum.

In children, inflammation of the trachea manifests itself in coughing attacks, which can be provoked by laughter, sudden movement, or a breath of cold air.

Regardless of age, a person with tracheitis begins to feel a sore throat and rawness in the sternum. Because deep breaths provoke painful coughing attacks, the patient begins to breathe shallowly.

When the larynx is involved in acute inflammation of the trachea, then the patient experiences a barking cough.

When listening to the patient's breathing using a phonendoscope, the doctor may hear dry and moist rales.

The disease passes into this form when the patient has not received timely treatment for acute tracheitis. However, there are often cases when chronic inflammation of the trachea develops without an acute stage. As a rule, such a pathology is observed in people who smoke a lot and drink large amounts of alcohol. It can also happen with patients who have other chronic diseases of the respiratory system, heart and kidneys. These diseases can provoke stagnation of blood in the upper respiratory tract, which provokes the development of chronic tracheitis.

The main symptom of chronic tracheitis is cough. In the chronic form of the course of the disease, it is painful and comes in the form of severe attacks. During the day, a person may not cough at all, but at night attacks will prevent him from falling asleep. The sputum with such a cough is often purulent.

Chronic inflammation of the trachea always occurs with periods of exacerbation, during which its symptoms become similar to those of acute tracheitis.

Complications of inflammation of the trachea

In most cases, with an isolated course, this disease does not cause any complications. However, if the disease proceeds in combination, then various, rather dangerous complications may develop. For example, laryngeal stenosis. It is usually detected in young patients with laryngotracheitis. Adult patients with tracheobronchitis may develop upper airway obstruction.

If you start treating tracheitis on time, then it can be dealt with in just a couple of weeks.

Diagnosis of the disease

The diagnosis is made on the basis of anamnesis and instrumental research methods. Initially, the doctor listens to the patient's complaints, identifies concomitant diseases, and finds out the patient's living conditions. After additional auscultation, the doctor can already make a primary diagnosis, but for clarification, he conducts several additional studies. In particular, he does laryngoscopy. With such a study, he can determine the degree of change in the tracheal mucosa: the presence of mucus, hemorrhages, infiltrates.

The patient may be prescribed x-ray of the lungs, sputum for bacanalyses and spirometry.

A general blood test completes the diagnosis of tracheal inflammation.

Treatment begins with medication. The fact is that in most cases this disease is caused by an infection. Therefore, medications can quickly eliminate the cause of the disease. In most cases, drug treatment is prescribed broad-spectrum antibiotics. Medicines from the group of natural penicillins perform best.

If tracheitis is complicated by bronchitis, then natural penicillins are added semisynthetic antibiotics last generation.

In cases where infectious tracheitis is not complicated in any way, the following drugs are used in the treatment of the disease:

• Antitussives.
• Antiviral.
• Immunomodulators.
• Antihistamines.

It is most effective to use the above drugs in the form of aerosols. In this case, they quickly penetrate into all parts of the trachea and bronchi.

For tracheitis, the most effective medications are:

• Sumamed.
• Lazolvan.
• Berodual.
• Sinekod.
• Bioparox.

If the patient has hyperthermia, then antipyretics are prescribed for treatment. But he can only use them under the supervision of a doctor.

Tracheitis can also be treated by inhalation. For this treatment you need to use a nebulizer. This device sprays medications, but at the same time provides a concentrated effect directly on the affected areas.

According to doctors, inhalation is the most effective home treatment for tracheitis.

Tracheitis can be treated at home using the following medications:

Antibiotics in treatment inflammation of the trachea are used in the following cases:

• There are signs of developing pneumonia.
• within 14 days.
• Hyperthermia occurs for several days.
• Enlarged tonsils and lymph nodes in the nose and ears.

Folk remedies are quite good at treating tracheitis. They can be combined with traditional treatments, but cannot be used as independent therapy.

For tracheitis, a hot drink consisting of from milk with honey. To prepare it, you need to heat a glass of milk and add a teaspoon of honey to it, and add a little soda.

Also, treatment of inflammation of the trachea can be carried out using rinsing solutions based on decoctions of sage, chamomile and calendula.

Physiotherapeutic treatment can effectively combat tracheitis. It includes UHF, massage and electrophoresis.

Prevention

To never encounter tracheitis you need follow simple rules:

• Strive for a healthy lifestyle.
• Temper your body regularly.
• Try not to get too cold.
• To refuse from bad habits.
• Treat upper respiratory tract diseases in a timely manner.

Attention, TODAY only!

Respiratory tract lesions occupy a leading place in the infectious pathology of various organs and systems and are traditionally the most common among the population. Every person suffers from respiratory infections of various etiologies every year, and some more than once a year. Despite the prevailing myth about the favorable course of most respiratory infections, we must not forget that pneumonia (pneumonia) ranks first among the causes of deaths from infectious diseases, and is also among the top five common causes of death.

Respiratory tract infections are acute infectious diseases that arise as a result of the entry of infectious agents through the aerogenic mechanism of infection, that is, they are contagious, affecting parts of the respiratory system both primarily and secondary, accompanied by inflammatory phenomena and characteristic clinical symptoms.

Causes of respiratory tract infections

Pathogens of respiratory infections are divided into groups according to etiological factor:

1) Bacterial causes(pneumococci and other streptococci, staphylococci, mycoplasmas, pertussis, meningococcus, diphtheria, mycobacteria and others).
2) Viral causes(influenza viruses, parainfluenza, adenoviruses, enteroviruses, rhinoviruses, rotaviruses, herpes viruses, measles virus, mumps virus and others).
3) Fungal causes(fungi of the genus Candida, aspergillus, actinomycetes).

Source of infection– a sick person or a carrier of an infectious agent. The contagious period for respiratory tract infections most often begins from the moment the symptoms of the disease appear.

Mechanism of infection aerogenic, including airborne droplets (infection through contact with a patient through inhalation of aerosol particles when sneezing and coughing), airborne dust (inhalation of dust particles with infectious pathogens contained in it). For some respiratory infections, due to the persistence of the pathogen in the external environment, transmission factors are important - household items that come into contact with the patient’s secretions when coughing and sneezing (furniture, scarves, towels, dishes, toys, hands, etc.). These factors are relevant in the transmission of infections for diphtheria, scarlet fever, mumps, tonsillitis, tuberculosis.

Mechanism of infection of the respiratory system

Susceptibility pathogens of respiratory tract infections are universal; people from early childhood to the elderly can become infected, but a special feature is the massive coverage of the group of children in the first years of life. There is no dependence on gender; both men and women are affected equally.

There is a group of risk factors for respiratory tract disease:

1) Resistance (resistance) of the entrance gate of infection, the degree of which is influenced
significant impact of frequent colds, chronic processes in the upper respiratory tract.
2) General reactivity of the human body - the presence of immunity to a particular infection.
The presence of vaccination for vaccine-preventable infections (pneumococcus, whooping cough, measles, mumps), seasonally vaccine-preventable infections (influenza), and vaccination for epidemic indications (in the first days after contact with a patient) plays a role.
3) Natural factors (hypothermia, dampness, wind).
4) The presence of secondary immunodeficiency due to concomitant chronic diseases
(pathology of the central nervous system, lungs, diabetes, liver pathology, oncological processes and others).
5) Age factors (at risk are preschool children and the elderly
over 65 years old).

Respiratory tract infections, depending on their distribution in the human body, are divided into four groups:

1) Infections of the respiratory system with the multiplication of the pathogen at the entrance gate of the infection, that is, at the site of introduction (the entire group of acute respiratory viral infections, whooping cough, measles and others).
2) Respiratory tract infections with the place of introduction - the respiratory tract, but with hematogenous spread of the pathogen in the body and its reproduction in the affected organs (this is how mumps, meningococcal infection, encephalitis of viral etiology, pneumonia of various etiologies develop).
3) Respiratory tract infections with subsequent hematogenous spread and secondary damage to the skin and mucous membranes - exanthema and enanthema (varicella, smallpox, leprosy), and respiratory syndrome is not typical in the symptoms of the disease.
4) Respiratory tract infections affecting the oropharynx and mucous membranes (diphtheria, tonsillitis, scarlet fever, infectious mononucleosis and others).

Brief anatomy and physiology of the respiratory tract

The respiratory system consists of the upper and lower respiratory tract. The upper respiratory tract includes the nose, paranasal sinuses (maxillary sinus, frontal sinus, ethmoidal labyrinth, sphenoid sinus), partly the oral cavity, and the pharynx. The lower respiratory tract includes the larynx, trachea, bronchi, and lungs (alveoli). The respiratory system ensures gas exchange between the human body and the environment. The function of the upper respiratory tract is to warm and disinfect the air entering the lungs, and direct gas exchange is carried out by the lungs.

Infectious diseases of the anatomical structures of the respiratory tract include:
- rhinitis (inflammation of the nasal mucosa); sinusitis, sinusitis (inflammation of the sinuses);
- tonsillitis or tonsillitis (inflammation of the tonsils);
- pharyngitis (inflammation of the pharynx);
- laryngitis (inflammation of the larynx);
- tracheitis (inflammation of the trachea);
- bronchitis (inflammation of the bronchial mucosa);
- pneumonia (inflammation of lung tissue);
- alveolitis (inflammation of the alveoli);
- combined damage to the respiratory tract (the so-called acute respiratory viral infections and acute respiratory infections, in which laryngotracheitis, tracheobronchitis and other syndromes occur).

Symptoms of respiratory tract infections

The incubation period for respiratory tract infections varies from 2-3 days to 7-10 days, depending on the pathogen.

Rhinitis– inflammation of the mucous membrane of the nasal passages. The mucous membrane becomes swollen, inflamed, perhaps with or without exudate. Infectious rhinitis is a manifestation of acute respiratory viral infections and acute respiratory infections, diphtheria, scarlet fever, measles and other infections. Patients complain of nasal discharge or rhinorrhea (rhinovirus infection, influenza, parainfluenza, etc.) or nasal congestion (adenovirus infection, infectious mononucleosis), sneezing, malaise and lacrimation, and sometimes low fever. Acute infectious rhinitis is always bilateral. Nasal discharge can vary in nature. A viral infection is characterized by clear, liquid, sometimes thick discharge (so-called serous-mucous rhinorrhea), and a bacterial infection is characterized by mucous discharge with a purulent component, yellow or greenish, cloudy (mucopurulent rhinorrhea). Infectious rhinitis rarely occurs in isolation; in most cases, other symptoms of damage to the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract or skin are soon added.

Inflammation of the sinuses(sinusitis, ethmoiditis, frontal sinusitis). More often it is secondary in nature, that is, it develops after damage to the nasopharynx. Most of the lesions are due to bacterial causes of respiratory tract infections. With sinusitis and ethmoiditis, patients complain of nasal congestion, difficulty in nasal breathing, general malaise, runny nose, temperature reaction, and impaired sense of smell. With frontal sinusitis, patients are disturbed by a bursting sensation in the bridge of the nose, headaches in the frontal region, more so in an upright position, thick purulent discharge from the nose, increased temperature, slight cough, and weakness.

Where is the sinus located and what is its inflammation called?

– inflammation of the terminal parts of the respiratory tract, which can occur with candidiasis, legionellosis, aspergillosis, cryptococcosis, Q fever and other infections. Patients develop severe cough, shortness of breath, cyanosis due to fever and weakness. The outcome may be fibrosis of the alveoli.

Complications of respiratory infections

Complications of respiratory tract infections can develop with a prolonged process, lack of adequate drug therapy, and late consultation with a doctor. This may be croup syndrome (false and true), pleurisy, pulmonary edema, meningitis, meningoencephalitis, myocarditis, polyneuropathy.

Diagnosis of respiratory tract infections

Diagnosis is based on a combined analysis of the development (history) of the disease, epidemiological history (previous contact with the patient with respiratory tract infections), clinical data (or data from an objective examination), and laboratory confirmation.

The general differential diagnostic search comes down to the separation of viral and bacterial respiratory tract infections. So, the following symptoms are characteristic of viral respiratory infections:

Acute onset and rapid rise in temperature to febrile levels, depending on
forms of severity, severe symptoms of intoxication - myalgia, malaise, weakness;
development of rhinitis, pharyngitis, laryngitis, tracheitis with mucous discharge,
transparent, watery, sore throat without overlap;
an objective examination often reveals injection of scleral vessels, pinpoint
hemorrhagic elements on the mucous membranes of the pharynx, eyes, skin, pastiness of the face, upon auscultation - hard breathing and absence of wheezing. The presence of wheezing, as a rule, accompanies the addition of a secondary bacterial infection.

When respiratory tract infections are bacterial in nature, the following occurs:
subacute or gradual onset of the disease, a mild rise in temperature up to 380, rarely
higher, mild symptoms of intoxication (weakness, fatigue);
During a bacterial infection, discharge becomes thick, viscous, and
coloration from yellowish to brownish-green, cough with sputum of varying amounts;
an objective examination shows purulent deposits on the tonsils, upon auscultation
dry or variable moist rales.

Laboratory diagnosis of respiratory tract infections:

1) A general blood test changes with any acute respiratory tract infection: leukocytes, ESR increase,
A bacterial infection is characterized by an increase in the number of neutrophils, an inflammatory shift to the left (an increase in rods in relation to segmented neutrophils), lymphopenia; for viral infections, changes in the leukoformula are in the nature of lymphocytosis and monocytosis (an increase in lymphocytes and monocytes). The degree of disruption of the cellular composition depends on the severity and course of the respiratory infection.
2) Specific tests to identify the causative agent of the disease: analysis of nasal and throat mucus for
viruses, as well as flora with determination of sensitivity to certain drugs; sputum analysis for flora and antibiotic sensitivity; bacterial culture of throat mucus for BL (Leffler's bacillus - the causative agent of diphtheria) and others.
3) If specific infections are suspected, taking blood for serological tests for
determination of antibodies and their titers, which are usually taken over time.
4) Instrumental examination methods: laryngoscopy (determining the nature of inflammation
mucous membrane of the larynx, trachea), bronchoscopy, x-ray examination of the lungs (identifying the nature of the process in bronchitis, pneumonia, the extent of inflammation, the dynamics of treatment).

Treatment of respiratory tract infections

The following types of treatment are distinguished: etiotropic, pathogenetic, symptomatic.

1) Etiotropic therapy is aimed at the pathogen that caused the disease and has as its goal
stopping its further reproduction. The tactics of etiotropic treatment depend on the correct diagnosis of the causes of the development of respiratory tract infections. The viral nature of infections requires early prescription of antiviral drugs (isoprinosine, arbidol, kagocel, remantadine, Tamiflu, Relenza and others), which turn out to be completely ineffective for acute respiratory infections of bacterial origin. If the infection is bacterial in nature, the doctor prescribes antibacterial drugs taking into account the localization of the process, the timing of the disease, the severity of the manifestations, and the age of the patient. For angina, these can be macrolides (erythromycin, azithromycin, clarithromycin), beta-lactams (amoxicillin, augmentin, amoxiclav); for bronchitis and pneumonia, these can be both macrolides and beta-lactams, as well as fluoroquinolone drugs (ofloxacin, levofloxacin, lomefloxacin ) and others. Prescribing antibiotics to children has serious indications for this, which only the doctor adheres to (age factors, clinical picture). The choice of drug remains only with the doctor! Self-medication is fraught with the development of complications!

2) Pathogenetic treatment based on interrupting the infectious process in order to
easing the course of infection and shortening recovery time. Drugs in this group include immunomodulators for viral infections - cycloferon, anaferon, influferon, Lavomax or amiksin, viferon, neovir, polyoxidonium, for bacterial infections - bronchomunal, immudon, IRS-19 and others. This group may also include anti-inflammatory combination drugs (erespal, for example), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs if indicated.

3) Symptomatic therapy includes tools that facilitate quality of life for
patients: for rhinitis (nazol, pinasol, tizin and many other drugs), for sore throat (faringosept, falimint, hexoral, jox, tantum verde and others), for cough - expectorants (thermopsis, licorice, marshmallow, thyme, mucaltin, pertussin ), mucolytics (acetylcysteine, ACC, mucobene, carbocysteine ​​(mucodin, bronchocatar), bromhexine, ambroxol, ambrohexal, lazolvan, bronchosan), combination drugs (broncholitin, gedelix, bronchocin, ascoril, stoptussin), antitussives (sinecode, glauvent, glaucin, tussin, tusuprex, libexin, falimint, bithiodine).

4) Inhalation therapy(steam inhalation, use of ultrasonic and jet
inhaler or nebulizer).

5) Folk remedies for respiratory tract infections includes inhalation and ingestion of decoctions and infusions of chamomile, sage, oregano, linden, and thyme.

Preventing respiratory tract infections

1) Specific prevention includes vaccination for a number of infections (pneumococcal
infection, influenza - seasonal prevention, childhood infections - measles, rubella, meningococcal infection).
2) Nonspecific prevention - the use of preventive drugs during the cold season
(autumn-winter-spring): rimantadine 100 mg 1 time / day during the period of epidemic rise, amiksin 1 tablet 1 time / week, dibazol ¼ tablet 1 time / day, in case of contact - arbidol 100 mg 2 times a day every 3-4 days for 3 weeks.
3) Folk prevention (onions, garlic, linden decoctions, honey, thyme and oregano).
4) Avoid hypothermia (dress according to the season, stay in the cold for a short time, keep your feet warm).

Infectious disease doctor N.I. Bykova

Respiratory diseases are more common during the cold season. More often they affect people with weakened immune systems, children and elderly pensioners. These diseases are divided into two groups: diseases of the upper respiratory tract and lower. This classification depends on the location of the infection.

According to their form, acute and chronic diseases of the respiratory tract are distinguished. The chronic form of the disease occurs with periodic exacerbations and periods of calm (remission). The symptoms of a particular pathology during periods of exacerbation are absolutely identical to those observed in the acute form of the same respiratory tract disease.

These pathologies can be infectious and allergic.

They are more often caused by pathological microorganisms, such as bacteria (ARI) or viruses (ARVI). As a rule, these diseases are transmitted by airborne droplets from sick people. The upper respiratory tract includes the nasal cavity, pharynx and larynx. Infections that enter these parts of the respiratory system cause diseases of the upper respiratory tract:

• Rhinitis.
• Sinusitis.
• Sore throat.
• Laryngitis.
• Adenoiditis.
• Pharyngitis.
• Tonsillitis.

All these ailments are diagnosed all year round, but in our country the increase in incidence occurs in mid-April and September. Such respiratory diseases are the most common in children.

Rhinitis

This disease is characterized by an inflammatory process of the nasal mucosa. Rhinitis occurs in acute or chronic form. Most often it is caused by an infection, viral or bacterial, but various allergens can also be the cause. In any case, a characteristic symptom is swelling of the nasal mucosa and difficulty breathing.

The initial stage of rhinitis is characterized by dryness and itching in the nasal cavity and general malaise. The patient sneezes, the sense of smell is impaired, and sometimes a low-grade fever rises. This condition can last from several hours to two days. Next comes clear nasal discharge, liquid and in large quantities, then this discharge becomes mucopurulent in nature and gradually disappears. The patient feels better. Breathing through the nose is restored.

Rhinitis often does not manifest itself as an independent disease, but acts as an accompaniment to other infectious diseases, such as influenza, diphtheria, gonorrhea, scarlet fever. Depending on the cause of this respiratory tract disease, treatment is aimed at eliminating it.

Sinusitis

It often manifests itself as a complication of other infections (measles, rhinitis, influenza, scarlet fever), but can also act as an independent disease. There are acute and chronic forms of sinusitis. In the acute form, there is a catarrhal and purulent course, and in the chronic form - edematous-polyposis, purulent or mixed.

Characteristic symptoms for both acute and chronic forms of sinusitis are frequent headaches, general malaise, and hyperthermia (increased body temperature). As for nasal discharge, it is profuse and mucous in nature. They can be observed only on one side, this happens most often. This is due to the fact that only some of the paranasal sinuses become inflamed. And this, in turn, may indicate one or another disease, for example:

• Aerosinusitis.
• Sinusitis.
• Ethmoiditis.
• Sphenoiditis.
• Frontit.

Thus, sinusitis often does not manifest itself as an independent disease, but serves as an indicative symptom of another pathology. In this case, it is necessary to treat the root cause, i.e. those infectious diseases of the respiratory tract that provoked the development of sinusitis.

If nasal discharge occurs on both sides, this pathology is called pansinusitis. Depending on the cause of this upper respiratory tract disease, treatment will be aimed at eliminating it. Antibacterial therapy is most often used.

If sinusitis is caused by chronic sinusitis, during the transition of the acute phase of the disease to the chronic phase, punctures are often used to quickly eliminate undesirable consequences, followed by washing the maxillary sinus with Furacilin or saline solution. This method of treatment in a short period relieves the patient of the symptoms that torment him (severe headache, swelling of the face, increased body temperature).

Adenoids

This pathology appears due to hyperplasia of the tissue of the nasopharyngeal tonsil. This is a formation included in the lymphadenoid pharyngeal ring. This tonsil is located in the nasopharyngeal vault. As a rule, the inflammatory process of the adenoids (adenoiditis) affects only in childhood (from 3 to 10 years). The symptoms of this pathology are:

• Difficulty breathing.
• Mucous discharge from the nose.
• During sleep, the child breathes through the mouth.
• Sleep may be disrupted.
• Nasality appears.
• Possible hearing impairment.
• In advanced cases, the so-called adenoid facial expression appears (smoothness of the nasolabial folds).
• Laryngospasms appear.
• Twitching of individual facial muscles may be observed.
• Deformation of the chest and skull in the front part appears in especially advanced cases.

All these symptoms are accompanied by shortness of breath, cough and, in severe cases, the development of anemia.

For the treatment of this disease of the respiratory tract in severe cases, surgical treatment is used - removal of the adenoids. At the initial stages, washing with disinfectant solutions and decoctions or infusions of medicinal herbs is used. For example, you can use the following fee:

All ingredients of the collection are taken in equal parts. If some component is missing, then you can get by with the composition that is available. The prepared collection (15 g) is poured into 250 ml of hot water and boiled over very low heat for 10 minutes, after which it is infused for another 2 hours. The medicine prepared in this way is filtered and used warm to rinse the nose or instill 10-15 drops into each nostril.

Chronic tonsillitis

This pathology occurs as a result of the inflammatory process of the palatine tonsils, which has become chronic. Chronic tonsillitis often affects children; it practically does not occur in old age. This pathology is caused by fungal and bacterial infections. Other infectious diseases of the respiratory tract, such as hypertrophic rhinitis, purulent sinusitis, and adenoiditis, can provoke the development of chronic tonsillitis. Even untreated caries can cause this disease. Depending on the specific cause that provoked this upper respiratory tract disease, treatment should be aimed at eliminating the primary source of infection.

In the case of the development of a chronic process in the palatine tonsils, the following occurs:

• Overgrowth of connective tissue.
• Dense plugs form in the gaps.
• Lymphoid tissue softens.
• Cornification of the epithelium may begin.
• Lymphatic drainage from the tonsils becomes difficult.
• Nearby lymph nodes become inflamed.

Chronic tonsillitis can occur in a compensated or decompensated form.

In the treatment of this disease, physiotherapeutic procedures (UV irradiation) have a good effect; rinsing with disinfectant solutions ("Furacilin", "Lugol's", 1-3% iodine, "Iodglycerin", etc.) is applied topically. After rinsing, it is necessary to irrigate the tonsils with disinfectant sprays, for example, the drug "Strepsils Plus" is used. Some experts recommend vacuum suction, after which the tonsils are also treated with similar sprays.

In the case of a pronounced toxic-allergic form of this disease and the absence of a positive effect from conservative treatment, surgical removal of the tonsils is performed.

Angina

The scientific name of this disease is acute tonsillitis. There are 4 types of sore throat:

1. Catarrhal.
2. Follicular.
3. Lakunnaya.
4. Phlegmous.

In the pure version, these types of angina are practically not found. There are always at least symptoms of two varieties of this disease. So, for example, with lacunae, white-yellow purulent formations are visible at the mouths of some lacunae, and with follicular, festering follicles are visible through the mucous membrane. But in both cases, catarrhal phenomena, redness and enlargement of the tonsils are observed.

With any type of sore throat, the body temperature rises, the general condition worsens, chills appear and an increase in regional lymph nodes is observed.

Regardless of the type of sore throat, rinsing with disinfectant solutions and physiotherapy are used. In the presence of purulent processes, antibiotic therapy is used.

Pharyngitis

This pathology is associated with the inflammatory process of the pharyngeal mucosa. Pharyngitis can develop as an independent disease or a concomitant one, for example, with ARVI. This pathology can be provoked by eating too hot or cold food, as well as inhaling polluted air. Allocate acute pharyngitis and chronic. The symptoms that are observed with acute pharyngitis are:

• Feeling of dryness in the throat (pharynx area).
• Pain when swallowing.
• Upon examination (pharyngoscopy), signs of inflammation of the palate and its posterior wall are revealed.

The symptoms of pharyngitis are very similar to those of catarrhal tonsillitis, but, unlike it, the patient’s general condition remains normal, and there is no increase in body temperature. With this pathology, as a rule, the inflammatory process does not affect the palatine tonsils, but with catarrhal tonsillitis, on the contrary, signs of inflammation are present exclusively on them.

Chronic pharyngitis develops with an untreated acute process. Other inflammatory diseases of the respiratory tract, such as rhinitis, sinusitis, as well as smoking and alcohol abuse, can also provoke a chronic course.

Laryngitis

With this disease, the inflammatory process spreads to the larynx. It can affect individual parts of it or capture it completely. Often the cause of this illness is vocal strain, severe hypothermia, or other independent diseases (measles, whooping cough, influenza, etc.).

Depending on the location of the process in the larynx, individual areas of the lesion may be identified, which become bright red and swell. Sometimes the inflammatory process also affects the trachea, then we are talking about a disease such as laryngotracheitis.

There is no clear boundary between the upper and lower respiratory tract. The symbolic border between them passes at the intersection of the respiratory and digestive systems. Thus, the lower respiratory tract includes the larynx, trachea, bronchi and lungs. Lower respiratory tract diseases are associated with infections of these parts of the respiratory system, namely:

• Tracheitis.
• Bronchitis.
• Pneumonia.
• Alveolitis.

Tracheitis

This is an inflammatory process of the mucous membrane of the trachea (it connects the larynx to the bronchi). Tracheitis can exist as an independent disease or serve as a symptom of influenza or other bacterial disease. The patient is concerned about the symptoms of general intoxication (headache, fatigue, fever). In addition, there is a raw pain behind the sternum, which intensifies when talking, inhaling cold air and coughing. In the mornings and at night, the patient is bothered by a dry cough. When combined with laryngitis (laryngotracheitis), the patient's voice becomes hoarse. If tracheitis occurs in combination with bronchitis (tracheobronchitis), sputum appears when coughing. If the disease is viral, it will be transparent. In the case of a bacterial infection, the sputum has a gray-green color. In this case, antibiotic therapy must be used for treatment.

Bronchitis

This pathology manifests itself as inflammation of the bronchial mucosa. Acute respiratory diseases of any location are very often accompanied by bronchitis. Thus, in case of inflammatory processes of the upper respiratory tract, in case of untimely treatment, the infection goes down and bronchitis occurs. This disease is accompanied by a cough. At the initial stage of the process, it is a dry cough with sputum that is difficult to separate. During treatment and the use of mucolytic drugs, the sputum is liquefied and coughed up. If bronchitis is bacterial in nature, antibiotics are used for treatment.

Pneumonia

This is an inflammatory process of lung tissue. This disease is mainly caused by pneumococcal infection, but sometimes another pathogen can be the cause. The disease is accompanied by high fever, chills, and weakness. Often the patient experiences pain in the affected area when breathing. During auscultation, the doctor can listen for wheezing on the affected side. The diagnosis is confirmed by an x-ray. This disease requires hospitalization. Treatment is carried out using antibacterial therapy.

Alveolitis

This is an inflammatory process of the terminal parts of the respiratory system - the alveoli. As a rule, alveolitis is not an independent disease, but a concomitant one with another pathology. The reason for this may be:

• Candidiasis.
• Aspergillosis.
• Legionellosis.
• Cryptococcosis.
• Q fever.

Symptoms of this disease include a characteristic cough, fever, severe cyanosis, and general weakness. A complication may be fibrosis of the alveoli.

Antibacterial therapy

Antibiotics for respiratory tract diseases are prescribed only in the case of a bacterial infection. If the nature of the pathology is viral, then antibacterial therapy is not used.

Most often, penicillin drugs, such as Amoxicillin, Ampicillin, Amoxiclav, Augmentin, etc., are used to treat diseases of the respiratory system of an infectious nature.

If the chosen drug does not give the desired effect, the doctor prescribes another group of antibiotics, for example, fluoroquinolones. This group includes the drugs Moxifloxacin and Levofloxacin. These drugs successfully treat bacterial infections that are resistant to penicillins.

Antibiotics of the cephalosparin group are most often used to treat respiratory diseases. For this purpose, drugs such as "Cefixime" (its other name is "Suprax") or "Cefuroxime Axetil" are used (analogues of this drug are the drugs "Zinnat", "Axetin" and "Cefuroxime").

To treat atypical pneumonia caused by chlamydia or mycoplasma, macrolide antibiotics are used. These include the drug "Azithromycin" or its analogues - the drugs "Hemomycin" and "Sumamed".

Prevention

Prevention of respiratory tract diseases comes down to the following:

• Try not to be in places with a polluted atmospheric environment (near highways, hazardous industries, etc.).
• Regularly ventilate your home and workplace.
• During the cold season, when there is a surge in respiratory diseases, try not to be in crowded places.
• Good results are achieved by hardening procedures and systematic physical exercise, morning or evening jogging.
• If you feel the first signs of illness, you should not expect everything to go away on its own; you need to seek medical help.

By following these simple rules for preventing respiratory diseases, you can maintain your health even during seasonal outbreaks of respiratory diseases.