What would a doctor prescribe for an upper respiratory infection?

Because viruses survive better in cold temperatures, influenza, the common cold, and other viral infections tend to spread like wildfire every year during the autumn and winter seasons. These respiratory diseases can develop into bronchitis if they worsen and aren’t treated.

Another possible result is pneumonia – which can develop from a bacterial, viral, or fungal infection. This can be a serious condition among young children and the elderly, as well as those with weak immune systems.

Let’s talk about what treatments are best for the various types of upper respiratory infections, and who you can trust to give the right treatment.

What Are the Treatments for Respiratory Infections?

There are plenty of treatments for the flu, pneumonia, and other upper respiratory infections. These treatments include:

Medication

If you have a bacterial infection, such as pneumonia, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics. You should always fully complete any antibiotic treatment course prescribed to you, even if you start to feel better midway into the course. If you stop taking antibiotics prematurely, any surviving bacteria will develop resistance and could restart the infection. In this case, you will need to take a different medicine to cure the disease in the future.

Viral infections, on the other hand, do not respond to antibiotic treatments – which is one of the main reasons why it is so important to get the annual flu shot to reduce your risk of illness and complications from the flu. If you do happen to get the flu, your doctor may prescribe an antiviral medication, such as Tamiflu, Relenza, or Xofluza, to lessen your symptoms as you heal.

Over-the-counter pain medications can help reduce pain and discomfort while you recover from a respiratory infection. Decongestants can clear up your sinuses and allow you to breathe more easily. Expectorants and cough suppressants can reduce coughing.

Rest

In most cases of respiratory infections, your immune system is capable of clearing the infection from your body naturally. The symptoms you feel, such as fatigue and fever, are signs that your body is working hard to fight the infection. All you need to do is rest and let your body’s immune system do its job.

Make sure to get enough sleep at night, and take naps during the day until you get better. If you don’t get enough sleep while you recover, you risk weakening your body’s defenses and giving the infection the upper hand. Lack of sleep results in more intense symptoms and a longer duration of the illness.

Hydration

Indulge in drinking plenty of water, tea, Gatorade, and your favorite soups to stay well-hydrated while your body fights off the respiratory infection. Fever, coughing, sweating, and nasal discharge all increase your body’s demand for extra fluids. Hot soups have the added advantage of temporarily easing symptoms like a stuffy nose or sore throat.

Medical Intervention

Your doctor can determine whether your respiratory infection is mild or something more severe. Based on this information, they can recommend appropriate antibiotics, antiviral treatments, or other necessary medications. In the case of pneumonia, your doctor will decide if you need hospitalization.

Upper Respiratory Infection Treatment in Forth Worth, Texas

If you are looking for a comprehensive healthcare provider that does it all, Texas Medical Institute is here for you. We hope to be your go-to primary care provider for everything from annual checkups and flu shots to injury treatment.

To schedule an appointment, call our friendly team today at (817) 615-8633. You can also request an appointment online. We look forward to serving you.

Get plenty of rest and drink plenty of fluids. Also take one or more of the following medications:

For fever and pain, Acetaminophen (Tylenol®) is generally preferred. Ibuprofen (Advil®) and/or naproxen (Naprosyn®) appear to carry less risk for Reye’s syndrome than aspirin. For other symptoms, over-the-counter cold (OTC) preparations (Nyquil®, Tylenol Cold® & Sinus®, others) can provide significant relief. Be sure to read product labels to find the best cold preparation to match your symptoms and to determine if that medicine is safe for you.

To dry out the nose and relieve nasal obstruction, try a traditional antihistamine (diphenhydramine [Benadryl®], others). All antihistamines are best used for allergy, but they can be helpful for suppressing some viral URI symptoms. Because these products can make you sleepy, avoid driving and other complex tasks when taking these medications. Newly available OTC loratadine (Claritin®) is non-sedating but may not be as effective for suppressing viral URI symptoms.

To relieve a “stuffy,” clogged nose, try an oral decongestant (pseudoephedrine [Sudafed®], others). Note that these products can be associated with insomnia, nervousness, and irritability in some patients. Often decongestants are combined with other drugs (especially antihistamines) in OTC medications. A “-D” at the end of a medication’s name suggests that the medication includes an oral decongestant.
To make blowing your nose easier, take guaifenesin (Robitussin®, Mucofen®, Humibid LA®, Mucinex®, Humibid-e®). These products thin mucous and can help thin thick discolored drainage.

To suppress coughing, take dextromethorphan can be helpful as a cough suppressant.

Prescription anti-flu medications (amantadine, rimantadine, zanamivir, oseltamivir) can be used to treat and prevent flu. Typically they must be started within 48 hours of the start of symptoms. These products shorten the severity and duration of the infection, but they can have significant side effects.

When Should I Seek Treatment?

Viral infections can be associated with bacterial overgrowth and occasionally lead to a bacterial infection (acute bacterial rhinosinusitis), which typically requires antibiotic therapy. Viral URIs also may worsen asthma symptoms (wheezing) in patients with asthma; such symptoms also require further evaluation and treatment.

Seek medical advice or treatment if:

• Symptoms are getting worse after 7 days
• Symptoms are unchanged or getting worse after 10 days
• You experience shortness of breath or have any respiratory difficulty
• You experience a high fever (> 102o F)
• You develop eye pain/ swelling and/or vision changes
• You develop severe head or facial pain/swelling

How Can I Prevent Viral URIs?

Wash your hands frequently.

Cold and flu viruses are spread by touching infected persons or objects that have come in contact with the virus and then touching one’s nose or mouth. Frequent handwashing is important to prevent this process. (Inhalation of infected particles in the air also can spread colds/respiratory viral infections.)

Ask Your Doctor About The Flu Vaccine

• Persons age >50 years
• Residents of nursing homes and other long term care facilities
• Adults and children (> 6 months of age) who have chronic heart or lung conditions, including asthma
• Adults and children (> 6 months of age) who need regular medical care or require hospitalization because of metabolic diseases (diabetes), chronic kidney disease, or weakened immune system.
• Children and teenagers (age 6 months to 18 years) who are on long-term aspirin therapy
• Women who will be more than 3 months pregnant during the flu season
• Persons who can give the flu to people who are at high risk for complications (healthcare workers, caregivers
• Household members of patients at risk, employees in health care, nursing homes, or long care facilities)
• Anyone (>6 months of age) who wants to lower their risk of getting the flu.

Take Anti-Flu Medications

Two medicines are approved for prevention of influenza viral infection. Amantadine and rimantadine are approved for prevention of Influenza A and oseltamivir is approved for preventing Influenza A and B in children (age >13 years). Both zanamivir and oseltamivir are indicated for the early treatment of influenza.

Frequent Common Cold & Viral Upper Respiratory Infection (URI) Symptoms

Did You Know That…

• More than 200 different viruses can cause the common cold (viral URI).
• Viruses do not respond to antibiotic treatment.
• Symptoms due to viral URI typically last 2–14 days, but some symptoms can linger for several weeks (most people recover in about 7–10 days).
• Productive cough or discolored nasal discharge does not necessarily require antibiotic therapy.
• Influenza (flu) is a viral infection caused by the influenza virus.