Learn About Common Respiratory Illnesses

Respiratory illnesses are very common! Most of you will experience at least one, ladies, though some factors increase your risk. This includes genetics, age, and occupation! Of course, a weak immune system increases your risk as well. Risky occupations include healthcare workers and those working with fumes. Ladies, some of these illnesses are contagious, which is why outbreaks happen!

Bronchitis medication, even an acute bronchitis throat lozenge, is very common. Ladies, you will also take medicine for pneumonia! of course, herbal remedies for the common cold is great. When it comes to cold and flu treatment, fever medication works very well. That said, ladies, you have to know which illness you have to get the best treatment!

Asthma

Asthma is very common! Of course, this one's a chronic respiratory illness. It makes your airways swell and narrow. Major signs of asthma are things like breathing issues, shortness of breath, and coughing. Ladies, you're likely to hear a whistling sound when you breathe too! You will make more mucus during an asthma attack. There's some good news, though: most cases are mild! That said, asthma can affect your life every day if it's a severe case.

Ladies, keep a rescue inhaler on your for asthma attacks. If you don't have one, you need to get emergency attention! Asthma doesn't have a cure, but it is manageable. Meet with your doctor often to keep your treatment working for you. Of course, you have to know what kind you have. This makes your treatment even better. It also lets you avoid triggers and anticipate treatment where possible. For example, you need to be cautious during exercise and when the air's cold with exercise-induced asthma. Occupational asthma means staying away from things like chemicals, and wearing protective equipment when you can't!

Bronchitis

Air goes in and out of your lungs thanks to your bronchial tubes! Ladies, these tubes are crucial. Unfortunately, bronchitis affects them. This condition means the lining of these tubes is inflamed. Many of you get acute bronchitis from a cold. This means your case is going to resolve in about 7 to 10 days! That said, your cough will likely last a little longer. Chronic bronchitis, where it keeps coming back or doesn't go away, is often down to smoking. It happens because smoking causes lots of lung irritation and inflammation!

Ladies, be sure to watch for bronchitis symptoms. You can expect shortness of breath, coughing, fatigue, chills, fever, and some discomfort in your chest. You will produce lots of mucus too! The mucus is going to be green, clear, or grey-yellow most of the time.

Pneumonia

Pneumonia means the air sacs in your lungs are inflamed. That said, sometimes only one lung is affected. Either way, though, this lung infection makes your air sacs fill with pus or fluid. This can come from many causes, ladies, such as fungi, bacteria, and viruses. Thankfully, pneumonia's going to be mild for many of you! That said, you're likely to have a severe case when you're a senior, have a weak immune system, or have another respiratory problem.

Ladies, the symptoms you will see the most are breathing problems, fever, chills, a productive cough, and nausea. Vomiting and diarrhea are a couple more examples! Chest pain often sets in when you cough, sometimes when you breathe too. When you're in a high-risk group, you will see symptoms like confusion and a lower body temperature too.

Influenza

Influenza, ladies, is the flu! It's a virus, but it's not the same thing as the stomach flu. Influenza affects your throat, lungs, and nose. Most cases are mild, and you will likely recover without treatment. However, cases do get severe sometimes. This is common when you're in a high-risk group, such as when you're younger than 5 years old, pregnant, older than 65 years old, have a weak immune system, or are obese. Ladies, you're also a high-risk patient when you have a chronic illness or when you have given birth in the last 2 weeks.

You will get symptoms like fever, chills, a sore throat, headaches, fatigue, and muscle aches in most cases of the flu. The good news is that there's a flu vaccine. While it's not 100 percent effective, it does work very well at preventing the flu. In fact, it's your best defense!

Common Cold

Of course, the most common respiratory illness has to be the common cold! This one is the result of a virus, ladies, and it affects your throat and nose. The good news is that most common cold cases are harmless, just annoying. Ladies, most of you will recover in 7 to 10 days! The problem is that so many viruses cause the common cold. That's why you will keep getting them! As an adult, you will get 2 to 3 colds every year. Kids, however, get more than that!

Symptoms hit in 1 to 3 days of being in contact with the virus. Ladies, you will see symptoms like sneezing, a runny nose, headaches, a sore throat, and congestion! Mild fevers happen as well. Fevers in the common cold don't normally get high, but make sure to call your doctor if yours is higher than 101°F. Do this if your symptoms don't go away in 10 days too!