ARVI disease is an insidious disease that can cause exacerbation of pulmonary diseases and secondary bacterial pathologies. Medical professionals compare it with an outbreak and warn about it almost every winter. The disease causes many problems with the onset of cold weather, since at present there are more than two hundred species of its pathogens. Due to this diversity of bacteria, the pharmaceutical industry is constantly developing antiviral effective drugs.
With ARVI, adults are usually offered complex therapy, the role of which is to exert an effect directly on the provoking factor of the disease. To achieve maximum treatment results, it is important to determine the exact diagnosis. This material will examine in detail not only the causes and symptoms, but also the methods of treating respiratory infections.
How does the disease manifest itself?
What the people call the common cold, medical workers designate it as an acute respiratory viral infection - this is the interpretation of SARS. In fact, the disease includes a number of clinical conditions associated with the respiratory system. Their provocateurs are pneumotropic viruses. Infections that cause inflammatory processes are divided into adenoviral, respiratory syncytial and rhinovirus. Against the background of the development of a viral illness, serious complications often occur, accompanied by bacterial lesions of the upper respiratory tract.
At the initial stage, the disease can manifest itself in the eyes and tearing. The patient feels lethargic, his general state of health worsens, and drowsiness increases. Unlike flu, which occurs spontaneously, colds develop much more slowly. First, the patient has a throat, then he begins to sneeze. If you immediately begin treatment during this period, the person may not get sick. The main thing is to drink medicine in a timely manner and observe bed rest. Alternative therapy may even help in this case. If the disease still progresses, then after a few days the patient begins to cough. As for the temperature increase, everything is individual here, as well as the beginning of acute respiratory viral infections can occur in different ways for everyone. It can fluctuate between 37.1-38 degrees. Common symptoms include:
- headache;
- runny nose;
- cough;
- sneeze;
- sore throat;
- lethargy;
- chills.
With a viral infection on the legs, the symptoms can be more complicated, for example, pain in the area of ​​the hearing aid or in the sinuses. In most cases, such inflammation occurs in people with weak immunity. If the throat with ARVI is too swollen, it is necessary to exclude other diseases that can begin along with a cold.
Sources and causes of infections
During the peak of the epidemic, the disease covers about 30% of the population. The nature or method of transmission and infection of SARS is airborne. Due to its high prevalence, the disease is rampant everywhere. You can get a virus not only from sick people. Hotbeds of bacteria are often common household attributes. Touching door handles, railings and other objects in crowded places, educational institutions and vehicles increases the likelihood of transmission of infection. It was noted that infants and older children who are in relative isolation are less likely to have a cold than those who attend kindergartens and schools. Most older people are less likely to get sick due to the acquisition of special immunity after a cold. Another prevalence of the disease is associated with the epidemic situation in a particular area.
With minimal manifestations of the symptoms of the disease, many people continue to lead an active, social lifestyle, which means they are a source of infection. The good news is that today the bacterial nature of almost all types of pathogenic agents provoking acute respiratory viral infections has been established. It should be remembered that their sources can be not only people, but also domestic animals and birds. They are dangerous both after the incubation period and at the stage of fever.
The difference between influenza and SARS
It is very important to learn to distinguish between these diseases - the only way to avoid serious consequences. The risk of various pathologies with influenza is much higher. Here, bed rest is simply necessary - not only in order to defeat the disease, but not to become a source of infection for other people. Also, if the diagnosis of ARVI is correctly diagnosed, the doctor will be able to prescribe suitable antiviral drugs. With flu, antibiotics are recommended in most cases.
To understand the nature of diseases, you need to focus on the initial stage of the disease - how its symptoms manifest. Severe malaise and too high a temperature indicate a possible flu disease. Other characteristic states are added to these signs, in aggregate they indicate a more dangerous ailment. We highlight the main symptoms of influenza:
- excessive headache;
- aches in joints, muscles and bone tissues;
- too high indicators on the thermometer;
- dry cough:
- general malaise.
SARS occurs in a different way. As already mentioned, there is a slight weakness, sore throat, not too high temperature. Such signs are noted both in adenoviruses and in diseases caused by rhinoviruses. In some patients, the common cold is accompanied by hoarseness. A runny nose with ARVI is the most common symptom. The disease is characterized by a gradual decrease in symptoms, in total this period lasts from three to seven days. After that, a full recovery occurs if there are no complications. Although with colds, pathological conditions develop much less often than with flu.
As you can see, the flu begins acutely and suddenly. It is characterized by such consequences as bacterial bronchitis, tonsillitis, sinusitis. The appearance of the latter is signaled by yellow-green discharge from the nasal cavities. If such manifestations exist, there is a possibility that the maxillary sinuses are inflamed. There is another kind of pathological complication in clinical practice - frontal sinusitis. Such a disease is characterized by inflammation of the frontal sinuses. With bronchitis, the patient begins to feel pain in the chest, and the cough goes into a wet form. It is necessary to consult a specialist in order to detect the presence of wheezing and to exclude pneumonia.
So, to summarize the comparative analysis of diseases:
- SARS disease develops slowly, as tangible symptoms increase. Influenza is a spontaneous illness accompanied by fever and inflammation in the airways. It is included in the group of acute respiratory infections caused by viruses.
- A cold is characterized by a low temperature, which, as a rule, is not higher than 37-37.2 ° C. In acute illness, critical conditions are observed when the indicators are from 39 to 41 degrees and last for three days.
- A diagnosis of ARVI is made if symptoms such as a sore throat, nasal congestion, and cough are manifested in the early days of the disease. With influenza, these signs make themselves felt for 3-4 days and are less intense.
- Malaise and excessive fatigue appear more with acute infections (flu). Lethargy can accompany the patient for 2-3 weeks, even after a therapeutic course. As a rule, recovery is always followed by a long recovery period. Weakness after SARS is much faster. With proper and timely treatment, patients usually recover within 7-10 days.
- Pain and body, muscle aches, fever are typical for flu and are quite pronounced. With a cold, this symptomatology is usually insignificant, proceeds in the form of a slight chill.
Why a cold should be treated in a timely manner
In addition to the general clinical picture, SARS disease can manifest itself in different ways, depending on what type of pathogen it was caused. For example, against the background of a cold, negative changes in the liver can occur, intestinal upsets, sometimes conjunctivitis, can be observed. Timely treatment is necessary, since the fight against viruses significantly affects the functioning of the immune system.
As mentioned above, there are many pathogens of various infections. Pathogenic microorganisms gradually adapted and began to suppress the protective reactions of the human body. Often the danger is not the virus itself, but the pathological conditions provoked by it. If the patient’s natural defenses cope with foreign agents, the common cold goes away quickly. When immunity is weakened, favorable soil is created for the development of various diseases. That is why doctors often prescribe fortifying medicines that ensure the fight against the disease. Such drugs support the body's defenses. The Amiksin drug, which is often prescribed with weak immunity, copes with this task perfectly.
Some mistakenly believe that serious complications can occur only after a severe viral infection. However, the so-called common cold is sometimes fraught with dangerous consequences. A bacterial infection, manifested in the form of pneumonia, sinusitis, bronchitis, can join it.
Diagnostics
Identify the true nature of the virus by laboratory testing. Diagnosis helps to determine the presence of antibodies in the patient’s blood, which are considered specific for any virus. However, in medical practice, the clinical picture of the disease is often used to make the correct diagnosis. If after five days the symptoms of the disease increase, then doctors recommend a deeper study to exclude negative consequences. This includes:
- general blood analysis;
- chest diagnostics;
- X-ray examination of the sinuses.
Treatment
A person’s quick recovery largely depends on the normal functioning of their own immunity. To support the patient's body during an illness, the doctor usually prescribes a comprehensive treatment. Regular use of ascorbic acid or fruits containing vitamin C helps to reduce the duration of the disease and reduce the severity of its course. This valuable organic compound is present in immunostimulating complexes. The chances of a quick recovery of the body increase smoking cessation and alcohol, increased drinking regimen and complete rest.
The therapy includes drugs with antiviral effects, which are able to adversely affect foreign agents at different stages of their development. Antipyretic anti-inflammatory non-steroidal drugs are prescribed. The proven drug Paracetamol has not yet lost its popularity. However, it is gradually replaced by a rather effective modern medication - Ibuprofen. Mostly with the help of such medications, symptomatic therapy is carried out. Also prescribed drugs for the common cold, antipyretic and expectorant.
To eliminate the undesirable symptoms of a cold, some people use over-the-counter treatment with medicines that contain antihistamines and decongestants, analgesics. Regarding the elimination of acute signs of the disease and the restoration of the condition as a whole, experts find this method to some extent useful. The maximum therapeutic effect is achieved through a combination of decongestants and antihistamines. However, such combinations may produce side effects.
Usually, patients after taking the mentioned drugs feel dry mouth, excessive drowsiness, or, conversely, asomnia, slight dizziness. For the prevention and treatment of viral infections, experts recommend taking Amizon, which has a number of therapeutic effects: antipyretic, immunostimulating, anti-inflammatory, analgesic.
Effective Antivirals
With SARS, adults are prescribed medications that can act directly on infectious agents. There are drugs that do not allow pathogens to enter the cells. Some of the drugs act as blockers and affect their enzyme systems. The most popular remedies are:
- Arbidol.
- Rebetol.
- Relenza.
- "Orvirem."
- "Virazole."
- "Influcein."
- Midantan.
- Tamiflu.
- "Virazole."
Despite the fact that the pharmaceutical market is rich in a wide range of products, there is a reservation from experts that there are no medicines that can completely defeat viruses. This is due to the fact that pathogenic agents have already developed sufficient resistance to rimantadine and amantadine. However, doctors recommend taking antiviral drugs for the reason that they significantly reduce the risk of serious complications.
Immunomodulating medicines
Such funds stimulate the immune system, help to cope with its natural functions, connecting specific biological structures of the body. For example, with SARS, Ingavirin tablets increase the sensitivity of cells to endogenous natural interferon. Amiksin enhances the production of these specific proteins that act as antiviral agents. "Polyoxidonium" activates phagocytes, which eliminate cells affected by pathogens.
Treatment of colds in children
The immunoglobulins that infants receive along with breast milk protect them from bacteria and viruses. Only by the age of 4, babies develop antibodies to infectious agents. To do this, their body must face various viruses. Therefore, SARS affects children more often than adults. Visiting children's institutions, the kids adapt to viruses, at this stage of life they begin to get sick, and to some extent this trend is considered normal.
However, this does not mean that the common cold should not be treated. Timely therapy will protect the child from negative consequences. For example, inflammation of the larynx or pharynx often leads to pharyngitis or laryngitis. In weak children, colds can develop a sore throat, which gives complications to the kidneys, heart, and joints.
Symptoms of acute respiratory viral infections in children are the same as in adults. Diarrhea and conjunctivitis may still join. High temperature and plaque on the tonsils indicate the onset of a sore throat. You should not put the child a presumptive diagnosis and self-medicate. Be sure to visit a pediatrician.
In view of the foregoing, it is worth considering the clinical recommendations for the treatment of acute respiratory viral infections in children. Therapy for young patients begins with an examination and the proper prescription of drugs.
In addition, a plentiful drink is recommended. Doctors advise giving babies warm milk, compotes, herbal teas, cocoa and various fruit drinks. You can not bring down a low temperature, indicators 37-37.5 indicate that the child’s immune system is struggling with the disease.
Runny nose with acute respiratory viral infections in children is often treated with drugs such as Nazivin or Tizin. These are vasodilators that need to be dripped into the nasal cavity of the baby. It is also allowed to rinse the nose with saline.
An effective antiviral agent in the form of a powder for inhalation is the medicine Relenza, and the drug in the form of tablets from ARVI is Teraflu. The first drug is prescribed after 5 years, the second - for babies from a year. For the treatment of throat, Miramistin is used. The antibacterial spray will relieve the painful condition of the baby. As a folk remedy, you can use a soda solution for gargling.
A few days later, when the cough goes into a productive state, the list of medicines for treating a small patient may be replenished. If sputum does not leave well, a diluting expectorant is prescribed: Ambrobene, Doctor IOM, Lazolvan.
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If you have been vaccinated against influenza, this does not mean that you can no longer worry about viral infections entering the body. In fact, this preventive measure does not provide full protection against this insidious disease. There are a lot of viruses of such diseases, therefore it is important to exercise caution.
Experts recommend observing a number of measures for the prevention of acute respiratory viral infections: wash hands regularly with antibacterial soap, wear a disposable mask during epidemics, and do not contact patients. The protective dressing needs to be changed every 2 hours. For the purpose of prevention, it is recommended to use the ointment - "Viferon". Hand washing is considered a fairly effective protective method, since a large number of microbes enter the human body through these parts of the body.
In the midst of epidemics, it is not necessary without special need to travel by public transport, attend mass events. It is important to observe a sleep pattern and take care of a complete diet. A healthy lifestyle to some extent protects against colds. You need to play sports and often be in the fresh air. Also take vitamin complexes and rinse the nasal cavities with saline.