Coping with upper respiratory infections.
Your doctor has diagnosed your problem as an upper respiratory tract infection (URI). Common URIs include viral rhinitis (the common cold), sore throat, and sinusitis (sinus infection). Most URIs are caused by viruses, but some are caused by bacteria. Your physician may have recommended medication to treat your symptoms; these include acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or naproxen for pain or fever and antihistamines and/or decongestants to treat congestion and runny nose. Because they treat bacterial infections, antibiotics will not help a viral URI.
O'Kane
John W
JW
Department of Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195-4060, USA. jokane@u.washington.edu.