Upper respiratory infections

Upper respiratory infections (or URIs) are viral infections that affects the nose, throat, and airways—the most familiar being the common cold. These infections happen when a virus enters your body through your mouth, nose, or eyes. The result is an illness that affects part or all of your upper respiratory tract, including the throat, nose, larynx, and sinuses.

Symptoms may include:

• The first symptoms are often a tickle in the throat.
• Runny or stuffy nose (nasal discharge may be clear, cloudy, yellow or green)
• Sore throat
• Fever can also be present (temperature >100.3)
• At times, the child may also have a cough and hoarse voice. Sometimes, watery eyes and swollen lymph nodes in the neck also occur. Headache, muscle aches, feeling tired and lack of appetite can also be present.

Over-the-counter (OTC) medications are medications you can purchase without a prescription.

They include:

• Painkillers: Medications like acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil) can help to relieve muscle aches, headaches, and lower fever. Make sure to use the proper dosage as indicated in the patient information leaflet and do not use them for an extended period. Do not give children and teenagers acetylsalicylic acid (Aspirin) to relieve cold symptoms because it can cause a dangerous but rare condition called Reye’s syndrome.

• Cough suppressants: Cold and cough medicines help to ease coughing. Do not give cough suppressants to children under six years because of possible side effects.

• Throat lozenge and sprays: Throat lozenges help soothe the throat while throat sprays work by numbing the throat area, which relieves the sore throat pain. A spoonful of honey can be just as helpful as lozenges and sprays.

• Antihistamines: Antihistamines such as loratadine (Claritin) and diphenhydramine (Benadryl) help to relieve symptoms similar to those of an allergic reaction such as runny nose, sneezing, and watery eyes.

• Vitamin C, D, and Zinc: These supplements help general body wellness and strengthen your immune system.

Before using any OTC medication or treatment, confirm with your doctor or healthcare provider that any other medications you’re on are safe to combine with OTC treatments. Also, check the ingredients of each drug to make sure you’re not taking too much of one substance as some cold medicines combine multiple OTC medications inside.

Since viruses and not bacteria usually cause colds, antibiotics are not typically recommended. Unnecessary use of antibiotics will only make it more difficult to treat a bacterial infection in the future due to antibacterial resistance.

Generally, you do not need to see a doctor or healthcare provider for a cold since it will resolve on its own in less than two weeks.

However, talk to a doctor if you experience any of the following:

• Symptoms that persist after 10 days
• Symptoms that are uncommon to a cold
• Shortness of breath or wheezing
• Severe headache, sore throat, or sinus pain
• Fever greater than 101.3 F (38.5 C) lasting more than two days
• Feeling light-headed

You can chat with one of our doctors on Cedars-Sinai Connect to learn more about treatment and same-day prescriptions.