What is the Homeopathic Solution for Upper Respiratory Tract Infections

Most upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) are caused by viral infections, and usually soon go. Sometimes, it may lead to serious health conditions which affect a person’s quality of life for which homeopathy has safe, long-lasting and side-effect free solution.

Upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) has been recognized as one of the most common medical conditions in the daily lives of people worldwide. A strong confirmation for the prevention of URTI is rather inadequate, and thus, the patients take preventive measures on the basis of their own experience or preferences. However, URTI is referred to a viral infection causing inflammation and infection in the nose and throat. URTIs are contagious which remain for few hours to 2-3 days of exposure. Also, the symptoms have been known to last from 7-10 days, but reports have shown that the symptoms may last even longer.

What is an Upper Respiratory Tract Infection (URTI)?

The upper respiratory system includes the nose, nasal cavity, pharynx, and larynx with subglottic area of trachea. In the normal circumstances, air enters the respiratory system through nostrils where it is filtered, humidified, and warmed inside the nasal cavity. Conditioned air passes through pharynx, larynx, and trachea and then enters in lower respiratory system.

Dysfunction of any part of upper respiratory tract may change quality of inhaled air and consequently, may impair function of tracheobronchial tree and lung. They are the leading cause for people missing work or school and, thus, have important social implications. They range from mild, self-limiting disease like common cold, syndrome of the nasopharynx to serious, life-threatening illnesses, such as epiglottitis.

Upper Respiratory Tract Infection includes:

• the common cold
• laryngitis (infection of the voice box, larynx)
• tonsillitis/pharyngitis (infection of the tonsils and tissues at the back of the throat)
• acute rhinitis (runny nose)
• acute rhinosinusitis (infection of the sinuses)
• acute otitis medial (ear infection)

These conditions usually stop on their own. They are extremely common, a young child can expect about 3-8 colds a year. Children tend to get more upper respiratory tract infections than adults because they have not yet built up immunity (resistance) to the many viruses that can cause these infections.

How does Upper Respiratory Tract Infection spread?

Upper respiratory tract infections are usually caused by viruses (germs). There are over 200 different types of viruses that can cause upper respiratory tract infection.

Whenever a patient sneezes or coughs, tiny droplets of flu containing the virus are launched into the air. If these are breathed in by someone else, they may also become infected.

Upper Respiratory Tract Infection can also spread through indirect contact. If a patient touches an object, e.g. a door handle, the virus may be passed to someone else when they touch the same thing.

Who all are at risk for Upper Respiratory Tract Infection?

It’s almost impossible to avoid viruses and bacteria, but certain risk factors increase your chances of developing acute respiratory infection. The immune systems of children and older adults are more prone to being affected by viruses. Children are especially at risk because of their constant contact with other kids who could be virus carriers. Children often don’t wash their hands regularly. They rub their eyes and put their fingers in their mouths, resulting in the spread of viruses.

People with heart disease or other lung problems are more likely to contract an acute respiratory infection. Anyone whose immune system might be weakened by another disease is at risk. Smokers also are at high risk and have more trouble recovering.

Symptoms of Upper Respiratory Tract Infection

Common symptoms are:

• sore throat and cough. Occasionally, vomiting may follow a bout of coughing
• hoarse voice (caused by laryngitis)
• nasal irritation and congestion may interfere with feeding, breathing and sleep – particularly in babies.
• there may be a lot of nasal discharge which is usually clear at first
• sneezing
• fever
• a general feeling of tiredness and weakness, being unwell, restlessness/irritability.

Complications of Upper Respiratory Tract Infection

The most common complications are:

• in older children: sinusitis and chest infection
• in younger children: ear infection
• very young children and babies: bronchiolitis (chest infection) and croup.
• asthma symptoms may worsen, with an increased cough and wheeze.

Homeopathy Treatment for Upper Respiratory Tract Infection

Upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) remain among the most typical reasons patients visit healthcare providers. Increasingly, patients seek complementary and alternative treatments like diet and nutritional supplementation, anti-allergic medicines and decongestant nasal sprays. But, they are associated with possible side-effects; drug dependency and drug induced rhinitis “Rhinitis medicamentosa”.

Homeopathy can be offered as a safe and effective alternative to help patients recover more quickly from URTI. Homeopaths identify the characteristic symptoms of the respiratory infections in an individual person. Therefore, the remedies suggested to each and every individual is different, depending on the:

• individual symptoms
• factors causing the disease
• triggering factors
• concomitant symptoms

Homeopathic treatment when given for a sustained period of time brings down the intensity, frequency and duration of attacks. It also helps in building up self-immunity. At Dr Batra’s^®, we have treated over 20,000 patients successfully with a cure rate of over 94%.