How to cope with upper respiratory tract infection

Condition analysis:
Upper respiratory tract infection (URI) represents the most common acute illness evaluated in the outpatient setting. URIs range from the common cold---typically a mild, self-limited, catarrhal syndrome of the nasopharynx-to life-threatening illnesses such as epiglottitis.

Medications are usually not prescribed for upper respiratory infections. Antibiotics are not effective in fighting viral infections. However, antibiotics are appropriate if the health care practitioner suspects that a bacterial infection exists, for example in cases of otitis media (ear infections), bacterial sinusitis, and strep throat.

In some cases, where there is significant inflammation of the upper airways, for example croup in infants and children, corticosteroid medications such asprednisone (Meticorten, Sterapred, Sterapred DS) or dexamethasone (Decadron, AK-Dex, Ocu-Dex) may be prescribed to decrease that inflammation.

Useful Tips:
1. Taking ginger tea several times in a day is one of the most effective natural home remedies for Upper Respiratory Infection. Prepare the tea by boiling one or two teaspoons of freshly ground ginger in water for about ten minutes. Add some honey in it to make this home remedy more effective.

2. Gargling with lukewarm salt water can help relieve throat discomfort caused by such infections. Breathing steamed air is also beneficial in the home treatment of Upper Respiratory Infection.

3. Drinking a combination of garlic oil and onion juice mixed in water is one of the most therapeutic natural home remedies for Upper Respiratory Infection, particularly head cold. You can also have garlic soup.

4. Having mixture of milk and roasted asafetida (2 mg) is a highly beneficial natural cure for Upper Respiratory Infection. Consumption of warm milk mixed with half a teaspoon of turmeric powder also serves as a good natural remedy.

5. Boil some water and add some eucalyptus leaves in it. Inhaling this infusion helps a great deal in reducing symptoms like nasal congestion. Another alternative is to place a few drops of eucalyptus oil on a clean cloth and sniff it.