Upper respiratory diseases
If you have allergy-like symptoms such as
runny nose, itchy eyes, stuffy head, headache or chest congestion,
you may hear your doctor refer to upper respiratory disease or URD.
Symptoms associated with URD are quite common. In fact, one-third
of all patients who visit primary care physicians have some kind
of upper respiratory distress.
The most common URDs are:
-
Nonallergic rhinitis - an inflammation of the mucous membranes
of the nose caused by infection, irritation, a hormonal condition
or an anatomical abnormality.
-
Rhinosinusitis - an inflammation of the paranasal sinuses that
occurs with rhinitis. It rarely occurs in the absence of nasal
inflammation and is common in patients with recurrent rhinitis.
-
Allergic rhinitis - involves an allergic reaction of the mucous
membranes of the nose to one or more allergens. Allergic rhinitis
can be seasonal or recurrent. For allergic rhinitis sufferers,
repeated allergen exposure results in hypersensitivity so that
symptoms occur at lower allergen levels and to irritants such as
perfumes and cigarette smoke.
-
Though URD symptoms are rarely life-threatening, they can contribute
to more serious illnesses such as asthma, and they can dramatically
affect your quality of life. Finding out if allergy is or is
not a factor in URD is the best way to get relief without unnecessary
medication or inappropriate treatment. Only a diagnostic test
and examination by a physician can tell for sure. See testing
options for more information.
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