What is the difference between ARI and ARVI? Acute respiratory disease. Acute respiratory viral infections

What is "ARVI" and "ARD", most often confuses. Many people are mistaken, believing that this is the same thing. What is the difference between ARI and ARVI? Understanding the difference between them, you can avoid a number of mistakes in the selection of medications for treatment.

What is ARVI and ARI

To understand what distinguishes ARI from ARVI, it is enough to understand their definitions.

ORZ (acute respiratory disease) - the disease of the upper respiratory tract by any infection (bacterial, atypical, fungal, viral, etc.). In fact, ARI is not a disease. This is the common name for several diseases with similar symptoms, since "acute" means a rapid onset of the disease.

Acute respiratory disease is transmitted by airborne droplets. Within 7-10 days a patient can infect others with a virus, so ARI quickly causes an epidemic.

Diseases of the upper respiratory tract of bacterial etiology are most often caused by staphylococcus, pneumococcus, streptococcus, tonsillitis. In the case when ARI is caused by mycoplasmal etiology, that is, there is mycoplasmosis, there is such a complication as pneumonia.

ORVI - refined, private diagnosis of acute respiratory infections, that is, an acute respiratory viral infection, transmitted by airborne droplets. This disease is always confirmed by analysis. The most common type of acute respiratory viral infection is influenza. In addition, there is parainfluenza, adenovirus and rhinovirus infections, coronavirus infection, etc. All these diseases have a viral etiology.

The flu affects everyone in general. Patients complain of weakness, muscle aches, weakness, headache, sweating. The temperature, as a rule, does not rise above 39 degrees and decreases after 2-3 days. Symptoms such as a runny nose, coughing, sore throat and sneezing are mild, in the first day they may not be.

Paragripp primarily affects the larynx, pharynx and bronchi. In the throat is pershit, painful to swallow, voice hoarse, cough. The temperature fluctuates between 37-38 ° C.

Adenoviral infection affects the lymph nodes (or aden node), so they increase. The main difference from other infections is the appearance on 2-3 days of lacrimation and redness of the eyes. All other symptoms are moderately expressed: temperature within 37-38 degrees, malaise, chills, headache and in the muscles. 2-3 days later the nose becomes blocked.

Rinovirus infection is primarily characterized by the appearance of dryness and unpleasant sensations in the nose, it gradually develops into a runny nose with a strong watery compartment. This is the main symptom of rhinovirus infection. But also the patient may be disturbed by cough, perspiration in the throat, the temperature rises slightly.

Now, knowing what SARS and ARI are, their differences from each other become obvious - the pathogens that cause the disease. To more precisely determine the causes, conduct special tests to study the microflora of the throat. Since the disease is just beginning, you must immediately place an accurate diagnosis and begin the correct treatment.

ORZ affects the respiratory tract when a bacterial infection appears with a developing viral infection. In most cases, the disease occurs during hypothermia. While acute respiratory viral infections appear due to the presence of harmful viruses in the body.

Symptoms of ARVI

When diagnosing, the doctor first of all pays attention to the symptoms. ARVI is accompanied by a transparent mucus in the nasopharynx, the patient often sneezes. The growing pain in the throat, which increases with swallowing, after a while the voice becomes hoarse. The cough has a dry character, nauseating, painful, after a while it becomes wet. In addition, the patient complains of general weakness, aches in muscles and joints due to sudden temperature jumps, because of the virus entering the blood (intoxication). There is a chill, a headache and loss of appetite. Often the virus also affects the mucous membrane of the eyes and the gastrointestinal tract. In addition to all of the above, there may be insomnia or, conversely, drowsiness.

Symptoms of acute respiratory disease

Symptoms of acute respiratory infections are clearly pronounced: the temperature rises; Dry cough becomes wet; Red throat covers white coating; The mucous membrane is inflamed and a clear liquid, mucus or pus is secreted.

What's more dangerous

Most people are most cautious about ARVI, and this is justified. It is this disease that is transferred more heavily and carries unpleasant consequences in the form of complications. The virus in the body all the time is in a mutation state, mutating. Therefore, doctors have to change the treatment program every time, pick up other drugs. This is complicated by the fact that the human body is trying to develop immunity from viruses that have already been. But with a new virus you need to fight longer.

How to treat ARI and ARI

Having found out, what differs ORZ from ORVI, it is possible to pass to selection of medical products.

In most cases, ARI is prescribed antipyretic and antihistamines. But it can not be treated, since it is not a disease, but a generalized name for several diseases. But at the same time it is necessary to conduct preventive maintenance to protect yourself from unpleasant consequences.

Prevention of acute respiratory disease

Prevention of ARI is to strengthen immunity. This requires:

• Take more vitamins (especially A, C, B);
• Gargle with herbal infusions;
• Wash your nose, for example saline solution;
• Watch out so that the air around is damp and cool;
• Periodically carry out inhalations;
• Drink about 1.5 liters of clean water a day;
• If possible, avoid contact with sick people;
• Keep hands clean.

Prevention of acute respiratory infections is no different from the prevention of acute respiratory infections. It is important to remember that with a high incidence of the disease among the surrounding (epidemic, season - autumn or winter), you must protect yourself from participation in public events, and if there is a need to use public transport, it is better to use a gauze dressing. This again protects against a possible virus, and therefore protects against a serious disease with possible complications.

Treatment of ARVI

ARVI is treated with antiviral drugs. In some cases, you can, of course, do without them, but this happens very rarely. Since the heat (above 38.5 degrees) must be knocked down. In addition, the patient very much wants to quickly get rid of unpleasant pain in the throat, runny nose and bothersome cough.

You can help immunity with abundant drink, light food and cool moist air (75-90% at 17-19 ⁰ C). If you do not follow these simple rules, even the most expensive medicines will not help.

In addition, from the very first days of illness it is necessary to support the body with immunostimulating agents - echinacea, eleutherococcus, etc. Antiviral drugs must be taken at the beginning of the disease. This is more effective, because at this point the virus is actively multiplying.

In this case, do not overload the body with all kinds of potent drugs. In general, the virus "burns out" for a week.

Ambulance is required if ...

1. The temperature rose above 40 degrees.
2. More than 3 days does not stop fever.
3. After 7-10 days, there is no improvement.
4. Minor relief was followed by a strong fever and cough.
5. There was shortness of breath and severe pain during breathing.
6. Disorientation, disturbance or loss of consciousness is observed.
7. There were convulsions, which developed due to temperature.
8. There was a rash on the legs or buttocks (purple bruises - meningococcus).
9. There is constant vomiting and diarrhea.
10. Strong pain in the face, intense headache.
11. The patient is over 60 years old, there are chronic diseases of the kidneys, heart, liver, diabetes, blood diseases, autoimmune or immunodeficient conditions.

Diseases of the upper respiratory tract are not catastrophic, so do not panic and fear. The point is not what distinguishes ARI from ARVI, but that the doctor should be treated with the first symptoms, without starting the disease and not doing self-medication.