The Very Best Respiratory Illness Guide

Respiratory illnesses are huge. So huge! The most huge illnesses in the US, in fact! Men, you'll get at least one in your life! Your age and genetics influence your risk. Obviously. Other risk factors mean things like a weak immune system, working in healthcare or with fumes, and living somewhere that's polluted! Of course, many, many of these illnesses are contagious. That's why you'll get outbreaks of them!

Men, you know the treatments! Medicine for pneumonia is very, very common. Bronchitis medication works too, including an acute bronchitis throat lozenge to stop your coughing. You'll see options for cold and flu treatment like fever meds and pain meds. Herbal remedies for the common cold are very good and very safe too. The safest! But, you know what you need to know first? What illness you've got!

Bronchitis

Men, you know about your bronchial tubes! They get air in and out of your lungs. They're powerful, so powerful. The problem? Bronchitis. This condition's going to make the tubes so inflamed, so inflamed. The lining of them is going to be more inflamed than you've ever seen! There's good news, though. Men, when you've got an acute case, you'll recover in 7 to 10 days. At worst, your cough will stick around for a little longer. Chronic bronchitis takes hold for a lot longer. It keeps coming back too! That one's often down to smoking, men. Acute cases? Yes, you guessed it: the common cold's responsible! There are some huge, huge symptoms of bronchitis. Men, you've got to keep your eye peeled for coughing, fatigue, shortness of breath, fever, chills, and mucus! The mucus is going to be clear, gray-yellow, or even green.

Asthma

Asthma's so common, men, so common! Men, this one's a chronic condition, as you know. It makes your airways narrow and swell. That'll trigger symptoms like shortness of breath and coughing. Other breathing problems are huge too, and you'll also hear whistling when you breathe! And men? You know already about the mucus during an asthma attack. When you've got a mild case, treatment is easy! But keep your guard up, because severe asthma causes a huge, huge issue in your daily life.

You'll need a rescue inhaler on hand! Emergency medicine is so important, so very important if you don't have this. Men, you know about the type of asthma you've got. This impacts your treatment! When you've got exercise-induced asthma, you know you need support during exercise. You've also got to be careful around dry and cold air. Occupational asthma means wearing protection around fumes and other irritants. So obvious.

Pneumonia

Pneumonia's another huge, huge respiratory illness. Men, you know all about this lung infection! It means your air sacs are inflamed in at least one lung. But yes, it can happen in both! You'll have fluid or pus fill these air sacs. Obviously, pneumonia's got many causes. So many causes! Viruses, bacteria, and fungi all trigger this infection. When pneumonia's mild, there's no need to worry. But men? Many, many of you get severe pneumonia! It'll be severe more often when you're a senior, have a weak immune system, or have other respiratory problems. In any case? Men, you know pneumonia's dangerous!

Watch for symptoms like productive coughing, breathing problems, fatigue, fever, and chills. Diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting are huge, huge symptoms too! Men, don't ever forget about the chest pain when you cough or even breathe! You'll see lots of confusion and a lower body temp when you're one with a weak immune system or a senior.

Influenza

Everyone knows about influenza. Everyone! It's the flu virus. Obviously, it's not the same as the stomach flu. Influenza gets into your nose, lungs, and throat. Men, here's good news you know about. Most of you only need to rest to recover from the flu! Obviously, though, cases do get serious sometimes. Yes, especially for at-risk groups like the elderly, obese, immunocompromised, and the very young! Men, you know the symptoms: fever, chills, fatigue, headaches, body aches, and a sore throat, among many, many others. So many others! You've got a good defense, though: the flu vaccine. There's a new one every year, obviously targeting the most common strain of the season.

Common Cold

Oh, the common cold. It's everywhere, absolutely everywhere! Men, they say this one's the most common respiratory illness. They all say it. It's going to get into your nose and throat. The sad part? So many viruses cause the common cold. Yes, so many viruses do! That's why you keep getting them. Men, you'll see about 2 to 3 per year as an adult. Obviously, though, everyone knows that kids get colds a lot more!

There's good news, though: most cases are harmless, so harmless. The common cold's just a little annoying for 7 to 10 days. You'll see symptoms 1 to 3 days after getting the virus. Men, you know what to expect: congestion, sneezing, sore throat, and a runny nose! Fevers happen too. Call your doc if it gets higher than 101°F. You've also got to call them if your symptoms don't go away or get worse!