Acute upper respiratory tract infection

Written by Yuan Qing

Pulmonology

1min 7sec

The difference between acute upper respiratory tract infection and acute pharyngitis

The difference between acute upper respiratory infection and acute pharyngitis is actually a matter of the scope and extension of a concept. An upper respiratory infection refers to infections occurring in the nose, pharynx, and throat, collectively known as the upper respiratory tract. If this area is infected by some pathogenic microorganisms, leading to symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, cough, and sore throat, we call it an acute upper respiratory infection. Acute pharyngitis specifically refers to the occurrence of inflammation in the pharynx following an infection, primarily presenting with sore throat or cough. This condition is called acute pharyngitis. From this perspective, acute pharyngitis is actually a specific type of acute upper respiratory infection. The main focus is still on distinguishing these diseases, giving special attention where necessary, such as providing specific treatment for pharyngitis, whereas a general cold medicine might suffice for an upper respiratory infection. Thus, there are certain distinctions between the two.