Patient education: Upper respiratory infection in adults – Discharge instructions (The Basics)

What are discharge instructions? — Discharge instructions are information about how to take care of yourself after getting medical care for a health problem.

What is an upper respiratory infection? — An upper respiratory infection ("URI") is an illness that can affect your nose, throat, ears, and sinuses. Almost all URIs are caused by a virus. The common cold is an example of a viral URI. Some URIs are caused by bacteria, but this is much less common.

URIs spread easily from person to person, most often through coughing or sneezing. A URI will almost always get better in a week or 2 without any treatment. Because most URIs are caused by viruses, antibiotics do not usually help.

If you do have a bacterial infection, your doctor might prescribe antibiotics.

How do I care for myself at home? — Ask the doctor or nurse what you should do when you go home. Make sure that you understand exactly what you need to do to care for yourself. Ask questions if there is anything you do not understand.

You should also:

●Wash your hands often (figure 1), and cough or sneeze into a tissue. If you do not have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow instead of your hands.

●Drink lots of fluids (water, juice, or broth) to stay hydrated, unless your doctor told you otherwise. This will help replace any fluids lost through runny nose or fever. Warm tea or soup can also help soothe a sore throat.

●To help a stuffy nose and make it easier to breathe:

•Use saline nose drops or spray.

•Use a humidifier if the air in your home feels dry.

●Follow the directions on the label carefully if you take over-the-counter cough or cold medicines. Do not take more than 1 medicine that contains acetaminophen. Also, if you have a heart problem or high blood pressure, check with your doctor before you take any of these medicines.

●Try to quit smoking if you smoke. Your doctor or nurse can help.

How can I prevent getting another URI? — The best way to prevent a URI, or keep it from spreading to others, is to keep your hands clean. Wash your hands often with soap and water or alcohol gel rubs.

Some other ways to prevent the spread of infection include:

●Always wash your hands with soap and water after you cough, sneeze, or blow your nose.

●Clean surfaces and objects that you touch a lot. These include sinks, counters, tables, door handles, remotes, and phones. Use a bleach and water mixture. The germs that cause a URI can live on surfaces for at least 2 hours.

●Do not share cups, food, towels, bed linens, or other personal items.

●Stay away from other people when you are sick. When you do need to be around other people, consider wearing a face mask.

When should I call the doctor? — Call for advice if:

●You have a persistent fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, chills, a very bad sore throat, or ear or sinus pain.

●You get a new fever after several days of feeling the same or getting better.

●You start having chest pain when you cough.

●You have a cough that lasts more than 10 days.

●You cough up blood.

●You have any new or worsening symptoms, such as worsening cough or trouble breathing.

More on this topic

Patient education: Cough, runny nose, and the common cold (The Basics)
Patient education: Cough in adults (The Basics)
Patient education: COVID-19 overview (The Basics)
Patient education: Flu (The Basics)
Patient education: Sore throat in adults (The Basics)
Patient education: What you should know about vaccines (The Basics)
Patient education: Coughing up blood (The Basics)
Patient education: What you should know about antibiotics (The Basics)

Patient education: The common cold in adults (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Allergic rhinitis (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Sore throat in adults (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Acute sinusitis (sinus infection) (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Acute bronchitis in adults (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Pneumonia in adults (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Influenza symptoms and treatment (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Nonallergic rhinitis (runny or stuffy nose) (Beyond the Basics)