COPD: Stages, Causes, Treatment, and More

Signs And Symptoms Of Upper Respiratory Infection

Medically reviewed by Rochelle Collins, DO

An upper respiratory infection (URI) is a group of infections that affects any part of your upper airways, including the nose, sinuses, throat (pharynx), and voice box (larynx). Common types of upper respiratory infections include the common cold, influenza (flu), sinusitis, laryngitis, pharyngitis, and tonsillitis. These infections can cause of variety of symptoms, including sneezing, runny nose, sore throat, cough, congestion, low-grade fever, and headache.

Symptoms usually begin mildly, gradually worsening over a few days before reaching their peak. Most people start to feel better within a week, though some may have lingering symptoms for up to three weeks.

Common URI Symptoms

Upper respiratory infections and be viral (caused by a virus), or bacterial (caused by bacteria). Viruses and bacteria that cause upper respiratory infections spread through respiratory droplets when someone who has the infection coughs or sneezes. Symptoms typically develop within one to three days after exposure to the infection-causing germs, such as rhinoviruses (common cold) or influenza viruses (flu).

Symptoms of URIs can vary, depending on which part of your upper respiratory tract is affected. Most types of URIs share common symptoms, including:

Common Cold Symptoms

Common cold symptoms typically start mildly, and you may initially develop a scratchy or sore throat. Symptoms develop gradually, peaking within two to three days, and may include: 

With the common cold, your nose may be runny for a few days before the mucus thickens and your nose feels stuffy or congested. Most people feel better within a week, but some symptoms, such as a cough, can linger for up to two weeks.

Influenza (Flu) Symptoms

Influenza (flu) symptoms tend to develop suddenly, reaching peak intensity within two to three days before gradually improving within several days to two weeks.

Flu symptoms can range from mild to severe and may include:

Fever

Chills

Sweating

Fatigue (tiredness) and weakness

Muscle and body aches

Headache

Scratchy and/or sore throat

Dry cough

Runny or stuffy nose

Some people with the flu will develop nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, which is more common in children than adults.

Sinusitis Symptoms

Sinusitis, also known as a sinus infection, is an infection that develops when fluid (mucus) builds up in the air-filled pockets in your face (sinuses), often after a common cold or due to allergies (allergic rhinitis). There are several types of sinusitis: 

Acute: Lasts four weeks or less

Subacute: Lasts 4 to 12 weeks

Chronic: Lasts 12 weeks or longer, sometimes persisting for months or years

Recurrent: Repeated sinus infections 

Symptoms of sinusitis can include:

Runny nose with thick, yellow, or green mucus discharge

Nasal congestion and stuffiness

Facial pain and pressure

Headache

Post-nasal drip (mucus dripping down the back of your throat)

Sore throat

Productive (wet) cough that may worsen at night

Bad breath

Decreased sense of smell

Fatigue

Fever

Laryngitis Symptoms

Laryngitis is inflammation of the larynx (voice box), which can develop during or after a viral or bacterial upper respiratory infection, such as the common cold. Acute laryngitis usually lasts for three to seven days and causes mild symptoms, including:

Hoarseness, making your voice sound raspy or weak

Loss of voice

Dry cough

Sore throat that may feel raw or tickly

Persistent urge to clear the throat

Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)

Fever

Swollen lymph nodes (glands) in the neck 

In more severe cases, people with laryngitis may experience shortness of breath or hear high-pitched, whistling sounds when breathing (stridor).

Pharyngitis Symptoms

Pharyngitis is inflammation of the pharynx—the middle of the throat between the tonsils and voice box (larynx). Most people develop pharyngitis as part of a viral or bacterial upper respiratory infection. It usually goes away within five to seven days.

Along with a sore throat, other pharyngitis symptoms may include:

Tonsillitis Symptoms

Tonsillitis is inflammation of the tonsils—the two lumps of tissue on each side at the back of the throat. Tonsils are part of your body's lymphatic system, helping clear away infection and keeping body fluids balanced. Tonsillitis is more common in children than adults and usually develops due to a viral or bacterial infection.

Inflamed tonsils may appear red and swollen and have a white or yellowish coating or spots. Tonsillitis symptoms usually clear up within four days, but some may last up to two weeks. Common symptoms include:

In some cases, children with tonsillitis may develop a bright red rash (scarlet fever). The rash may develop on the neck, chest, or face and then spread to other body areas, such as the arms, legs, and trunk. This occurs when a bacterial infection causes tonsillitis and requires medical attention and treatment.

Suphanni Chongmithom / Getty Images

When to Contact a Healthcare Provider

While most upper respiratory infections are viral and resolve with rest and at-home care, certain symptoms warrant a trip to your healthcare provider. 

Make an appointment to see a healthcare provider if you experience:

Symptoms that worsen or last longer than ten days

Shortness of breath

Prolonged fever of 102°F or higher

Feeling faint

Severe vomiting, especially if you are experiencing symptoms of dehydration

Severe sinus pain

Swollen lymph nodes in your neck

Earache or fluid draining from your ear(s)

Worsening symptoms of chronic conditions (e.G., heart disease, lung disease)

Seek immediate emergency care if you experience:

Difficulty breathing or severe shortness of breath

Chest pain lasting two minutes or longer

Confusion

Coughing up blood (hemoptysis)

Vision changes

Difficulty speaking

Fainting or sudden dizziness or weakness

Questions to Ask Your Provider

Here are a few questions to consider asking your healthcare provider when you visit them with an upper respiratory infection:

How long can I expect my symptoms to last?

Are there any medicines you can prescribe to help manage my cough?

Is there anything I can do at home to relieve my symptoms and support my recovery?

Should I be concerned if my mucus is green or yellow?

Can I take over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, or supplements to help me get better faster? 

A Quick Review

Upper respiratory infections (URIs), such as the common cold and flu, cause unpleasant symptoms like sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, headache, mild fever, body aches, and cough. Fortunately, most URIs are viral and resolve within a week or two. Getting plenty of rest and staying hydrated can help support your recovery. See a healthcare provider if your symptoms don't improve or worsen over time or if you get better and your symptoms suddenly return.

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Cases Of Black Lung Are Surging On The Navajo Nation, But Miners Lack Access To Care

The most recent data from the CDC show there are 10 active mines in Navajo County, Arizona. Neighboring counties are home to dozens more.

From 1973 until 2019, the Peabody Western Coal Company operated the Kayenta mine, which produced million tons of coal per year. However, the electricity generated by the coal was sent out of the region to places like Southern California.

The Navajo Generating Station — the West's largest coal plant — was demolished in December of 2020. Ninety percent of the plant's employees were Navajo. The San Juan Generating Station, a coal-fired power plant in Waterflow, New Mexico (right on the border of the Navajo Nation) burned its last bit of coal in the autumn of 2022. Both closures were part of a wave of shuttering coal-burning plants in an effort to fight climate change.

Today, the relationship between the Navajo Nation and mining remains complex. Many in the area protest drilling and mining, though others argue that jobs in the mines and plants keep people employed on their ancestral lands.

The new study, conducted by National Jewish Health in Denver, found Indigenous miners in Arizona diagnosed with black lung are less likely to receive federal benefits from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) using current standards for lung function, as opposed to standards specifically geared towards Indigenous people.

The Department of Labor standard measures "forced expiratory volume," or the ability of the lungs to breathe out, and was created without a "substantial sample of healthy U.S. Indigenous individuals," according to the National Jewish Health study.

The NJH study says that, based on the DOL standard, 33% of Indigenous miners wouldn't qualify for benefits.

Black lung is a catch-all term for debilitating respiratory diseases like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pulmonary fibrosis and coal workers' pneumoconiosis.

Former KSJD reporter Chris Celements, left, talks with Alexander Osif at the Canyonlands Healthcare office near Kayenta.Photo: Joshua Vorse, Rocky Mountain PBS

Hazardous work conditions can lead to miners contracting these diseases later in life.

The lungs develop scar tissue, called fibrosis, that fights the presence of coal dust particles. That tissue grows thicker, making it difficult for the lungs to absorb oxygen. If the lungs can't absorb enough oxygen, patients will have trouble breathing or shortness of breath.

Miners in the Kayenta area come to Osif for help applying for federal benefits. His own experience as a miner helps build rapport and trust when having difficult conversations about the disease.

"Thirty-six years at the mine I was in dust probably 75% of the time," said Osif.

He worked at the Black Mesa mine, then at the Kayenta mine until it closed in 2019. Peabody Energy ran both mines, located near Kayenta, Arizona.

An old sign for the now closed Kayenta mine. Photo: Zach Ben-Amots

The severity of the miners' respiratory diseases can be influenced by adequacy of dust control regulations and use of personal protective equipment, among other factors, according to the study from National Jewish Health.

"You got dust filters in your cabs, and it should abide by law, they should be changed out daily," Osif said.

"They're not. So of course, [there are] shortcuts that the mines take," he said in an interview with KSJD last year.

Orphelia Thomas, who holds informational meetings for miners to learn about federal black lung benefits, said more education is needed in the region.

"They don't really realize what black lung is, especially with the term of 'pneumoconiosis,'" said Thomas, Administrator and Community Liaison with Positive Nature Homecare.

"What I do is I try to translate that into Navajo, to fully explain to them the severity of what black lung is," she said.

Federal benefits for miners with black lung include medical coverage for treatment of lung disease, and monthly payments to miners who are totally disabled and to families of coal miners whose death is attributed to the disease, according to the Department of Labor.

The United Mine Workers of America offers a health insurance and pension program for former miners. The federal benefits are an additional resource for miners and their families.

Oxygen and medications that open lung passages can help with symptoms of black lung, but there is no cure.

Thomas hopes miners get screened for respiratory diseases, despite reluctance to even talk about black lung.

"Many of the miners are stubborn. They don't want to know about it," she said. "They say that if you talk about it, you'll get it," she said.

Information about black lung being primarily in English isn't the only challenge miners face, Osif and Thomas said. Both health officials travel scores of miles across vast distances to talk with miners and their families, and to host informational meetings.

"And I'll tell you, it's a lot of mileage that I put on," said Osif. "We have two vehicles here at this facility, and I've racked up, probably, over 100,000 miles already on [them]."

Osif often travels on dirt roads, through bad weather.

"We got mud, we got snow. And sometimes I don't make it to a miner for a week, you know, but that's who I am. Again, I love my job," he said.

Black Mesa, near the clinic in Chilchinbito, Arizona. Photo: Joshua Vorse, Rocky Mountain PBS

According to the NJH website, there are more than 5,000 current miners in Colorado, and many "ex-miners and retired miners who are at increased risk for lung disease, heart disease and hearing loss."

National Jewish Health in Denver takes screening appointments on an ongoing basis and holds free black lung clinics with local hospitals in Craig, Montrose and Pueblo once a year.

Joshua Vorse is a multimedia journalist at Rocky Mountain PBS. Joshuavorse@rmpbs.Org

Chris Clements is a state government reporter with Wyoming Public Media and a former reporter at KSJD.

Zach Ben-Amots is a former investigative multimedia journalist at Rocky Mountain PBS.

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