Respiratory Symptoms – When and whether to treat?

Almost one-fourth of patients in a general hospital or a medical clinic present with symptoms pertaining to the respiratory system which primarily consist of cough, sputum production, running nose and/or nasal blockade and sneezing. Other important complaints include breathlessness and wheezing; chest pain and occasionally blood in the sputum (hemoptysis). Not infrequently, there are associated general symptoms of fatigue, malaise, headaches, muscle aches, sore-throat and fever. Besides being troublesome and debilitating, they are also responsible for absence from work and studies or other essential activities.  There is hardly any doubt that they need to be controlled and cured.

Respiratory symptoms may be caused by routine upper respiratory catarrh such as allergic rhinitis, common cold or viral infections, but may also point to the presence of a chronic respiratory disease (such as asthma, chronic bronchitis, bronchiectasis). A host of diseases can present with similar complaints. Some of these symptoms can also point to a cardiac disease or other systemic illnesses. In elderly people and smokers, respiratory cancers cannot be altogether forgotten.

Treatment of any symptom can be classified as symptomatic or curative. People are likely to try one or more forms of treatment for symptom-relief before they see a doctor. There are a large number of remedies which are variously used at home. Several combinations of drugs and herbs are also available as on-the –counter treatments in the market. Misuse of some drugs (such as the antibiotics) which is highly undesirable is also common. Symptoms of recent onset or of short duration do sometimes abate either on their own or with such symptomatic treatments. It is also likely that the underlying disease responsible for the presence of these symptoms remains undiagnosed and progresses unhindered. Precious time may be lost before one can hope to institute correct treatment.

While it is important to manage the troublesome complaints with symptomatic treatment, it is also critical to recognize the seriousness of the symptom/s rather than waiting. There are certain ‘red-flag signs’ which should help a patient to seek curative treatment from a specialist physician. Presence of hemoptysis, breathlessness, high fever, loss of weight and other systemic symptoms qualify for more investigations to look for the underlying cause. Persistence and recurrence of symptoms may also point to the presence of an underlying cause than a simple respiratory catarrh. It is better to seek consultation with your best chest physician in the town in all such situations.

The answer to our question in the title is therefore simple: Symptomatic treatment for respiratory symptoms is important and must be provided at all stages. It is important to understand the conditions when one cannot rely only on symptomatic treatment and look for the underlying disease responsible for those symptoms.