Can you drink alcohol with an acute upper respiratory tract infection?

Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
Updated on September 04, 2024
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Acute upper respiratory infection, commonly known as the common cold, typically presents clinical symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, coughing, sore throat, and even varying degrees of fever. Clinically, these symptoms arise due to lowered immune function in patients, who inadvertently contract viruses or bacteria. Upon experiencing these discomforts, patients are generally advised to promptly use antiviral medications for symptomatic relief. It is common for those with acute upper respiratory infections to avoid spicy and irritating foods in their diet, as well as abstain from smoking and drinking alcohol. It is recommended that these patients favor a bland diet and consume an adequate amount of fresh fruits and vegetables to timely replenish the nutrients needed by the body, which aids in faster recovery from the illness.

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Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
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Why does acute upper respiratory infection cause recurrent fever?

Acute upper respiratory infections are very common in clinical practice, and most patients develop acute inflammatory lesions due to a viral entry into the respiratory tract. A small number of patients may also have combined bacterial or pathogenic microbial infections, leading to symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, and recurrent fever of varying degrees. In the early stages of acute upper respiratory infections, if medications are not timely and symptomatically administered, and especially if patients have low immune function and do not receive timely medication management, some patients may repeatedly experience fever. The fever is typically high, commonly seen in infants and young children. Therefore, for such patients, it is crucial to provide symptomatic medication promptly and effectively, which usually can effectively control the symptoms of recurrent fever.

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Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
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Can acute upper respiratory tract bacterial infections heal by themselves?

Acute upper respiratory infections are very common in clinical practice, mostly because viruses invade the body causing symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, and sneezing. Only a small number of patients might have bacterial infections on top of the viral infection, or are suffering from an upper respiratory infection caused by a specific bacterium. Clinically, some of these patients can recover on their own, as the severity of respiratory infections varies and some patients have strong immune systems. Therefore, by exercising appropriately in their daily lives, drinking plenty of warm water, and consuming foods high in vitamins and proteins, a small number of these patients with mild conditions can heal on their own.

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Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
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Can I eat beef with an acute upper respiratory infection?

Acute upper respiratory infections are usually caused by patients accidentally catching colds and contracting certain viruses or bacteria, leading to varying degrees of clinical symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, fever, and sore throat. For such patients, it is generally not recommended to eat beef. Although beef is highly nutritious, it tends to increase internal heat, especially in patients with heat-type colds. Eating beef at this time may cause the patient to experience increased fever, as well as worsening cough and sore throat symptoms. Therefore, it is suggested that patients with acute upper respiratory infections drink more water and consume more fresh vegetables and fruits to facilitate a quicker recovery.

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Written by Yuan Qing
Pulmonology
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Do acute upper respiratory infections require infusion?

Whether acute upper respiratory infections require fluid administration mainly depends on the patient's condition; the vast majority of acute upper respiratory infections do not require fluid administration. An acute upper respiratory infection, commonly referred to as a cold, is primarily caused by various pathogens, such as viruses or bacteria, infecting our upper respiratory tract, including the nose, pharynx, and larynx, which are commonly referred to as the upper respiratory tract. The symptoms of an upper respiratory infection mainly manifest as a runny nose, nasal congestion, cough, etc. For most people with normal immune function, young and middle-aged adults, or older adults in good health, upper respiratory infections can heal on their own, with or without medication. However, for some individuals in poor health, or older adults, an upper respiratory infection could potentially trigger heart failure, pneumonia, etc. Therefore, in these cases, some fluid therapy might be necessary, so the decision should be made based on the individual and specific medical condition, not arbitrarily applied across all cases.

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Written by Yuan Qing
Pulmonology
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Can you drink alcohol with an acute upper respiratory tract infection?

For acute upper respiratory infections, it is best not to drink alcohol during the infection period. This is because an acute upper respiratory infection is a type of acute infectious disease. It occurs when some pathogenic microorganisms infect the area of our nasopharynx, leading to this inflammatory disease. The main symptoms in patients include nasal congestion, runny nose, cough, fever, etc. Alcohol, as a type of consumable, can cause irritation to the throat, especially the mucous membrane of the pharynx, thereby exacerbating the swelling of the inflammation. Some patients experience throat swelling and even fever the day after drinking alcohol. Therefore, we do not recommend drinking alcohol during the acute phase of an upper respiratory infection. It is advisable to wait until the body has recovered for a while before drinking. Drinking during the acute phase can easily worsen the condition.