The respiratory system is composed of the trachea (windpipe), a set of lungs and its blood vessels and bronchioles (smaller airways). Sometimes, an infection can invade the respiratory system. In some cases, an anatomical problem is to blame for...
Breathing obstruction, or a partial or total blockage of the airways, can be a life-threatening situation. It can happen suddenly, due to choking on an inhaled foreign object or swelling resulting from an allergic reaction; ongoing, as in sleep...
Haemophilus influenza type B is a bacterium that inhabits the upper respiratory tract of humans. It is spread by person-to-person contact of respiratory secretions. Widespread vaccination against this bacterium has reduced the incidence of...
Newborns frequently develop hoarse, raspy breathing during times of illness or congestion. In general, brief episodes of raspy breathing are harmless and not indicative of a serious medical condition. However, noisy breath may on rare occasions be...
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, before the Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) vaccine was first administered in 1990, this bacterium was the most common cause of bacterial meningitis in the United States for children...
Wheezing is a high-pitched whistling sound heard when breathing. It is caused from narrowing in the airways making it difficult for air to move in and out. The narrowing of the airways can be caused by swelling or an obstruction, possibly from a...
Most children will have infections and colds that are usually not that severe. Some infections will resolve given time, rest and plenty of fluids, while others will need to be treated. Thus, all of a child's illnesses should be brought to the...
The bacteria called Haemophilus are a small gram negative bacillus which is normally found in the throat and nasal passages of a large percentage of adults. According to Elmer Koneman, M.D., prior to the availability of the Haemophilus influenzae...
Hoarseness refers to abnormal voice changes such as changes in loudness or tone. Hoarseness in children may simply be due to repetitive screaming and yelling, which irritates the vocal cords but usually goes away without medication. However, pay...
Breathing problems in babies are very alarming to parents. In most cases, noisy or raspy breathing is harmless and not a sign of a serious medical condition. However, sometimes raspy breathing may be caused by a serious or life-threatening...
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Haemophilus influenzae type B, also known as H. flu, is a bacteria, not a virus. Once the leading cause of serious systemic infections in children and infants, the type B organism...
Your toddler is a sponge for illnesses, bacteria and viruses. She may come to you one day, indicating that her throat hurts and she doesn't feel well. Your parental antennae go up when your little one complains of illness. Knowing the causes of a...
When food enters the lungs instead of the esophagus, it affects breathing and can cause choking and other problems. The structures inside the mouth and neck each have a distinct role in breathing, speaking and swallowing. The swallowing mechanism...
Haemophilus influenza type B, or H. Flu, is a common bacterial pathogen in humans and responsible for invasive infections such as bacterial meningitis. It usually infects newborns or unvaccinated children.
Hemophilus influenza type b, or Hib disease, can cause serious, sometimes life-threatening health problems in infants and young children. The Hib vaccine is very effective in preventing Hib disease. It is recommended for all children under five...
Systemic Candida occurs when a yeast or Candida infection has spread throughout the body and affects multiple systems. This condition occurs frequently in people with HIV, suppressed immune systems or infants. The infection can be severe and may...
Certain types of bacteria, such as Haemophilus, are able to colonize most people without causing any symptoms. Consequently, people with healthy immune systems often do not develop any symptoms from a Haemophilus infection unless they become...
The symptoms of sore throat and swallowing difficulty frequently overlap because of the proximity of the neck structures. The mouth opens into the throat, which leads to the voice box for air and the esophagus for food. The throat, voice box and...
Dyspnea, or shortness of breath, is the sensation of difficult or uncomfortable breathing associated with a variety of conditions including lung diseases, cardiovascular diseases, epiglottitis, obesity, lack of exercise and allergies. Treatment...
Red bumps at the back of the throat should be watched carefully, particularly if they are accompanied by a sore throat and a fever, or if they become white bumps or spots. Usually red bumps there are related to a viral infection of some kind and...
While only a few ear, nose and throat diseases are fatal, they can cause considerable cosmetic, communication and pain problems for the afflicted person. Ear infections are the most common ailments, especially in children. Throat infections are...
Croup is a common children’s ailment that occurs when swelling develops around the trachea and vocal chords. One of the most noticeable symptoms of croup is the loud, harsh barking sound that occurs when your child coughs or attempts to...
As in everything, to know is half the battle won. Once the cause of throat infection is confirmed, the cures are dime a dozen. And so, if ever you run into a throat ailment, just to make sure it is infection, ascertain if it is related to common...
Pathogenic bacteria cause disease in humans. Many different types of bacteria prove harmful to humans, causing infections that range from mild to potentially life threatening. In most cases, pathogenic bacteria can invade different areas of the...
Shortness of breath can be frightening, especially if it's new to you. Also referred to by the medical term dyspnea, it's a normal response to exercise, although it may also be associated with an underlying medical condition. Shortness of breath...
Shortness of breath, also known as dyspnea, is the sensation of difficult or labored breathing. It has many possible causes that can be roughly broken down by organ system. Shortness of breath can results most often from problems in the airway,...
Skin color results from the blood flow in the tiny vessels within the skin as well as the amount of pigment present in the dermal layers. Any number of normal conditions can alter the pigmentation of the skin, but only abnormal causes result in...
Heartburn is a common complaint of many Americans, afflicting more than 40 percent of the population. When heartburn, the pain associated with acid reflux, reoccurs, it is clinically referred to as gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD....
Wheezing refers to the sound made when your air passages are narrowed during breathing. There are several different causes of wheezing, including asthma. Depending on the underlying medical condition, certain nutrients in your diet can help to...
Wheezing is continued coarse or troubled breathing often associated with a lung disease. Learn about wheezing in this respiratory health video.