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Airways and respiratory system

An adult breathes about 15,000 litres of air in and out every day: about enough air to fill a middle-sized room. For the airways - which go from the nose to deep in the lungs - this means a constant inflow of dust, toxins and germs. Healthy airways have a variety of self-defence mechanisms. But no defence system is perfect. Viruses and bacteria can still get in. When the system is too sensitive and over-defensive, people can develop problems like allergies and asthma.

Feature: Asthma

Chronic asthma is a long-term condition that causes attacks of symptoms such as coughing and breathlessness that often happen suddenly. It is often associated with an allergy. Without proper treatment, lung function and physical fitness can be impaired over time. With the help of certain medications, however, most people with asthma can keep their illness under control and live a largely symptom-free life.

Feature: COPD

Unfortunately, chronic-obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a rather common disease, even more common than asthma. About 1 in every 10 or 20 adults over 40 years of age has COPD. The main symptom of this disease is chronic coughing. COPD does not appear suddenly, but takes years to develop. You can find more information on the treatment options and how other people with COPD cope with their disease in our feature.

Feature: Exercise-induced asthma

It can be very frightening to suddenly have problems breathing when doing sports. This might be caused by exercised-induced asthma – although you may also be short of breath after exercise if you are in poor physical condition.

Fact sheet: Exercise-induced asthma

Feature: Influenza

Influenza ("the flu") is not an ordinary cold. It hits harder, making you feel very ill very quickly, but symptoms usually improve within a week. Babies and toddlers, people who are over 65 and people with certain chronic diseases have a considerably higher risk of flu-related complications. There are several things you can do to lower the likelihood of infection.

Feature: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)

“Well, I am getting older!” This might be the first thing that comes to mind to someone who is always feeling tired or “absolutely beat” in the morning. Yet a condition like obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) may also be the cause. But it often takes quite some time before the correct diagnosis is finally made. We have put together things worth knowing on this subject in a feature. This gives you the opportunity to get detailed information or to just read briefly about the most important points.

Feature: The common cold

What is the common cold? How is it different from the flu? The cold is an infection that is usually caused by viruses and develops over a few days. It usually starts with a scratchy or sore throat.

Research summaries

Asthma medication: How do fixed combinations of inhaled steroids and long-acting beta-2-agonists compare to combinations of the same drugs taken separately?

Fixed combinations of inhaled steroids and long-acting beta-2-agonists have the same effect on chronic asthma symptoms as combinations of the same drugs taken separately. more...

Echinacea

It is not clear whether echinacea extracts can prevent colds. Some echinacea products might help to reduce the length and severity of a cold if taken at the very beginning. Because the available products are very different to one another, more research is needed. Adverse effects are rare. more...

Acute respiratory tract infections: Can Umckaloabo or Kaloba relieve symptoms?

There is some weak evidence that in respiratory tract infections an extract from the root of the Pelargonium sidoides could shorten the length of the illness and relieve symptoms. Yet this remedy can have adverse effects, for example gastrointestinal problems. more...

Asthma and exercise: How does swimming compare to other types of sports?

Swimming regularly could help increase lung performance and reduce asthma severity. Running and cycling are much more likely to trigger exercise-induced asthma than swimming is. It is still not clear what effects chlorinated water and swimming in indoor or outdoor pools may have on the risk of asthma attacks. more...

Asthma medication: How does montelukast compare?

Taken in combination with an inhaled corticosteroid, montelukast tablets are slightly less effective in relieving symptoms associated with mild to moderate chronic asthma than a combination of inhaled salmeterol and a corticosteroid. However, serious adverse effects are also slightly less common. It is still unclear whether people with exercise-induced asthma benefit from long-term treatment with montelukast. more...

Asthma: Does breathing training help?

Training in breathing techniques could help people relax. Whether it can also relieve asthma is still not quite clear. more...

Obstructive sleep apnea: Can specific support improve the use of CPAP therapy?

If psychological and practical support is started early and continued long-term, it can help lower the number of people who discontinue their CPAP therapy. People also end up using the machines longer at night. More research is needed on the effect that intensive support has on symptoms and possible complications of the disorder. more...

Common colds: Is it better to take antibiotics or not?

It does not make sense to use antibiotics for simple colds. These drugs have no proven benefit, and can have adverse effects. more...

Asthma: Are inhaled corticosteroids safe in pregnancy?

Using inhaled corticosteroids to control mild or moderate asthma in pregnancy can prevent asthma attacks and being hospitalised for asthma attacks in pregnancy. Inhaled budesonide has been tested particularly well in pregnancy and probably does not harm the baby. more...

Common colds: Can vitamin C prevent or relieve them?

Taking vitamin C every day to try to prevent colds does not protect most people from colds. It only slightly shortens the amount of time that they are ill. Starting to take vitamin C at the first sign of a cold does not affect the course of the cold. more...

Common colds: Wait before trying antibiotics?

If there does not appear to be any medical need for antibiotics to treat a simple cold, waiting one to two days can avoid unnecessary adverse effects. more...

Common colds: Should we follow the "drink more fluids" advice?

There is no medical reason to drink more than you feel like drinking when you have a cold. more...

Sore throats: Do antibiotics help?

Antibiotics can shorten the symptoms of sore throats caused by infections by less than a day. There are adverse effects, though, so that weighing up the pros and cons is an individual exercise. more...

Influenza: Do antiviral drugs like Tamiflu work and what are their adverse effects?

Antiviral influenza drugs can make flu symptoms go away a bit sooner. But they only help if they are taken within 48 hours after a person becomes ill. They can cause nausea and other adverse effects too. more...

Asthma: Can specific immunotherapy reduce the symptoms, and how safe is it?

Specific immunotherapy (“desensitisation”) can reduce the number of asthma attacks in people with allergic asthma. When injected, mild reactions in the tissue around the injection site are common. There is a small chance of a dangerous reaction to the injection that would need immediate medical treatment. more...

Influenza: How much protection do flu vaccinations offer?

In most years healthy people are unlikely to get influenza, whether or not they are vaccinated. However, vaccination can reduce the risk of getting influenza by half or more. This can make a big difference in years when the risk of infection is high. more...