Respiratory Diseases

What Is Croup? Croup is a viral swelling of the upper airway around the voice box and windpipe. The narrowed airway causes a barking, seal-like cough. Kids can also make a harsh, high-pitched noise on the inhale called stridor. Croup usually starts like a cold, then gets louder at night.

💡TL;DR: Most kids with croup sound worse after bedtime because small airways, lying flat, drier cool air, and low nighttime cortisol stack up. Nights 1–2 are usually the worst; most cases improve in 3–5 days. Calm cuddles, steamy bathroom air, a few minutes of cool air, and

💡TL;DR: Most people clear airborne mold spores without illness, but damp homes can trigger allergies or, in at-risk people, aspergillosis (a mold infection). Early signs look like allergies and often improve when you leave the damp space, while serious infection brings high fever, chest pain, weight loss, or blood

💡TL;DR: Acute bronchitis is usually contagious for about a week after symptoms start, per the Cleveland Clinic. You’re most contagious in the first few days. If a clinician confirms a bacterial cause and you start the right antibiotic, you’re generally low risk about 24 hours after the

💡TL;DR: Active Cycle of Breathing Technique (ACBT) is a three-step, equipment-free way to clear lung mucus: relaxed breathing, deep chest-expanding breaths, then huff coughing. It’s free to do at home; device-based options (like PEP devices or vests) add cost and maintenance, so ACBT is often a first-line choice

💡TL;DR: At night, lying flat lets mucus pool in your throat so a postnasal drip cough often ramps up. Clear mucus before bed (saline rinse), add moisture (humidifier or saline mist), and sleep with your head raised 6–8 inches to quiet the tickle. Match meds to the cause:

💡TL;DR: Postural drainage uses body positions to let gravity move thick mucus toward your throat so you can cough it out. Hold each position 5–10 minutes with slow breaths, then huff cough to clear what moved. Head-down angles help the lower lobes; use upright or side-lying if you

💡TL;DR: RSV and the common cold start the same, but RSV is more likely to move into the chest and cause wheezing or hard breathing, especially in babies and older adults. A simple cold usually stays milder in the nose and throat and improves in 5–7 days; RSV

💡TL;DR: Bronchitis affects the large airways and is common in older kids and adults, while bronchiolitis swells the tiny airways in babies and can cause hard, fast breathing. Bronchiolitis often peaks around days 3–4; acute bronchitis cough typically lasts about 1–3 weeks. Almost all children are infected