Acute nasopharyngitis

Definition

The common cold (also known as nasopharyngitis, rhinopharyngitis, acute coryza, or a cold) is a viral infectious disease of the upper respiratory system which affects primarily the nose. The meaning of nasopharynx is the same as epipharynx however the term nasopharyngitis is generally used when epipharyngitis extends to the nose, pharynx and larynx. Often called "a cold" indicates a "common cold infection". The cause of nasopharyngitis is 90% by a viral infection, other causes include bacterial or mycoplasma infections. Patients with nasopharyngitis present with a cough, pharyngeal pain, running nose, stuffy nose as local symptoms, and increasing fever, general fatigue and headache as general symptoms. These symptoms usually resolve in seven to ten days, with some symptoms lasting up to three weeks.

Exclusions

• Chronic nasopharyngitis
• pharyngitis NOS
• Acute pharyngitis
• Chronic pharyngitis
• rhinitis NOS
• sore throat NOS
• Vasomotor rhinitis
• Chronic rhinitis
• Allergic rhinitis
• acute sore throat
• chronic sore throat

Index Terms