The signs and symptoms of an ARI will depend on the part of the respiratory tract affected and the severity of the infection.
Common symptoms of ARIs include nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat, facial pressure, sneezing, cough, phlegm, headache, muscle/body aches, tiredness, and fever. When the infection affects the lower respiratory tract, it may also cause shortness of breath, chest pain, and wheezing.[1][2] Symptoms usually resolve within 2 to 10 days, though sometimes cough and nasal discharge can persist for several weeks.[3]
A clinician may notice certain signs of an ARI during an examination, such as inflammation in the throat or ears, crackling and wheezing sounds in the lungs, increased levels of white blood cells, reduced blood oxygen levels, or abnormalities on a chest x-ray.[4]