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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 in pregnancy

Mild or well-controlled asthma will usually cause no major health problems for a pregnant woman or her unborn baby. Poorly controlled asthma can have consequences for mothers and babies, though. Women can find out what they can do to protect themselves and their baby in our fact sheet.

Fact sheet

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: 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

Echinacea

It is not clear whether echinacea extracts can prevent colds. Taking some echinacea products when a cold starts might help to reduce the cold's length and severity. Because the available products are very different to one another, more research is needed to be sure. Adverse effects are rare. 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...

Common colds: Can antibiotics help?

The adverse effects of antibiotics probably outweigh the benefits of antibiotics for uncomplicated colds. They might be worthwhile only when a cold does not get better as fast as usual or there is bacterial infection. 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 does not prevent colds for most people. People will not recover from a cold more quickly if they start to take vitamin C when the symptoms of a cold start. Taking vitamin C every day could shorten the amount of time you are sick with colds by a very small amount. more...