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Details of upper respiratory tract. The upper respiratory tract can refer to the parts of the respiratory system lying above the vocal folds, or above the cricoid cartilage. [4] [5] The larynx is sometimes included in both the upper and lower airways. [6] The larynx is also called the voice box and has the associated cartilage that produces sound.
The upper respiratory tract is considered the airway above the glottis or vocal cords; sometimes, it is taken as the tract above the cricoid cartilage.This part of the tract includes the nose, sinuses, pharynx, and larynx.
One of the most common causes is Staphylococcus aureus and often follows a recent viral upper respiratory infection. Bacterial tracheitis is a rare complication of influenza infection. [ 4 ] It is the most serious in young children, possibly because of the relatively small size of the trachea that gets easily blocked by swelling.
Mucus helps to moisten and protect the airways. [7] Mucus lines the ciliated cells of the trachea to trap inhaled foreign particles that the cilia then waft upward toward the larynx and then the pharynx where it can be either swallowed into the stomach or expelled as phlegm. This self-clearing mechanism is termed mucociliary clearance. [8]
The carina is a cartilaginous ridge separating the left and right main bronchi that is formed by the inferior-ward and posterior-ward prolongation of the inferior-most tracheal cartilage.
An upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) is an illness caused by an acute infection, which involves the upper respiratory tract, including the nose, sinuses, pharynx, larynx or trachea. [ 3 ] [ 4 ] This commonly includes nasal obstruction, sore throat, tonsillitis , pharyngitis , laryngitis , sinusitis , otitis media , and the common cold .
Post-nasal drip (PND), also known as upper airway cough syndrome (UACS), occurs when excessive mucus is produced by the nasal mucosa. The excess mucus accumulates in the back of the nose , and eventually in the throat once it drips down the back of the throat.
The ion channels CFTR, and ENaC work together to maintain the necessary hydration of the airway surface liquid. [10] An important factor is the rate of mucin secretion. The mucus helps maintain epithelial moisture and traps particulate material and pathogens moving through the airway, and its composition determines how well mucociliary ...