Differences Between Eent and Acute Respiratory Disorders - Essay Sample

Introduction

Acute respiratory disorders are conditions which interfere with an individual's normal breathing. These conditions may begin as viral infections in areas such as the nose, lungs or even the trachea. It is important to treat these type of disorders early enough because if they are left untreated, the infections usually spread to other parts of the respiratory system. These disorders pose a serious threat to their victims, under extreme circumstances, they may interfere with oxygen circulation in the body which may results into death. EENT disorders are conditions which affect the eyes, ears, nose and throat. The four parts are essential to an individual's daily functioning which makes the disorders quite dangerous and disruptive. Disorders which affect the eye are particularly dangerous since many of the conditions do not show symptoms early enough.

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Some of the EENT and acute respiratory disorders are interconnected. For instance, conditions which affect an individual's throat may also interfere with the person's breathing or respiration. For such interconnected disorders, victims are usually advised to seek the help of various specialists and not just primary care physicians. EENT and acute respiratory disorders are usually categorized differently. ARDs fall under two broad categorizations; lower respiratory tract infections and upper respiratory tract infections (Papadakis, McPhee, & Rabow, 2017, p. 34). Disorders which affect the airways which emanate from the nostrils and reach the vocal cords are classified as URIs. On the other hand, those which affect regions of the trachea and bronchi up to the alveoli are classified as LRIs. Acute respiratory disorders or ARIs are very dangerous in children below the age of five. These disorders are responsible for most of the mortality cases in children falling under the specified age bracket. EENT disorders do not have any special characterizations and are not as risky as ARIs.

Conjunctivitis is an eye condition that occurs in various forms. The disease is often referred to as "pink eye" because it has been shown to cause the inflammation of the conjunctiva. Conjunctivitis can either be infectious or non-infectious. The condition is said to be infectious if it has been caused by either bacteria, fungi or virus. It is non-infectious if it has been caused by allergies, chemicals or even foreign bodies (Butarro, Trybulski, Bailey, Sandberg, & Cook, 2017, p. 53). The most outstanding symptom of the disease is a reddened conjunctiva. Viral conjunctivitis is common and also highly contagious. It is usually spread through coughing and sneezing. Individuals suffering from the condition can be seen with a watery discharge from their eye (Azari & Barney, 2013). Normally, the condition spreads from one eye to another. Unlike bacterial conjunctivitis, it is resistant to antibiotics and therefore victims cannot use ointments or even eye drops to find relief. The disease, however, goes away by itself after sometime. Victims of viral conjunctivitis usually suffer the most on the third and fifth day after catching the infection. After the fifth day, conditions begin to get better and victims eventually heal.

Allergic conjunctivitis is usually caused by allergies of the eye. Allergens such as pollen, dust mites or even animal dander may trigger such allergies. The most common characteristic of this type of conjunctivitis is itchy eyes. Treatment usually involves the use of eye drops which contain antihistamines. This type of conjunctivitis is usually seasonal but in other circumstances, it may be perennial. Victims are usually advised to avoid the allergen by all means. Bacterial conjunctivitis is usually caused by bacteria and is also infectious. This type of conjunctivitis is usually spread through contact with individuals suffering from the disease. The distinguishing characteristic of the disease is a thick eye discharge that can be seen in the eyes of a victim. Treatment for the infection usually involves the use of antibiotic eye drops and victims recover fully in one to two weeks. Atopic conjunctivitis is an eye condition that occurs due to the increased production of antibodies due to a given allergen. The condition is usually genetic and may occur any time of the year. Some victims of the disease usually experience worse conditions during winter. Its distinguishing characteristic is red and swollen eyelids but the lower eyelids tend to be more swollen compared to the upper ones.

First-line antibiotic treatment for acute sinusitis usually occurs within the first 14 days of diagnosis (Brook, 2017). Treatment involves the use of antibiotics such as Clarithromycin, Azithromycin or Amoxicillin. Second-line antibiotic treatment only occurs after the patient's symptoms persist for more than 14 days. Treatment options involve the use of Amoxicillin-clavulanate, macrolides or fluoroquinolones. Any form of sinusitis is usually characterized by inflamed paranasal sinuses (Sampson, 2017). Before ruling in a diagnosis of acute sinusitis, a physical examination is usually required. Some of the symptoms to look out for include inflammations, tumors or even polyps. As a family nurse practitioner, I would categorize a patient's severity of asthma symptoms as either intermittent, mild persistent, moderate persistent or severe persistent. In assessing the diagnostic criteria, I would check to see how the symptoms affect the patient's life, how well the patient's lungs work and the patient's risk of developing an asthma attack.

References

Azari, A. A., & Barney, N. P. (2013). Conjunctivitis: a systematic review of diagnosis and treatment. Jama, 310(16), 1721-1730.

Brook, I. (2017). Acute Sinusitis: Practice Essentials, Background, Anatomy. Retrieved from https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/232670-overview#a1

Butarro, T. M., Trybulski, J., Bailey, P. P., Sandberg, J., & Cook. (2017). PRIMARY CARE: A Collaborative Practice (5th ed.).

Papadakis, M. A., McPhee, S. J., & Rabow, M. W. (2017). CURRENT Medical Diagnosis and Treatment 2018, 57th Edition. New York, NY: McGraw Hill Professional.

Sampson, S. (2017). Acute Sinusitis: Causes, Symptoms & Diagnosis. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/acute-sinusitis.