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Dr. Chrysoula I. Liakou MD, PhD
- Treated online: Yes, usually. Video assessment of upper and lower respiratory tract infections, with a prescription when it helps.
- Upper or lower: upper RTIs affect the nose, sinuses and throat; lower RTIs affect the airways and lungs, last longer and can be more serious.
- Antibiotics: most RTIs are viral and pass within 1 to 2 weeks without antibiotics, although a cough can last 3 to 4 weeks.
- See a doctor: if a high temperature lasts more than 3 days, you cough up blood, a cough lasts more than 3 weeks, or you are over 65 or pregnant.
- Emergency: call 112 if you are struggling to breathe, have chest pain, feel confused, or your lips turn blue or grey.
Do not book a video appointment if you are struggling to breathe or cannot speak in full sentences, have chest pain, feel confused or very drowsy, or your lips or skin look blue, grey or blotchy. These need emergency care: call 112.
Can an online doctor treat a respiratory tract infection?
Yes. Most respiratory tract infections are diagnosed from your symptoms and the way the illness has developed, and a doctor can assess both by video, including how you breathe. The doctor works out whether the infection is in the upper airways or the chest, whether antibiotics would help, and whether you need an examination. If pneumonia is suspected, or the infection could worsen a long-term condition, the doctor arranges a face-to-face assessment.
Listen: Respiratory Tract Infection Treatment Online
The audio version of this topic from the Mobi Doctor podcast. Open the episode.
How an online consultation helps with a respiratory tract infection
- Upper or lower, viral or bacterial: The doctor pinpoints where the infection is and what is likely to be causing it, the two things that decide the treatment.
- Antibiotics only when they help: Most RTIs are viral. The doctor follows NICE and European guidance on when an antibiotic is worth taking, and when it is not.
- Breathing checked properly: The doctor watches your breathing rate and effort and listens to how you speak, the signs that show whether your chest is involved.
- A clear safety net: You leave knowing how long each symptom should last and exactly which changes mean you should be seen again.
What the doctor checks in an online RTI consultation
The consultation follows a fixed order, and the emergency signs come first. The doctor asks about:
- Breathing and circulation: breathlessness, fast breathing, chest pain, confusion, and blue or grey lips.
- Where the symptoms are: a blocked nose, facial pain, a sore throat, earache, a hoarse voice, a cough with or without phlegm, or wheezing.
- The timeline: how many days you have been ill, whether you are improving, and whether a fever came back after you started to recover.
- Your risk: being over 65, pregnancy, a weakened immune system, smoking, and long-term heart, lung, kidney or liver conditions or diabetes.
- Medicines and allergies: antibiotics taken recently, any penicillin allergy, and inhalers or other regular medicines.
Before the call, take your temperature, count the days since the illness started, and measure your oxygen level if you have a pulse oximeter. Sit where the doctor can see your chest as you breathe.
What is a respiratory tract infection?
A respiratory tract infection (RTI) is an infection of any part of the body involved in breathing: the nose, sinuses, throat, voice box, airways or lungs. RTIs are very common, and most are caused by viruses. Doctors divide them into upper and lower infections:
Swipe sideways to compare →
| Feature | Upper respiratory tract infections | Lower respiratory tract infections |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Nose, sinuses, throat and voice box | Airways and lungs |
| Examples | Common cold, sinusitis, tonsillitis, laryngitis | Bronchitis, chest infection, pneumonia, and bronchiolitis in babies |
| Main symptoms | A blocked or runny nose, sore throat, sneezing, facial pain, hoarse voice | A cough, often with phlegm, breathlessness, wheezing, chest tightness or pain |
| Usual course | Clears within 1 to 2 weeks | Lasts longer; the cough can take 3 to 4 weeks |
| Antibiotics | Rarely needed | Needed for pneumonia and some bacterial chest infections |
| Seriousness | Usually mild | Can be more serious, especially in older adults |
Flu, COVID-19 and RSV can affect both the upper and the lower respiratory tract.
Respiratory tract infection symptoms
Symptoms depend on where the infection is, and they often overlap:
- a cough, which may bring up phlegm
- a blocked or runny nose and sneezing
- a sore throat
- a headache and aching muscles
- a high temperature
- breathlessness, chest tightness or wheezing, if the chest is involved
- feeling generally unwell and tired
Green or yellow phlegm is common in viral infections and does not by itself mean you need antibiotics. The signs that point to a bacterial infection or pneumonia are a high or returning fever, breathlessness, chest pain on breathing in, and feeling very unwell.
What causes respiratory tract infections, and how serious are they?
Most RTIs are caused by viruses, such as the rhinoviruses behind colds, flu, RSV and COVID-19, which spread in droplets when someone coughs or sneezes. About 90% of acute bronchitis is viral, and fewer than 10% of cases involve bacteria. Bacteria cause a minority of RTIs, including strep throat and most pneumonia in adults, which is most often caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae. Because viruses change over time, catching one does not always protect you against the next version.
How serious is a lower respiratory tract infection?
Most lower RTIs, such as acute bronchitis, clear at home. Pneumonia is the exception: it is the most frequent cause of death from infection in Europe, and lower respiratory infections were the fourth leading cause of death worldwide in 2023, with 2.7 million deaths. The risk is highest in people over 65 and in people with a long-term heart or lung condition or a weakened immune system. Vaccination is the best protection for these groups, especially against flu and pneumococcus, the commonest cause of bacterial pneumonia.
How long does a respiratory tract infection last?
Most RTIs pass within 1 to 2 weeks, and lower RTIs tend to last longer. These are the usual timelines in adults:
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| Infection | Usually lasts |
|---|---|
| Common cold | 7 to 10 days |
| Sore throat or tonsillitis | About a week |
| Laryngitis | 1 to 2 weeks |
| Flu | About a week, with tiredness for longer |
| Acute sinusitis | 2 to 3 weeks |
| Acute cough or bronchitis | Up to 3 to 4 weeks |
| Pneumonia | The fever settles within a week; the cough and breathlessness ease over about 6 weeks |
See a doctor if you feel very unwell or are getting worse, a high temperature lasts more than 3 days, you cough up blood, or a cough lasts more than 3 weeks. You are usually most contagious in the first few days, while you have a fever, and the contagious calculator works out your likely contagious period for colds, flu and COVID-19.
Which RTI treatment might the doctor recommend?
Treatment depends on where the infection is, how unwell you are and your risk of complications. This is the decision framework the doctors use, aligned with the NICE guidelines on respiratory infections (NG237, NG120, NG84, NG79 and NG250).
Swipe sideways to compare →
| What you have | Likely first step | Suitable for online care? | When in-person care is needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| A cold, sore throat or sinus symptoms for less than 10 days | Self-care: rest, fluids, paracetamol or ibuprofen | Usually yes | If you get worse or warning signs appear |
| Sinus symptoms for more than 10 days without improving | A steroid nasal spray; sometimes a back-up antibiotic | Usually yes | If eye or head symptoms appear |
| A sore throat with strep signs | An antibiotic when strep is likely | Usually yes | If you cannot swallow fluids or one side swells |
| A cough with phlegm, breathing normally, no fever | Self-care; antibiotics rarely help | Usually yes | If the cough lasts more than 3 weeks |
| A cough with fever, breathlessness or chest pain | Assessment for pneumonia, with a face-to-face examination | Partly | Promptly, to confirm the diagnosis |
| Over 65, pregnant or a long-term heart or lung condition, and getting worse | Prompt assessment, with a low threshold for an examination | For the first assessment | Often |
| Struggling to breathe, chest pain, confusion, blue lips | Emergency care | No | Call 112 now |
Not sure whether your infection needs antibiotics? A doctor can tell you in one consultation.
See available times →Treatment options for respiratory tract infections
What you can do yourself
- Rest, and drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated and loosen mucus.
- Take paracetamol or ibuprofen for fever, aches and a sore throat, at the dose on the pack, and do not take two products that both contain paracetamol. Ibuprofen does not suit everyone, including people with a stomach ulcer, kidney problems or heart failure, or anyone who is pregnant.
- Try honey and lemon in a warm drink for a cough, and gargle with salt water for a sore throat.
- Raise your head with extra pillows at night to ease a cough and a blocked nose.
- Do not smoke, which makes symptoms worse and slows recovery.
- Cover coughs and sneezes, bin tissues straight away and wash your hands often.
Prescription treatment
A prescription is never issued without a consultation. Most RTIs need no prescription. Depending on the infection, the doctor may prescribe an antibiotic for a bacterial infection such as strep throat or pneumonia, sometimes as a back-up prescription to use only if you do not improve; a steroid nasal spray for lasting sinusitis; an antiviral for flu or COVID-19 if you are at higher risk; or an inhaler if the infection has set off wheezing. If the doctor prescribes, use the prescription at a pharmacy near you.
What does not help
Antibiotics do not work against viruses, which cause most RTIs, and they bring side effects such as diarrhoea and feeling sick. Cough mixtures have little evidence of benefit, and strong cough suppressants such as codeine are not prescribed online.
Special situations
Over 65 or living with a long-term condition
RTIs are more likely to become serious if you are over 65 or have a long-term heart, lung or kidney condition, diabetes or a weakened immune system. Speak to a doctor early, and if you have COPD, asthma or heart failure, follow your action plan. The flu and pneumococcal vaccines lower your risk.
RTIs in pregnancy
If you are pregnant and have an RTI with a fever, breathlessness or a cough that is getting worse, speak to a doctor promptly. Paracetamol is the usual choice for fever and pain, and some medicines, including some decongestants, are not suitable in pregnancy.
If you smoke
Smoking makes RTIs more frequent and slower to clear. A cough that changes, lasts more than 3 weeks or brings up blood needs to be checked.
RTIs while travelling
Paracetamol, ibuprofen and saltwater sprays are sold in pharmacies across Europe. Avoid flying with a high fever or breathlessness, and if your ears block on a flight, swallow or yawn as the plane descends.
Children
Mobi Doctor consultations are for adults aged 18 and over. A child who is unwell needs a paediatrician or a local doctor in person, and emergency signs in a child mean 112.
When an RTI is treated online, and when you need in-person care
Treated online: colds, sinusitis, sore throats, tonsillitis, laryngitis, coughs and bronchitis, flu and COVID-19, advice on whether antibiotics would help, back-up prescriptions, and recovery plans.
In-person care: suspected pneumonia, breathlessness, a low oxygen level, chest pain, confusion, an RTI that is making a long-term condition worse, coughing up blood, and a cough lasting more than 3 weeks that needs an examination or chest X-ray.
When to get in-person care
Call 112 or go to an emergency department now for:
- struggling to breathe, or being too breathless to speak in sentences
- chest pain
- confusion or unusual drowsiness
- blue, grey, pale or blotchy lips, skin or tongue
- coughing up more than a little blood
Get medical advice the same day for:
- breathlessness that is getting worse
- a high temperature that has lasted more than 3 days, or one that comes back
- chest pain when you breathe in or cough
- getting worse if you are over 65, pregnant, or have a weakened immune system or a long-term heart or lung condition
How Mobi Doctor works
- Book a time that suits you: daily 7am–11pm CET. You can see a doctor over video, usually within 15 minutes. No subscription, and the exact price is shown before you pay.
- Speak to a licensed doctor about your symptoms: say how many days you have been ill and how it started, and sit where the doctor can see you breathe.
- Leave with a plan: what to do, what to take and for how long, and which signs mean you should be seen in person. If the doctor prescribes, use the prescription at a pharmacy near you.
No sign-up needed
Not sure it’s a respiratory tract infection? Tick every symptom you have to see each condition page that mentions it. It finds the right page, not a diagnosis: a doctor gives you that on a video call.
Tap the body — an area or a point — to browse symptoms anywhere
Similar symptoms, different condition? Chest infection can start the same way. Compare them, or look up any other symptom in the full symptom checker.
Frequently asked questions about respiratory tract infections
What is a respiratory tract infection?
A respiratory tract infection (RTI) is an infection of the parts of the body involved in breathing: the nose, sinuses, throat, voice box, airways or lungs. Colds, sinusitis, tonsillitis, bronchitis and pneumonia are all RTIs. Most are caused by viruses and get better on their own.
What is the difference between an upper and a lower respiratory tract infection?
Upper RTIs affect the nose, sinuses, throat and voice box, and include colds, sinusitis and tonsillitis. Lower RTIs affect the airways and lungs, and include bronchitis and pneumonia. Lower RTIs tend to last longer and can be more serious.
What are the signs of a lower respiratory tract infection?
A lower respiratory tract infection brings a cough, often with phlegm, breathlessness, wheezing, chest tightness or pain, a high temperature and feeling generally unwell. A high or returning fever, breathlessness, chest pain on breathing in and feeling very unwell point to pneumonia and need a prompt review.
What causes respiratory tract infections?
Most respiratory tract infections are caused by viruses, such as cold viruses, flu, RSV and COVID-19, spread in droplets from coughs and sneezes. About 90% of acute bronchitis is viral. Bacteria cause a minority, including strep throat and most pneumonia in adults.
How long does a respiratory tract infection last?
Most RTIs pass within 1 to 2 weeks. A cough after a chest infection can last 3 to 4 weeks, and sinusitis 2 to 3 weeks. See a doctor if a high temperature lasts more than 3 days, you are getting worse, or a cough lasts more than 3 weeks.
Do I need antibiotics for a respiratory tract infection?
Usually not. Most RTIs are caused by viruses, which antibiotics do not treat. Antibiotics help bacterial infections such as pneumonia and strep throat, and are sometimes given as a back-up prescription to use only if you do not improve.
Is a respiratory tract infection contagious?
Most are. The viruses and bacteria that cause RTIs spread through coughs, sneezes and hands. You are usually most contagious in the first few days, while you have a fever, so cover coughs, wash your hands and stay at home while you are feverish.
How can I prevent respiratory tract infections?
Wash hands often and keep them away from your face, ventilate rooms, stay home when ill and keep your distance from people who are coughing, stop smoking, which damages the airway lining that keeps germs out, have the yearly flu vaccine and, if you are over 65 or have a long-term condition, the pneumococcal, COVID-19 and RSV vaccines, sleep enough, and keep asthma or COPD well controlled. Most respiratory tract infections are caught from droplets and hands, so these steps prevent a large share.
How do you get rid of a respiratory tract infection at home?
Most clear on their own. Rest, drink plenty of fluids, and take paracetamol or ibuprofen for fever and aches. Honey and lemon can ease a cough, salt-water gargles ease a sore throat, and extra pillows at night help with a cough and a blocked nose. Antibiotics help only bacterial infections such as pneumonia.
How serious is a lower respiratory tract infection?
Most, such as acute bronchitis, clear at home. Pneumonia can be serious: it is the most frequent cause of death from infection in Europe, and the risk is highest over 65 and with a long-term heart or lung condition or a weakened immune system.
Why is my cough lasting so long after an infection?
A cough often lasts 3 to 4 weeks after a respiratory infection, because the airways stay irritated after the infection itself has cleared. A cough lasting more than 3 weeks, or one with blood, breathlessness or chest pain, needs a doctor’s review.
Can an online doctor treat a respiratory tract infection?
Yes. A doctor can assess most RTIs by video, work out whether the infection is viral or bacterial, and prescribe treatment when it helps. You can use the prescription at a pharmacy near you. Suspected pneumonia usually needs a face-to-face examination.
When is a respiratory tract infection an emergency?
With a respiratory tract infection, call 112 or go to an emergency department if you are struggling to breathe or cannot speak in sentences, have chest pain, feel confused or unusually drowsy, your lips or skin turn blue, grey or blotchy, or you cough up more than a little blood.
- Respiratory tract infections (RTIs), NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 23 December 2024.
- Suspected acute respiratory infection in over 16s: assessment at first presentation and initial management (NG237), NICE, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, 2023, updated 2025.
- Cough (acute): antimicrobial prescribing (NG120), NICE, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, 2019.
- Sore throat (acute): antimicrobial prescribing (NG84), NICE, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, 2018.
- Sinusitis (acute): antimicrobial prescribing (NG79), NICE, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, 2017.
- Pneumonia: diagnosis and management (NG250), NICE, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, 2025.
- Antibiotics: factsheet for the general public, ECDC, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, published 2 September 2021.
- Acute lower respiratory infections, European Lung Foundation, updated 17 May 2023.
- The top 10 causes of death, WHO, World Health Organization, 2 October 2026.
This page is for information only and is not a substitute for a medical consultation. Guideline links are provided for transparency; treatment decisions are made with your doctor.
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