Just what IS viral then?

[Invictas]

I have been to see two GP's(on consecutive fays) because I wasn't happy with their diagnosis of my chest condition as viral.
They only examined my back(with stethoscope) they didn't even look at my throat,or feel my glands.
I am not sleeping very well due to the coughing,and am bringing up quite a lot of phlegm(sorry)and am getting VERY rundown due to it.
The main poiint of my question is,just what does viral mean,and in 2011 why is there no treatment that can relieve my discomfort.
BTW,no advice was given as to how to relieve the coughing myself,nor was any medication prescribed.
I am (at the moment) a bit p!ssed of with the surgery.
If someone can tell me WHy viral conditions cannot be treated I may feem somewhat happier.

[Buenchico]

'Viral' simply means that the condition is caused by a virus, rather than by bacteria (or, say, from a physical injury).

Bacterial infections are relatively easy to treat, since antibiotics can target a wide number of different bacteria.

Viruses are much harder to deal with because they live within the body's own cells. Further, every virus requires a different antiviral drug to attack it (or, more strictly, to inhibit its development so that the body's own immune system can deal with it more quickly).

Viruses can also mutate quickly, so what works for the dealing with the original virus soon no longer works. A typical example is the flu virus (or, more accurately, set of viruses). While antivirals exist which can help the body to deal with swine flu, or Asian flu, etc, those viruses will inevitably mutate and new antiviral drugs will need to be developed.

With many viral infections there would be little point in researchers spending millions of pounds developing an appropriate antiviral drug because, by the time that they'd developed i,t the virus would have mutated (rendering the new drug useless).

Chris

[Invictas]

Thanks Chris,
That makes it much clearer.

[Hopkirk]

Sometimes you can get a bacterial infection after a viral one.

I have just had my persistent cough treated by antibiotics, but then I have had it since before Christmas.

[Sqad]

I can add very little to the full explanation given by Buenchico.

In general practice in the UK, it would be costly to send blood for virus studies in all causes of suspected "viral infections" as the NHS would not be able to cope from a logistical point of view and also of cost. The vast majority of viral infections settle within 7-10 days on drugs to relieve the temperature and muscle pains.
The only combat against viral infections is immunisation and vaccination in childhood, many anti viral agents having been introduced, but none have survived the test of time.

There are certain clinical differences in the bodies response to viral infections and bacterial infections and these are seized upon by the examining doctor before making a diagnosis of "viral" The diagnosis of viral infection is almost always made by exclusion.

Mostly he is correct, but sometimes, being human, he may not be.

In medicine "commonest things occur commonest" and viral infections are commonest.

[daffy654]

There is treatment that can relieve your discomfort, try steam inhalation and also use Google to search for 'effective coughing technique'.

[Invictas]

Thanks to:~
Sqad for your simple(for my simple mind) explanation.
Hopkirk for your personal experience.
daffy for your pratical suggestions.I shall look for effective coughing and report back.
BTW can anyone say just how long it will be before this damm cough goes,
AND more to the point if it is still(god forbid) there in 2 weeks should I go back to the GP and get dismissed as a waste of time AGAIN!
Thanks guys.

[Sqad]

<<<BTW can anyone say just how long it will be before this damm cough goes,<<

NO

<<<<<AND more to the point if it is still(god forbid) there in 2 weeks should I go back to the GP and get dismissed as a waste of time AGAIN! <<<


Yes.

You might ask the GP......"Could I have developed asthma?"

[Invictas]

Thanks again Sqad,
That at least gives me shome hope(I think! LOL)