The word 'asthma' is derived from the Greek meaning ' panting' or 'labored breathing'. Asthma is a condition characterized by a paroxysmal wheezing dyspnoea (difficulty in breathing), mainly expiratory.

Signs & Symptoms of Asthma
• Recurrent episode of paroxysmal dyspnoea (difficulty in breathing)
• The breathing is laboured, with a wheezing sound, mainly on expiration.
• Asthma attacks often occur in the early hours of morning (when there is no immediate precipitating cause). During the attack patients often prefers to sit then lie down.

Asthma Requires:
• panic at the time of asthma attack - just relax.
• Movement to warm and ventilated area.
• Taking some rest and opt for comfort position.
• Having some lukewarm water or tea sip by sip.
• Breathing slowly and in relaxed manner.

Signs & Symptoms of Diphtheria

Diphtheria is an acute bacterial disease that usually affects the tonsils, throat, nose and/or skin. It is passed from person to person by droplet transmission, usually by breathing in diphtheria bacteria after an infected person has coughed, sneezed or even laughed. It can also be spread by handling used tissues or by drinking from a glass used by an infected person.

In its early stages, diphtheria may be mistaken for a severe sore throat. Other symptoms include a low-grade fever and enlarged lymph nodes (swollen glands) located in the neck. Another presentation of diphtheria can be skin lesions that may be painful, red and swollen.

In more advanced stages, the patient may have difficulty breathing or swallowing, complain of double vision, have slurred speech, or even show signs of going into shock (pale, cold skin; rapid heartbeat; sweating; and an anxious appearance).

Pleurisy, also called pleuritis, is an inflammation of the pleura, which is the moist, double-layered membrane that surrounds the lungs and lines the rib cage. The condition can make breathing extremely painful, and sometimes it is associated with another condition called pleural effusion where excess fluid fills the area between the membrane's layers.
Viral infection is probably the most common cause of pleurisy. Other diseases that can cause pleurisy are lung infections, such as pneumonia and tuberculosis, and other diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus), rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, liver and kidney disease, heart failure and pulmonary embolism. Other causes include chest injuries and drug reactions.
PLEURISY, Pleural Effusion

Symptoms
Recent or present respiratory illness with its symptoms
Cough
Fever
Malaise
Localized chest pain on the chest wall
Pain with each breath
Worsened by coughing
Worsened by deep breathing

Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lung caused by infection with bacteria, viruses, and other organisms. Pneumonia is usually triggered when a patient's defense system is weakened, most often by a simple viral upper respiratory tract infection or a case of influenza. Such infections or other triggers do not cause pneumonia directly but they alter the mucous blanket, thus encouraging bacterial growth. Other factors can also make specific people susceptible to bacterial growth and pneumonia.

Cause of pneumonia
Bacteria are the most common causes of pneumonia, but these infections can also be caused by other microbial organisms. It is often impossible to identify the specific culprit. The most common cause of pneumonia is the gram-positive bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae (also called S. pneumoniae or pneumococcal pneumonia ). The most common gram-negative species causing pneumonia is Haemophilus influenzae (generally occurring in patients with chronic lung disease, older patients, and alcoholics).
Atypical pneumonias are generally caused by tiny nonbacterial organisms called Mycoplasma or Chlamydia pneumoniae and produce mild symptoms with a dry cough. Viruses that can cause or lead to pneumonia include influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), herpes simplex virus, varicella-zoster (the cause of chicken pox), and adenovirus.
PNEUMONIA - Symptoms of Common Pneumonias

General Symptoms
The symptoms of bacterial pneumonia develop abruptly and may include chest pain, fever, shaking, chills, shortness of breath, and rapid breathing and heart beat.
Symptoms of pneumonia indicating a medical emergency include high fever, a rapid heart rate, low blood pressure, bluish-skin, and mental confusion.
Coughing up sputum containing pus or blood is an indication of serious infection.
Severe abdominal pain may accompany pneumonia occurring in the lower lobes of the lung.

In advanced cases, the patient's skin may become bluish (cyanotic), breathing may become labored and heavy, and the patient may become confused.
Symptoms in the Elderly. It is important to note that older people may have fewer or different symptoms than younger people have. An elderly person who experiences even a minor cough and weakness for more than a day should seek medical help. Some may exhibit confusion, lethargy, and general deterioration.

Symptoms of Pneumonia Causes by Anaerobic Bacteria
People with pneumonia caused by anaerobic bacteria such as Bacteroides, which can produce abscesses, often have prolonged fever and productive cough, frequently showing blood in the sputum, which indicates necrosis (tissue death) in the lung. About a third of these patients experience weight loss.

Symptoms of Atypical Pneumonia
General Symptoms for Atypical Pneumonias. Atypical nonbacterial pneumonia is most commonly caused by Mycoplasma and usually appears in children and young adults.
Symptoms progress gradually, often beginning with general flu-like symptoms, such as fatigue, fever, weakness, headache, nasal discharge, sore throat, ear ache, and stomach and intestinal distress.

Vague pain under and around the breast bone may occur, but the severe chest pain associated with typical bacterial pneumonia is uncommon.
Patients may experience a severe hacking cough, but it usually does not produce sputum.

Symptoms of Legionnaire's Disease
Symptoms of Legionnaire's disease usually evolve more rapidly and include high fever, a dry cough, and shortness of breath, often accompanied by headache, muscle pains, fatigue, gastrointestinal problems, and mental confusion.

What is SARS?
SARS stands for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. The illness is an acute respiratory infection of unknown cause. The main symptoms of SARS are high fever (> 38 degrees Celsius), dry cough, and shortness of breath or breathing difficulties. Changes in chest x-rays indicative of pneumonia also occur. SARS may be associated with other symptoms, including headache, muscular stiffness, and loss of appetite, malaise, confusion, rash and diarrhea. Death occurs in some cases due to respiratory failure.

What is the cause of SARS?
A new form of virus is being implicated in the recent outbreak of atypical pneumonia. The current studies show that the virus is either a paramyxovirus or a coronavirus-like virus.

Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is an infection of the respiratory system caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis (or B. pertussis). It's characterized by severe coughing spells that end in a "whooping" sound when the person breathes in.
Symptoms of whooping cough.

The disease begins with a cold and a mild cough. Then the coughing continues until no air is left in the lungs. After this comes a deep intake of breath that produces a heaving, 'whooping' sound when the air passes the larynx (windpipe) that gives rise to the name of the disease.

The patient will eventually cough up some phlegm and these attacks may well be followed by vomiting. The child's temperature is likely to remain normal.
Coughing attacks may occur up to 40 times a day and the disease can last for up to eight weeks.