Signs and symptoms of a chest infection
- a persistent cough.
- coughing up yellow or green phlegm (thick mucus), or coughing up blood.
- breathlessness or rapid and shallow breathing.
- wheezing.
- a high temperature (fever)
- a rapid heartbeat.
- chest pain or tightness.
- feeling confused and disorientated.
What does the start of a chest infection feel like?
Signs and symptoms of a chest infection
coughing up yellow or green phlegm (thick mucus), or coughing up blood. breathlessness or rapid and shallow breathing. wheezing. a high temperature (fever)
Can a chest infection go on its own?
A chest infection is an infection of the lungs or large airways. Some chest infections are mild and clear up on their own, but others can be severe and life threatening.
How can you tell if you have a chest infection at home?
The symptoms of a chest infection can include:
- chesty cough (wet or phlegmy)
- wheezing.
- coughing up yellow or green mucus.
- feeling short of breath.
- discomfort in your chest.
- fever.
- headache.
- muscle aches and pains.
How long does a chest infection last without antibiotics?
Usually, the body clears out the infection in a week or two. However, some people may have lingering symptoms for a few weeks as mucus clears out of the lungs. Anyone experiencing severe symptoms or symptoms that last longer than 2–3 weeks should see a doctor.
How long should a chest infection last?
These symptoms can be unpleasant, but they usually get better on their own in about 7 to 10 days. The cough and mucus can last up to 3 weeks.
What causes a chest infection?
A chest infection is an infection of the lungs or airways. The main types of chest infection are bronchitis and pneumonia. Most bronchitis cases are caused by viruses, whereas most pneumonia cases are due to bacteria. These infections are usually spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
What is the fastest way to get rid of a chest infection?
While you recover at home, you can improve your symptoms by: getting plenty of rest. drinking lots of fluid to prevent dehydration and to loosen the mucus in your lungs, making it easier to cough up. treating headaches, fever and aches and pains with painkillers – such as paracetamol or ibuprofen.
What are 3 symptoms of bronchitis?
Symptoms
- Cough.
- Production of mucus (sputum), which can be clear, white, yellowish-gray or green in color — rarely, it may be streaked with blood.
- Fatigue.
- Shortness of breath.
- Slight fever and chills.
- Chest discomfort.
How do I know if my chest infection is viral or bacterial?
Bacterial Infections
Symptoms persist longer than the expected 10-14 days a virus tends to last. Fever is higher than one might typically expect from a virus. Fever gets worse a few days into the illness rather than improving.
When does a cough need antibiotics?
Your child may need antibiotics if: A cough does not get better in 14 days. A bacterial form of pneumonia or whooping cough (pertussis) is diagnosed. Symptoms of a sinus infection do not get better in 10 days, or they get better and then worse again.
When does a cough become a chest infection?
your cough is severe or lasts longer than 3 weeks. you have a high temperature for more than 3 days – this may be a sign of flu or a more serious condition, such as pneumonia.
Which medicine is good for chest infection?
Amoxycillin, or alternatively erythromycin, will usually be suitable. In any patient, of any age, with a lower respiratory infection, the presence of new focal chest signs should be treated as pneumonia and antibiotic therapy should not be delayed.
What does a chest infection sound like?
Crackles: These sounds occur if the small air sacs in the lungs fill with fluid and there’s air movement in the sacs, such as when you’re breathing. The air sacs fill with fluid when a person has pneumonia or heart failure. Wheezing: This sound occurs when the bronchial tubes become inflamed and narrowed.
Can a chest infection make you feel sick?
feeling generally unwell. sweating and shivering. loss of appetite. chest pain – which gets worse when breathing or coughing.
How do you recover from a chest infection?
Your cough may persist for 2 to 3 weeks after you finish your course of antibiotics, and you may feel tired for even longer as your body continues to recover. Drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration, and get plenty of rest to help your body recover.
Does coughing up phlegm mean your getting better?
Coughing and blowing your nose are the best ways to help mucus fight the good fight. “Coughing is good,” Dr. Boucher says. “When you cough up mucus when you are sick, you are essentially clearing the bad guys—viruses or bacteria—from your body.”
What does a bronchitis cough sound like?
A bronchitis cough sounds like a rattle with a wheezing or whistling sound. As your condition progresses, you will first have a dry cough that can then progress towards coughing up white mucus.
What does a pneumonia cough sound like?
Dr. Casciari added that pneumonia coughs tend to sound “deeper” than regular coughs. As far as what you actually cough up with pneumonia, that can depend on what type of pneumonia you have and what stage it’s in. With early-stage viral pneumonia, you may not cough up anything.
Do you need antibiotics for a chest infection?
A chest infection affects your lungs, either in the larger airways (bronchitis) or in the smaller air sacs (pneumonia). It is likely that your own immune system will deal with the infection, as most chest infections are caused by a virus. However, antibiotics are sometimes needed to assist with recovery.
How long should a chesty cough last?
Most coughs clear up within 3 weeks and don’t require any treatment. A dry cough means it’s tickly and doesn’t produce any phlegm (thick mucus). A chesty cough means phlegm is produced to help clear your airways.