See a doctor if you have any of the following: Temperature of 100.4 °F or higher. Cough with bloody mucus. Shortness of breath or trouble breathing.
If you aren't feeling better after a few days, have a fever that isn't going away, are wheezing, or can't seem to shake the infection, make an appointment with your doctor. Chest congestion may indicate a condition more serious than the common cold or bronchitis.
Most people find that a chest cold clears up in two to three weeks, without the need for treatment. In severe cases or when the symptoms do not subside in the normal timeframe, doctors will recommend treatment options. A chest cold is generally considered to be a non-serious condition.
Antibiotics are only used to treat bacterial chest infections. They're not used for treating viral chest infections, like flu or viral bronchitis. This is because antibiotics do not work for viral infections. A sample of your mucus may need to be tested to see what's causing your chest infection.
Your doctor may recommend medication such as: Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines. Expectorants, such as guaifenesin (Mucinex, Robitussin) can thin and loosen mucus so it will clear out of your throat and chest.
Chest congestion can be annoying, but isn't always serious. However, you should see your doctor immediately if: You develop a fever higher than 100° F. You're having trouble breathing.
The symptoms of viral and bacterial chest infections are similar but the colour of any mucus coughed up may indicate the cause; white or clear mucus usually indicates a viral infection whereas green or yellow mucus suggests that the infection is bacterial.
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.
The ways to tell bronchitis and pneumonia apart are typically you would need to obtain an x-ray, a chest radiograph to determine if there are signs of consolidation or infiltrate on the chest radiograph. If that is found, typically that is more consistent with pneumonia.
Chest congestion is the accumulation of mucus in the lungs and lower breathing tubes (bronchi). It is usually accompanied by a wet, productive cough that brings up thick mucus. Chest congestion may cause you to hear or feel wheezing or crackling sounds when you breathe in and out.
However, if you have other respiratory illnesses such as bronchitis or pneumonia with COVID-19, you may have a wet cough that contains mucus. Does coughing up mucus mean you're getting better? In most cases, coughing up mucus means your body is working to fight off an infection, and it is in the healing stages.
The main symptom of bronchitis is a hacking cough. It is likely that your cough will bring up thick yellow-grey mucus (phlegm), although this does not always happen. Other symptoms of bronchitis are similar to those of other infections, such as the common cold or sinusitis, and may include: sore throat.
You might also cough up thick, yellow or green mucus. These symptoms may also occur with a cold. But if they last for more than a week or are severe, you may have a bacterial infection and need antibiotics. Only your doctor can prescribe antibiotics.
Bacterial pneumonia is more serious and often results in a gurgling sound when breathing and mucus or phlegm when coughing.
“If you persistently cough up frank, red blood, you should seek medical advice. Fever higher than 102°F, a fever that lasts more than a few days, shortness of breath, a change in the mucus color or coughing with unexplained weight loss are all also signs you should see a physician,” Dr. Supakul says.
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.
Many chest infections are caused by a virus. This usually clears up by itself after a few weeks and antibiotics won't help. Some chest infections are caused by bacteria. Your GP may prescribe antibiotics.
The main symptoms of a chest infection can include: a persistent cough. coughing up yellow or green phlegm (thick mucus), or coughing up blood. breathlessness or rapid and shallow breathing.
They can range from mild to severe. Many mild chest infections will resolve on their own in about a week's time. A chest infection that's caused by bacteria will need to be treated with a course of antibiotics. Severe or complicated chest infections may require treatment in a hospital.
Official answer. Yes, a cold or bronchitis can turn into pneumonia. Bronchitis occurs when a cold spreads to the airways that carry air into your lungs (bronchial tubes). A chest cold is often called acute bronchitis, which is an inflammation and swelling of the bronchial tubes.
To diagnose bronchitis, your healthcare provider will do a physical exam and ask about your medical history and symptoms. Your provider may also order a blood test to look for signs of infection, or a chest X-ray to check whether your lungs and bronchial tubes look normal.
After 2 or 3 days, mucus may change to a white, yellow, or green color. This is normal and does not mean you need an antibiotic. Some symptoms, especially runny or stuffy nose and cough, can last for up to 10 to 14 days.