When should I go to the ER for a chest infection?

Anyone who is having trouble breathing or other severe symptoms should immediately be taken to the ER. Additionally, people in these groups who are experiencing pneumonia-like symptoms should come to the ER: Infants and small children. Seniors over age 65.

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When should you go to hospital for chest infection?

you have worsening pain on breathing or you have pain which stops you breathing deeply. you have any new changes to the colour or your lips or skin. If you have any concerns or questions, contact your local doctor. You will need to see a doctor after six weeks to make sure that you have made a full recovery.

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When is a chest infection serious?

See a GP if you have a chest infection and:

you feel very unwell or your symptoms get worse. you cough up blood or blood-stained mucus. you've had a cough for more than 3 weeks.

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Is a chest infection a medical emergency?

It is important to call 999 and receive emergency care if you/the person you are caring for experiences: Severe difficulty breathing. Severe chest pain. Loss of consciousness.

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How do hospitals treat chest infections?

Treatment in hospital

You'll be given antibiotics and fluids intravenously through a drip, and you may need oxygen to help breathing. In very serious cases of pneumonia, breathing assistance through a ventilator in an intensive care unit (ICU) may be required.

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Know When to Go to the Emergency Room (ER) vs. Immediate Care

25 related questions found

What are the first warning signs of pneumonia?

Symptoms of pneumonia
  • a cough – which may be dry, or produce thick yellow, green, brown or blood-stained mucus (phlegm)
  • difficulty breathing – your breathing may be rapid and shallow, and you may feel breathless, even when resting.
  • rapid heartbeat.
  • high temperature.
  • feeling generally unwell.
  • sweating and shivering.

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What are the danger signs of pneumonia?

See your doctor if you have difficulty breathing, chest pain, persistent fever of 102 F (39 C) or higher, or persistent cough, especially if you're coughing up pus. It's especially important that people in these high-risk groups see a doctor: Adults older than age 65.

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How do I check myself for pneumonia?

The signs and symptoms of pneumonia may include:
  1. Cough, which may produce greenish, yellow or even bloody mucus.
  2. Fever, sweating and shaking chills.
  3. Shortness of breath.
  4. Rapid, shallow breathing.
  5. Sharp or stabbing chest pain that gets worse when you breathe deeply or cough.
  6. Loss of appetite, low energy, and fatigue.

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Can a chest infection turn into something worse?

Bacterial bronchitis can lead to pneumonia if it's not treated promptly. But the majority of people respond well to the treatment of pneumonia and recover. For some people, the condition can lead to complications and worsen other health conditions they might already have. Ultimately, pneumonia can be life-threatening.

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How do I know if my chest infection is viral or bacterial?

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.

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Whats the longest a chest infection can last?

Bronchitis usually clears up without treatment in around 3 weeks. See a GP if your symptoms last longer than 3 weeks. You may need antibiotics if your bronchitis is caused by a bacterial infection.

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What happens if you let a chest infection go untreated?

The possible complications from a chest infection like pneumonia can include: bacteria in your bloodstream (sepsis) accumulation of fluid within your lungs. development of lung abscesses.

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What happens if a chest infection isn't treated?

If your pneumonia isn't treated, the pleura can get swollen, creating a sharp pain when you breathe in. If you don't treat the swelling, the area between the pleura may fill with fluid, which is called a pleural effusion. If the fluid gets infected, it leads to a problem called empyema.

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How do I know if I have pneumonia or bronchitis?

The big difference in symptoms involves severity. Pneumonia symptoms are usually more severe than bronchitis, and pneumonia usually looks more like a body-wide infection with a fever or chills. Both pneumonia and bronchitis can develop from bacteria or viruses that cause respiratory infections.

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How do you know if its bronchitis or pneumonia?

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.

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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.

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Where does it hurt if you have pneumonia?

Chest pain is one of the most common symptoms of pneumonia. Chest pain is caused by the membranes in the lungs filling with fluid. This creates pain that can feel like a heaviness or stabbing sensation and usually worsens with coughing, breathing or laughing.

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Does pneumonia get worse at night?

Walking pneumonia usually indicates a more mild pneumonia caused by a bacteria called mycoplasma pneumoniae. If you have walking pneumonia, your symptoms will be mild and you'll probably function normally. Walking pneumonia symptoms include: Dry cough that's persistent and typically gets worse at night.

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How do hospitals check for pneumonia?

A chest X-ray looks for inflammation in your lungs. A chest X-ray is often used to diagnose pneumonia. Blood tests, such as a complete blood count (CBC) see whether your immune system is fighting an infection. Pulse oximetry measures how much oxygen is in your blood.

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How do you know if you need to be hospitalized for pneumonia?

See your doctor to rule out pneumonia if shortness of breath, cough, or chest congestion also develop. Seek emergency care at a Dignity Health ER or urgent care clinic for the following symptoms: Bluish color of the lips or fingernails. Confusion or lethargy.

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What is the first stage of pneumonia?

1. Congestion. This is typically the first stage of infection that occurs after a pneumonia infection has dominated one of the lobes in your lung. The congestion stage typically lasts around 24 hours, and your lungs become inflamed, red, and weighed down by infection.

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How do you sleep with pneumonia?

Is it better to sit up or lie down with pneumonia? Whether you're in bed or resting on the couch, you may find it more comfortable to sit up or prop yourself up with extra pillows. That's because an upright position allows the congestion to drain from your nose and throat more easily.

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What does pneumonia sound like?

Crackling or bubbling noises (rales) made by movement of fluid in the tiny air sacs of the lung. Dull thuds heard when the chest is tapped (percussion dullness), which indicate that there is fluid in a lung or collapse of part of a lung.

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What does the start of a chest infection feel like?

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.

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What is the best antibiotic for a chest infection?

There are several different antibiotics are effective at treating this bacterial infection.
  • Azithromycin. Azithromycin is a first-line treatment for healthy adults under age 65 with bacterial pneumonia. ...
  • Clarithromycin. Clarithromycin is another macrolide antibiotic that is commonly used for pneumonia. ...
  • Tetracycline.

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