Chest infections: the common condition explained
Dr Grace Robinson is a leading respiratory medicine specialist based in Reading. In her latest article, Dr Robinson explains chest infections in detail, including the symptoms and treatments.
What are the symptoms of a chest infection?
Chest infections usually have a number of symptoms. This can include:
- A cough
- Discoloured or foul-tasting sputum/phlegm
- Fever
- Chest pain
- Breathlessness
- Pain when breathing in (pleurisy)
- Feeling generally unwell, tired and achy
How will I know that it is not pneumonia?
Chest infection symptoms are very similar to that of pneumonia, so many patients mistakenly believe that they are suffering from pneumonia. However, pneumonia symptoms are usually a lot more severe and may last longer than those of a chest infection.
The only way that pneumonia can be diagnosed is by a chest x-ray.
How dangerous can chest infections potentially be?
If you see a doctor about your chest infection, you will likely be prescribed a 5 to 7 day course of antibiotics. Most people will recover from chest infections very quickly, usually between 7 to 10 days. However, the cough and mucous can take up to three weeks to clear.
When should I be worried about my chest infection?
There are several situations in which people should seek medical advice regarding their chest infections. These include:
- Coughing up blood
- If there is no improvement in symptoms after two weeks
Ex-smokers should also be more careful if there is no improvement after two weeks. If this is the case, I recommend they have a chest x-ray done.
Dr Grace Robinson is a leading respiratory medicine specialist with over 25 years of experience. If you would like to book a consultation with Miss Robinson, you can do so via her Top Doctors Profile.