Chest infection: what is it, symptoms and treatment

These are called ‘empirical guidelines’ which all hospitals will have. At this point, healthcare staff may take bodyrepairautocare a sputum (phlegm) sample. You’ll be asked to cough up some phlegm for testing in a microbiology laboratory.

• Based on their observations the GP suspects community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).
• Recurrent pneumonia is defined as two (or usually more) episodes of pneumonia in a lifetime, although the term is often reserved for repeated episodes of pneumonia within 2 years.
• Your child may become irritable and have mood swings, and even revert to earlier childhood behaviour, such as temper tantrums.
• It is also possible to be infected by coming into contact with a surface that is contaminated with the virus or bacteria and then touching your face, mouth or eyes.

Try to protect yourself from other infections like colds and flu, as this will make a chest infection less likely. Our page on colds and flu has lots of practical ideas you can follow to protect yourself against them. If your asthma symptoms are really bothering you, you can also take your reliever inhaler when you get asthma symptoms.

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The duration of acute bronchitis can vary depending on your age, the severity of symptoms and overall health condition. The typical antibiotic prescribed for a chest infection is amoxicillin (a type of penicillin). If you are allergic to amoxicillin, alternatives can be used like clarithromycin or doxycycline.

• If your symptoms persist for longer than this then the infection may have spread and you may require treatment.
• However, if you have a bacterial infection, you can be treated with antibiotics.
• Severe or chronic bronchitis, known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), is not caused by an infection.
• If a GP thinks you might have an underlying condition, they may also suggest that you have a lung function test.
• It happens when the infection spreads further into the lungs, causing the tiny air sacs inside the lungs to fill up with fluid.
• Bronchial breathing and decreased percussion note is found at the left base.

Search for medicines to see details of Yellow Card reports others have made. Medicines of interest can also be added to a Watch List to receive news and alerts about new side effects and safety advice as it emerges. Patients who are older than 60 years, have renal impairment, or have had solid-organ transplantation, and those being treated with a corticosteroid are at higher risk of tendon damage. Concomitant treatment with a fluoroquinolone and a corticosteroid should be avoided as the risk of fluoroquinolone-induced tendinitis and tendon rupture may be exacerbated.

Signs and symptoms of a chest infection

Chest infections are common, especially after a cold or flu during autumn and winter. A sample of your mucus may need to be tested to see what’s causing your chest infection. You can also use the app to access the latest safety information from the MHRA about medicines and medical devices on the Newsfeed.

Steroids affect your child’s immune system, so they shouldn’t have any ‘live’ vaccines if they’re receiving a high dose of injected or oral steroids. But it’s important they’re up to date with other vaccines beforehand to avoid catching one of the diseases that vaccination prevents. Your child’s face may appear rounder than usual, particularly after long-term steroid treatment. We’ll monitor them closely throughout treatment to reduce the chance of these happening.

Non-urgent advice: See a GP if you have a chest infection and:

If you do not start to feel better after three days, tell your GP – you may need to try a different type of antibiotic. Treatment for pneumonia depends on what type of pneumonia you have and how severe it is. It’s really important you take your preventer inhaler in the right way, to make sure the medicine gets straight to your lungs.

On arrival, Jim is triaged for immediate medical review on the basis of his NEWS2 assessment. Given the clinical problems, Jim goes down the suspected COVID pathway. A history and examination is undertaken by a junior doctor who organises a chest x-ray and bloods for urea and inflammatory markers/C‑reactive protein (CRP), together with blood cultures. In light of his pyrexia and symptoms, viral testing for COVID‑19 and influenza is performed.

How to treat a chest infection

Pericarditis can be uncomfortable but is not usually serious and most people recover within weeks. Specific strategies can be taken to reduce the risk of acquiring pneumonia in the community. During his stay Jim is reviewed by the COPD team who administer the COPD care bundle.

Not all infections will spread, however respiratory infections, like pneumonia, can spread throughout the body if not treated effectively. In patients with sepsis, the lung was found to be the most common site of infection. Antibiotic resistant infections will usually have the same initial symptoms as a simple infection which can be treated by antibiotics.

How to avoid getting a chest infection

Certain respiratory diseases such as COPD, cystic fibrosis or bronchitis can increase the number of respiratory infections a person may have. Therefore the number of antibiotic courses they need over time is also higher. This in turn increases the risk of developing a resistant bacterial infection through increased exposure to antibiotics.

A high temperature can also be a symptom of COVID-19, so it’s important that you get a test as soon as possible if you have any of the main symptoms. The infections can also be spread to others if you cough or sneeze onto your hand, an object or a surface, and someone else shakes your hand or touches those surfaces before touching their mouth or nose. Healthcare professionals, patients, and caregivers can report suspected side effects via the Yellow Card website or via the Yellow Card app.