In addition to lab tests, sputum or mucus from a cough can be visually examined to determine whether bronchitis is viral, bacterial, or both. Clear or white mucus often indicates a viral infection, while yellow or green mucus may suggest a bacterial infection.
a persistent cough. coughing up yellow or green phlegm (thick mucus), or coughing up blood. breathlessness or rapid and shallow breathing. wheezing.
These upper respiratory tract viral infections usually cause a dry cough, sore throat and runny nose, although the nose may be blocked to start with. The cough may be tickly and irritating. You may have watery eyes and headache. The common cold may also cause sneezing.
Dry coughs are often caused by viral illnesses such as colds and flu, but they can also be caused by allergies or throat irritants. Specific treatment for a dry cough will depend on the cause of the cough.
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.
The infection will almost always go away on its own within 1 week. Doing these things may help you feel better: Drink plenty of fluids. If you have asthma or another chronic lung condition, use your inhaler.
A dry cough is also called a nonproductive cough. Dryness means little or no mucus or phlegm is present when you cough. Causes of dry cough include viral infections such as influenza, allergies, irritants such as tobacco smoke, other air pollutants, acid reflux (GERD), asthma, and other lung disorders.
you've had a cough for more than 3 weeks (persistent cough) your cough is very bad or quickly gets worse – for example, you have a hacking cough or cannot stop coughing. you feel very unwell. you have chest pain.
Bacterial pneumonia is more serious and often results in a gurgling sound when breathing and mucus or phlegm when coughing. If you are experiencing a cough and are concerned that it may be pneumonia, reach out to your doctor.
Coughing up phlegm is a symptom of infections like the flu and common cold. Phlegm is a specific type of mucus that originates in your lungs and throat. It's slightly thicker than the mucus that's produced in your nose and sinuses. Another name for phlegm is sputum.
The radiograph still remains the reference standard for a medical diagnosis of pneumonia, and also helps to differentiate between bacterial and viral pneumonia. However, a combination of clinical symptoms, exam findings, and imaging is the best way to uncover the most likely culprit.
Even if you're coughing up yellow or green phlegm, you might not need antibiotics. Your mucus color alone can't tell you if a virus or bacteria is causing your cough. If your cough lasts longer than 3 weeks, it's time to see a healthcare provider. You may need an X-ray or antibiotics.
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 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.
Your doctor will listen to your lungs with a stethoscope. If you have pneumonia, your lungs may make crackling, bubbling, and rumbling sounds when you inhale.
Small amounts of white mucus may be coughed up if the bronchitis is viral. If the color of the mucus changes to green or yellow, it may be a sign that a bacterial infection has also set in. The cough is usually the last symptom to clear up and may last for weeks.
According to infectious disease specialists, this is due to the mix-up of new mutations of adenovirus and different types of influenza viruses that cause flu. Infectious disease specialist Dr Nitin Shinde said that the current cough and cold pandemic is likely due to adenovirus.
Speak to a GP if:
your cough is particularly severe. you cough up blood. you experience shortness of breath, breathing difficulties or chest pain. you have any other worrying symptoms, such as unexplained weight loss, a persistent change in your voice, or lumps or swellings in your neck.
Postnasal drip during the day can irritate your throat and vocal cords. But Dr. Buhr says nighttime makes it much worse. “When you're lying flat at night, mucus runs down the back of your throat and into your lungs,” he says. “It can cause chest congestion that needs to be coughed up.
Coughing caused by bacterial or viral upper respiratory infections are contagious, but coughing caused by disorders like asthma and COPD is not. Cough is not a disease in itself, but a symptom of an underlying medical condition.
Dozens of conditions can cause a recurrent, lingering cough, but the lion's share are caused by just five: postnasal drip, asthma, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), chronic bronchitis, and treatment with ACE inhibitors, used for high blood pressure and heart failure.