How long does a chest infection last?

Many chest infections aren't serious and get better within a few days or weeks. You won't usually need to see your GP, unless your symptoms suggest you have a more serious infection. While you recover at home, there are things you can do to improve your symptoms.

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What is the fastest way to get rid of a chest infection?

Do
  1. get plenty of rest.
  2. drink lots of water to loosen the mucus and make it easier to cough up.
  3. raise your head up while sleeping using extra pillows to make breathing easier and clear your chest of mucus.
  4. use painkillers to bring down a fever and ease headaches and muscle pain.

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How do you know if a chest infection is getting better?

If you have a bacterial chest infection, you should start to feel better 24 to 48 hours after starting on antibiotics. You may have a cough for days or weeks. For other types of chest infections, the recovery is more gradual. You may feel weak for some time and need a longer period of bed rest.

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When should I worry about a chest infection?

you feel confused, disorientated or drowsy. you have chest pain or difficulty breathing. you cough up blood or blood-stained phlegm. your skin or lips develop a blue tinge (cyanosis)

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

Often viral cases of pneumonia begin as congestion and cough with or without fever in the first few days. When a doctor listens to the lungs and finds breathing sounds are not clear on either side of the chest, a viral cause over bacterial is even more highly suspected.

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Recovering from a Severe Lung Infection

27 related questions found

What happens if you ignore a chest infection?

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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Can chest infections turn into pneumonia?

Bronchitis and pneumonia are two lung infections with similar symptoms. In some cases, bronchitis can turn into pneumonia. This occurs when an infection spreads from the airways to the air sacs in the lungs. It is also possible for a person with bronchitis to develop a separate pneumonia infection.

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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.
  • fever.
  • feeling generally unwell.
  • sweating and shivering.
  • loss of appetite.

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What are 3 symptoms of bronchitis?

Symptoms of bronchitis
  • sore throat.
  • headache.
  • runny or blocked nose.
  • aches and pains.
  • tiredness.

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Why do chest infections take so long to heal?

One reason is that the detritus from an infection of the lung is hard to clear. Antibiotics kill the bacteria, but all the weaponry your body produced to fight the bacteria — mucus, essentially, or sputum, as it's called once you cough it up — is left behind.

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How long does a chest infection last untreated?

These symptoms can be unpleasant, but they usually get better on their own in around 7 to 10 days. The cough and mucus can last for up to 3 weeks.

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What kills chest infection?

An antibiotic such as amoxicillin is prescribed when pneumonia is suspected. Once pneumonia is diagnosed, it's best to start treatment within four hours. Infection with a germ (bacterial infection) is a common cause and antibiotics kill bacteria. Amoxicillin is usually effective against the most common causes.

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Do chest infections go away on their own?

Although most chest infections are mild and improve on their own, some cases can be very serious, even life-threatening. A bout of infection of the large airways (bronchi) in the lungs (acute bronchitis) usually gets better on its own within 7-10 days without any medicines.

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What is the best drink for chest infection?

Lemon and honey- Mix a tablespoon of lemon juice, a tablespoon of honey and a glass of hot water and drink this as a tea. This will help in reducing coughs and loosening the thickness of the mucus. Lemons are an excellent source of vitamin C and are essential in getting rid of mucus-forming bacteria.

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What is the difference between a chest infection and pneumonia?

A chest infection is an infection of the lungs or airways. The main types of chest infection are bronchitis and pneumonia. Most bronchitis cases are caused by viruses, whereas most pneumonia cases are due to bacteria. These infections are usually spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

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How do I check myself for pneumonia?

Shortness of breath or fast, shallow breathing. Bluish tint to lips and/or fingertips. High fever, sweating, shaking chills. Sharp or stabbing chest pain that gets worse when you inhale deeply or cough.

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How do I know if I have a bacterial infection in my lungs?

A classic sign of bacterial pneumonia is a cough that produces thick, blood-tinged or yellowish-greenish sputum with pus. Pneumonia is an infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs.

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How do I know if I have bronchitis or pneumonia?

While symptoms for either bronchitis or pneumonia can range from mild to serious enough to require hospitalization, symptoms such as fever, breathing problems, and chest pain tend to be more severe with pneumonia.

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What does a pneumonia cough sound like?

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.

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Does coughing up mucus mean I'm getting better?

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. Drink plenty of fluids to help thin the mucus.

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Will pneumonia go away by itself?

Pneumonia caused by a virus cannot be treated with antibiotics. Viral pneumonia usually goes away on its own.

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Can you still have a chest infection without a fever?

Yes, while fever is common in pneumonia, it's possible to have pneumonia with a low fever or no fever. This is more likely if you: Are older than 65 or younger than 2 (especially newborns and infants).

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How long should a chesty cough last?

HOW LONG DOES A CHESTY COUGH LAST? Like most other coughs, a chesty cough will usually clear up on its own within a couple of weeks. If you've had a cold, it's usually the last symptom to go away. If your cough persists for longer than this or gets worse, please speak to a medical professional.

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How do I know if I need antibiotics?

Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics if the symptoms are severe and include high fever along with nasal drainage and a productive cough. Antibiotics may also be necessary if you feel better after a few days and then your symptoms return or if the infection lasts more than a week.

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