How do you know if you have a chest infection?

[countrygirl]

I posted a few days ago about a very nasty cold thats going round with an evil sore throat for a couple of days- as always happens with me once the sore throat goes I then get the cough and the manic tickle at base of throat and a feeling of tightness. As a child I had asthma and although I don't get wheezy or asthma now Dr s think that anything that irritates my trachea throat causes a slight tightness but its not asthma.

This happens every time I have the cold throat viruses and I usually go rushing off to Dr to ask them to check my lungs and up to now they are always fine but I am so scared of suddenly developing pneumonia as this happened to my husband about 12 yrs ago following flu. He says he literally coulnd't lay down as he felt as if he was drowning for days before he collapsed ( he had antibiotics but they werent' working) and he was rushed into hospital semi conscious which was terrifying at the time.
He wasn't coughing anything up at all.

Please could anyone who has had a diagnosed chest infection tell me their symptoms so I have something to base mine on??

[bottleblond]

Hi there

I had a chest infection years ago. I couldn't stop coughing which was very painfull and i was coughing up lots of gunk. Was horrible.

Lisa
xx

[Lissy43]

I had bronchitis a few summers ago and I was coughing constantly, and coughing up green gunk. I also had a fever and felt pretty unwell.

[paula lynne]

I had a chest infection about 6 monthes ago, my symptoms included temperature, wracking cough, yellow phlegm (which turned light brown with specks of blood), pain in my chest and back from constant coughing. I was given anti-biotics because Im asthmatic, and it took about 2 weeks for the infection to clear.
I hope you feel better soon x

[Vixxy]

I've had an infection in my trachea before. It resulted in me coughing every time I took a breathe. For a cough i would say that if it lasts longer than a few days without getting any better then go and see your doctor. If its started to improve then leave it. You could pop into your doctors or a walk in centre and ask their advice on when to get help. X

[countrygirl]

thanks everyone. I know its early days for me as I only started with this cold on Sunday so only 3rd day. Its so annoying as I cannot talk for more than 10 seconds without it making me cough and my eyes stream and nose runs not a pretty sight and I do like talking so its hard for me to keep quiet. I know whats going to happen as soon as I lay down in bed- cough myself inside out as usual:mad: