A chest infection is a common medical condition in adults and children caused by bacteria and viruses. There are different types of chest infections, such as pneumonia, whooping cough, and bronchitis. If left untreated, this health problem can lead to shortness of breath, a weakened immune system, and in severe cases, even death.
One of the chest infections that often requires hospitalization is pneumonia. Pneumonia causes swelling and fluid in the chest and lungs. Some of the symptoms are cough, fever and chest pain. Walking pneumonia is a mild form of this infection that is often mistaken for a cold because the symptoms are not as severe as full-blown pneumonia. If a doctor suspects that a person has this disease, the doctor may recommend a chest x-ray and prescribe antibiotics if necessary.
Some people suffer from chronic chest infections such as bronchitis. People who have bronchitis usually have a persistent cough, chest irritation, and fatigue. People who have weak respiratory systems, such as the elderly and children, may be prone to developing bronchitis due to other health problems. To diagnose bronchitis, the patient may need a pulmonary function test, an X-ray, and a bacterial sputum test. The doctor will also check for lung diseases such as emphysema or asthma.
Certain chest infections like whooping cough are caused by bacteria and are highly contagious. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are about 300,000 deaths worldwide each year from whooping cough alone. The condition causes people to wheeze and make loud coughing noises as they try to breathe. Whooping cough is also called whooping cough because the coughing sound that patients make is similar to whooping noise. Doctors recommend vaccinations for people who have never had whooping cough and may prescribe medications for people diagnosed with the infection.
Pleurisy or pleurisy is one of the chest infections that affects the pleural lining of the lungs. This condition usually occurs along with other illnesses such as the flu, lung clots, or tuberculosis. When a person has pleurisy, they may experience pain in the chest area when they breathe. Since pleurisy is generally considered a secondary condition, most doctors will tend to focus on resolving the primary infection first.
There are also general chest infections of the upper respiratory tract caused by viruses. People usually get these infections after getting sick with a cold or sinus infection because they can't fight off germs. People who have the flu sometimes also get chest infections. Symptoms that patients may have with an upper respiratory infection include cough, headache, and fever.