Most of us go through a normal day of breathing.
We hardly pay any attention to how everything works until some random person sneezes or coughs on us.
If you already have weak lungs or a bad immune system you have to be extra careful to avoid infections.
In today’s, let’s take a look at symptoms of lung infection. Can clear mucus in the cough be a sign?
What about blue lips and skin? We’re talking about all this AND more…
1. Cough with Mucus
Two of the most common lung diseases are bronchitis and pneumonia. Your lungs are spongy and made up of tiny air sacs.
This makes them the only organ in your body that can float on water.
Infection is generally caused by bacteria and a few viruses that result in pneumonia.
Bronchitis is more common than pneumonia and affects almost 9 million Americans per year.
The main function of your lungs is to put some fresh air into your body and remove waste gases.
This is done with the help of large bronchial tubes.
But if these get infected, it leads to bronchitis.
Too much infection can produce sticky or thick mucus, a by-product of inflammation in the airways and lungs.
It can obstruct normal breathing and as a reflex, your respiratory system can make you cough.
Bronchitis and pneumonia typically produce thick mucus that can look clear, white, green, yellow, or grey.
It’s necessary to pay special attention to the gunk coming out of your nose and mouth. If the situation is grim, there may even be streaks of blood, which is an immediate cause of concern.
When the infection is on the decline, there will be no more mucus, but you will still find yourself coughing. You need to wait a couple of weeks to be absolutely symptom-free.
2. Stabbing Chest Pain
Too much pain in the chest while breathing deeply can also indicate severe infection.
You may experience a combination of one or many symptoms during lung infections.
Chances are if you have a cough at this time, the pain in the chest can multiply, giving a sharp stabbing feeling.
The pain is so bad, it can not only be felt in your lungs, but also in the mid and upper back areas.
Lungs are paired organs, but the right and left are not identical. Your right lung is slightly larger than your left.
This is so the left lung can properly house your heart. Any pain in the chest region cannot be taken lightly.
Your doctor will get you to take a few screening tests to come to a perfect diagnosis.
They will record your past medical history and get details on your occupation, recent travel, or exposure to any pets or animals.
Physical examination of all your vitals along with temperature check-ups will never be skipped.
If things are not clear from the basic exam, they might ask you to go for a chest X-Ray or CT scan.
They may also take samples of nasal discharge, mucus, and blood. A pulse oximeter can be used for measuring oxygen levels in your blood.
This is coupled with a specialized test called spirometry, which measures the amount of air your lungs can inhale with each breath.
3. Fever
Your body is the most miraculous machine on this planet. But just like a machine it also gets overheated when it has to go that extra mile.
When all the systems are functioning perfectly and everything’s balanced out, your normal body temperature will typically range around 37 degrees Celsius or 98 degrees Fahrenheit.
But when there’s an infection in your body, it has to step up. Fighting off infection puts a burden on your system by raising the temperature.
If you have a bacterial lung infection, the temperature will typically be around 105 degrees Fahrenheit.
You have to keep an eye on that thermometer reading that goes above 102 degrees Fahrenheit.
You will have on and off symptoms like sweating, chills, muscle aches, dehydration, headaches, and weakness.
This may be in sync with the onset and offset of your fever. Make it a rule to see your doctor if you have a fever of more than 102 degrees Fahrenheit.
It’s a red flag if it lasts longer than 3 days.
4. Body Aches and Fatigue
That sluggish feeling you get when you’re sick is just the worst.
It might make you feel like curling up into a ball and never leaving your bed again.
This is not because you’re being lazy. Infections can take a toll on all the muscles of your body.
There is a scientific term for this called myalgia.
Lung Infection causes inflammation in the muscles, giving you terrible body aches.
The pain you feel from your feet to your head can be due to a bunch of notorious microorganisms like bacteria and viruses.
Lung infection can also happen due to fungi. But this usually happens in people who are severely immunocompromised due to certain illnesses.
It can also be brought on by medication.
5. Runny Nose
This is one of the more irritating symptoms.
A runny nose affects everyone. This is why it’s important to cover your mouth and nose while sneezing and coughing.
Infections have similar symptoms. Flu and runny nose may occur immediately in people.
You can try out a few home remedies for a speedy recovery. This includes drinking lots of water, hot tea with honey and ginger.
There’s also gargling with saltwater, steam inhalation, and using a humidifier.
Give your work and exercise a break, and rest as much as possible.
You may also want to take the meds your doctor prescribed for you.
If the cause is bacterial, antibiotics can help make you more comfortable.
You may have to take antifungal medication if there’s a fungus.
Antibiotics don’t work for viral infections, so you will have to wait until your body restores to fight off the infection.
You have to rely completely on your body’s immune system. Extremely severe cases of lung infection require hospitalization.
6. Shortness Of Breath
This is where you’re not breathing completely. Your breathing will feel strained.
Your lung capacity will decide whether any infection can cause breathing trouble.
Regular exercise can improve your lung capacity.
Working out will expand your lungs and supply more oxygen throughout your body.
Most athletes and fitness freaks have greater lung capacity than the average person.
7. Wheezing
Too much inflammation can narrow your airways. This reduces your body’s oxygen-carrying capacity.
When you exhale, a high-pitched sound may come from your nose. This is what doctors call wheezing.
Wheezing is especially dangerous for infants. A wheezing sound when your baby sleeps could be due to bronchiolitis.
This is a common condition, where a baby’s lungs and the airways are at a higher risk.
Keep an eye on the temperature of your kid, and note if they’re irritable, uncomfortable, or tired.
If the conditions don’t improve within 24 hours, go to a doctor.
However, with adults, this condition becomes pretty serious if it’s accompanied by other symptoms like mental confusion,
breathing trouble, stiff neck, chest pain, vomiting, unusual skin rash, and hallucinations.
8. Blue Skin And Lips
Your body receives a poor blood supply if you have a severe lung infection.
Blood that has a high amount of oxygen is light red in color, whereas blood without oxygen turns dark red.
When this dark red blood reaches the lips and skin, it can make them appear blue.
This condition is medically termed cyanosis, typically seen in fair people with thin skin.
Nail beds and fingertips can also turn blue.
In people with a darker complexion, cyanosis may be seen as grey or white lips and skin, while sometimes also being seen around the eyes, nails, and even gums.
To avoid these severe complications, you can simply put an end to those lung infections by following a few hygiene rules.
Wash your hands regularly, avoid touching your face and mouth from time to time.
Do not share utensils, food, and drinks with other people.
Don’t go in crowded places unless it’s essential, avoid smoking, and get flu shots whenever they’re due.
9. Crackling or Rattling Sounds In The Lungs
Those stethoscopes that doctors carry around are so handy.
They help your doctor to listen to everything that is going in your chest.
Right from your heart sounds to the lungs. Generally, a healthy lung will sound clear when you breathe.
But when you have a lung infection, your doctor will hear crackling sounds.
Doctors refer to these sounds as basilar crackles.
Just like lungs, there are two other organs you should never ignore, your heart and your brain.
These are the control units of your body.
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