By Louis Neipris, MD, Staff Writer, myOptumHealth
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You've probably heard someone complain of a bad chest cold. It usually means that the virus that caused the typical head cold is now causing symptoms in the chest. It also means that a "cold" has taken a turn for the worse.
When you have a cold and symptoms move down into your chest, you could be getting an infection of the airways, called bronchitis. Or worse, it could be an infection of the lungs, pneumonia. So when a cold starts to go south, it's time to take notice.
What is bronchitis and pneumonia?
- Bronchitis. Bronchitis is inflammation of the tubes, or bronchi, that carry air to the lungs. There are two types of bronchitis: acute and chronic. In both types, the main symptom is cough Acute bronchitis is usually caused by a virus, and often develops after a cold. Symptoms usually improve after a few days, but the cough can hang around for weeks. In chronic bronchitis, the cough persists for months. Having chronic bronchitis could mean you have a more serious illness called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD.
- Pneumonia. Pneumonia is an infection of one or both lungs caused by bacteria, a virus or other microorganism. The lungs usually filter germs out of the air when you breathe, preventing infection. But if immune defenses are down or the organism is strong, bacteria or other germs can reach the lungs. Air sacs, called alveoli, fill with pus and other fluid. Breathing may be affected. Pneumonia can rapidly become life-threatening, so it's important to recognize the symptoms and seek help.
Bronchitis symptoms
The cough in bronchitis could be wet or dry.
A "wet" cough brings up mucus or phlegm. A "dry" cough doesn't, but can become hacking and start to hurt in chest, ribs or abdomen with coughing. You may develop a whistling or rattling sound called a wheeze when you breathe. Moving around may cause shortness of breath.
In acute bronchitis, you could have:
- Cough that brings up clear, yellow or green mucus
- Wheezing, which could also be a sign of asthma
- Low-grade fever
- Chest or abdominal discomfort when coughing
- Shortness of breath (in severe cases)
In chronic bronchitis, the cough lasts for weeks and months. You may have:
- Frequent colds with a worsening cough
- A very productive cough, that's worse in the morning (especially if you smoke)
Pneumonia symptoms
Pneumonia symptoms vary from person to person. If your doctor suspects pneumonia, you may have a chest x-ray and other tests to make a diagnosis. There are some typical findings, depending on the cause of pneumonia:
- Bacterial pneumonia can come on gradually or suddenly. In the most severe cases, you may have shaking chills and chattering teeth, signs of a high fever, maybe moderate to severe chest pain with coughing or taking a deep breath, shortness of breath and a cough that produces yellow, green or rust-colored sputum (thickened fluid and mucus) from the lungs.
- Viral pneumonia symptoms are like influenza (flu) at first: fever, dry cough, headache, muscle pain and weakness. After 12 to 36 hours, you may become increasingly short of breath. The cough becomes worse, and a small amount of mucus may be produced. Fever may also rise. In severe cases breathing becomes harder, and the lips may turn blue (cyanosis).
- Mycoplasma pneumonia is also known as "walking pneumonia." The term comes from the fact that this kind of pneumonia may not make you very sick. People younger than age 40 tend to develop walking pneumonia. The symptoms are usually mild, with a gradual, two- to three-week onset of fever, malaise, headache and cough. The symptoms and course of mycoplasma infections vary from person to person. In some, the cough is no more than a prolonged annoyance. In others, the cough is severe.
When should I see my doctor?
If you feel better, then worse again after you have a cold or the flu, you will need to see your doctor.
- Call your doctor for:
- High fever or fever that lasts more than three days (babies 12 weeks of age or younger with a temperature of 100.4 degrees F or higher should be seen in the emergency room)
- Shaking chills
- A cough that keeps you awake at night or lasts longer than three weeks
- Coughing up phlegm that doesn't improve or you cough up blood-tinged, yellow or green mucous
- Wheezing
- Chest pain when you cough or take a deep breath
For some of these symptoms, your doctor may recommend that you seek emergency medical care.
- Call 9-1-1 right away for:
- Crushing or squeezing chest pain or other signs of a heart attack
- Coughing up large amounts of blood
- Severe difficulty breathing
- Fingernails and lips that have turned blue
