Signs of lung infection

Lung infection (pneumonia), which occurs when bacteria enter the body and cause damage; lead to respiratory failure, adversely affect health depending on different levels, or can also threaten the patient’s life. Lung infections can be caused by viruses, bacteria, and sometimes fungi. Symptoms of a lung infection vary from mild to severe. This depends on a number of factors, including age and overall health. Below are the common symptoms of the disease.

Coughing up thick mucus

Coughing helps the body get rid of mucus caused by inflammation of the respiratory tract and lungs. When suffering from bronchitis or pneumonia, the patient may cough up thick sputum with colors such as: transparent, white, green or yellow-gray. Most coughs can last for several weeks even when symptoms improve.

Pain in the chest

A sharp pain in the chest is thought to be a telltale sign of a lung infection. These chest pains tend to get worse when the person coughs or breathes deeply. In some cases, people with lung infections also experience a sharp pain from the mid to upper back.

Fever

Fever occurs when the body tries to fight an infection. Follow Healthline, any high fever above 38.9 degrees Celsius usually leads to many symptoms such as: sweating, chills, muscle aches, dehydration, headache. Therefore, patients should go to the hospital when they have a high fever or when they have a fever above 38.9 degrees Celsius for more than three days.

Body ache

Many studies show that people with lung infections also feel pain in the muscles and back. This is called myalgia syndrome. Sometimes there can be inflammation in the muscles, which can also lead to body aches with an infection.

Wheeze

Wheezing is the result of airway narrowing or inflammation. In addition, shortness of breath is also a sign of this pathology. Besides a lung infection, it can be a sign of many other serious illnesses including a heart attack.

Sound in the lungs

One of the telltale signs of a lung infection is a crackling sound at the base of the lung, also known as a double basal crackle. Your doctor can hear these sounds using an instrument called a stethoscope.

Huyen My (Follow Healthline)