Chest infection A chest infection is an infection of the lungs or large airways. Some chest infections are mild and clear up on their own, but others can be severe and life threatening. Check if you have a chest infection Chest infections often follow colds or flu. The main symptoms are:
These symptoms can be unpleasant, but they usually get better on their own in about 7 to 10 days. The cough and mucus can last up to 3 weeks. If you have a chest infection: Do
Don't
See a GP if you have a chest infection and:
You may have pneumonia if your symptoms are severe. Treatment from a GP Treatment will depend on the cause of your chest infection. It will either be caused by:
Antibiotics are only used to treat bacterial chest infections. They're not used for treating viral chest infections, like flu or viral bronchitis. This is because antibiotics do not work for viral infections. A sample of your mucus may need to be tested to see what's causing your chest infection. How to avoid spreading chest infections To avoid passing a chest infection on to others:
How to avoid getting a chest infection If you keep getting chest infections or you're at risk of getting one (for example, because you're over 65 or have a serious long-term health condition), you should:
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