Signs of Chest Congestion

Cold, flu, pneumonia and other illnesses can start quite simply by accident. And with the newest virus, the H1N1 virus (dubbed the "swine flu), everyone's concerns about becoming ill have dramatically increased, but it could only be chest congestion which can lead to bronchitis and pneumonia.

Chest congestion happens in the lower respiratory system which includes your bronchial tubes and lungs. It commonly starts as a cold and in the upper respiratory such as facial pain or pressure, as well as a stuffy or runny nose, sore throat and coughing. But how does one know if what started off as a simple cold as deepened into basically a chest cold or congestion? The people at WebMD and the National Health Institute offer signs and symptoms of chest congestion. As always, if you have these symptoms, check with your doctor to make sure there is nothing more serious.

The symptoms and signs include (it should be noted that one may not have all to have chest congestion): (1) Cough at anytime of the day, but not a "dry cough" - a cough that produces sputum (mucus from lungs) that is either green, yellow, brown or gray in color; (2) a possible high fever; and (3) have difficulty breathing. The breathing may include, (a) shortness of breath which is often called Dyspnea [if this one of the symptoms check with your doctor immediately as it could be a sign of something more serious such as lung or heart disease]; (b) a "grunting" sound when you exhale; (c) wheezing when you are breathing; (d) flaring of nostrils and using neck, chest and stomach muscles when breathing; (e) chest pain when taking a deep breath.

The National Health Institute have put together an extensive library of breathing problems including chest congestion and offers tips and advice to alleviate the pain as there are no prescriptions that can be given. The website is www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/breathingproblems.html. Also, the symptom check at www.webmd.com can help determine if you really do have only chest congestion or maybe something else. But as with any online medical advice or information, always talk with your doctor to determine the best course of treatment for you.