How do you know you have a chest infection?

[Hanna222]

Hi! Mild asthmatic here. The past two months I’ve had two colds, much worse than what I usually get. Now, after about 5 days of the normal routine (sore throat, runny nose, etc), I get so much mucus in my chest. My PEF dropped to all-time lows for many days in a row, both times (53% and 60%, respectively). Ventolin helps for about an hour at a time. Sounds like an infection, right?

However, the mucus I’m coughing up is clear/white, and I have zero fever. Despite my lungs having become a highly efficient slime production facility, I feel fine. So is it just a side effect of having asthma, or is it possible to have a bacterial infection even though you don’t cough up green stuff?

Also, if it’s just a side effect of having asthma, any tips on how to clear my lungs? Coughing doesn’t seem to be of much help.

All the best,

Exhausted cougher

Edit: I know when to call a doctor. That’s not what I’m asking.

[Wheezycat]

With peakflows that low go see your gp urgently!

[Hanna222 in reply to Wheezycat]

Thanks! I did call my doctor the last time, and I might give him a call tomorrow! Not my question, though

[madonbrew]

Yes I agree with wheezycat...go see your doctor soon or ring 111 if out of hours for advice!

[Lysistrata Administrator Community Ambassador]

Hi, I also get confused by this for myself! I thought the clear/white mucus was more asthma-related and clearly there's plenty of asthma going on for you atm. I find I can get the mucus with asthma alone, but not as much as that. It could be the cold setting it all off and asthma plus cold = slime.

I will say I am totally capable of getting a bacterial infection that basically does NONE of the usual things. I would entirely understand a GP missing it if they saw me, because I've had at least 2 of these and maybe more, and what they do is kick off asthma but there's no mucus, no funky chest sounds (and I don't even wheeze usually), no fever...not even dodgy bloods (probably as it's early?) but the asthma is usually enough to send me off to A&E, where they do a chest X-ray just because and find an infection on there. So I'm now open to the idea of chest infections not always acting the way I expect or producing the usual symptoms. I did tell an A&E dr about this and he said oh yes atypical infections, need to watch that - so clearly I'm not the only weird one.

This may not be much help sorry but thought it might be useful to share that infections can be 'atypical'. Of course viral illnesses can annoy asthma just as much, but presumably you want to know if antibiotics are needed/useful? Is your doctor helpful on this sort of thing? They might be able to give you a delayed antibiotic script and advise on what to do. I also find the AUK nurses can be helpful with advice - they may have heard this before.

[Js706]

Do you know if you also have hayfever or any other allergies?

I often find that when I have an asthma flare I can become a lot of more “productive” when coughing (lovely I know!). But generally it tends to be white/clear unless I have an infection - although as Lysistrata points out, while less common it is still possible to have an infection without mucus going green.

While it could just be asthma generally (excess mucus production is one of the possible symptoms) I do tend to find things like allergies are particularly good at resulting in more mucus and the pollen count has been a bit changeable over the last week or so (dropping down to low and then climbing again etc), so if you get hayfever that might be contributing!

In terms of clearing it out, make sure to drink plenty as that makes it easier to shift. Also some people find that steam can help - either putting your head over a bowl of hot water or sitting in a hot shower for a while. BUT just a heads up to be a little cautious with steam as it can also be a trigger for some people (I have pretty poor control of my asthma, but tend to still find a hot shower helpful for clearing mucus even if I can’t tolerate more traditional “steaming” methods).

[LDloveslattecoffe]

Js706 makes an excellent point - a very bad episode of Hayfever can mimic a cold/infection. I have had before - may need antihistamine changed.

Don't forget Hayfever and asthma are linked so Hayfever can trigger the asthma and when you have combined not fun x

[Younie]

It sounds like your asthma is uncontrolled at the moment, the inhaler only asting 1 hr and the production of the mucus, like you say doesnt sound like infection as not colored sputum, but is as a result of the inflammation in the airways, have you got preventer inhalers, or maby you need a course of steroids to reduce the inflammation which in turn would help alleviate the symptoms. Maby worth having an asthma review to see if they need to adjust medications.....

[Cathmaguire63]

I've had asthma since a baby im 56 now. I've had numerous chest infections. I know when it's a infection from the taste and colour of mucous ( dark green and thick)

[su-mo]

Try looking up proteolytic enzymes and probiotics. Works for me!