Viral chest infection?

[camdon]

How do I know if I have a viral chest infection as opposed to a bacterial one?

[O2Trees]

Only way to be sure, camden, is to take a sputum sample in to your surgery to be sent off for analysis. It's a hard one. Usually if the sputum from your lungs is discoloured, that is likely to indicate a bacterial infection, whereas Ive found green sputum blown from my nose during a head cold is pretty much always viral. I think with a bacterial lung infection you are likely to have a temperature and feel pretty unwell - at least this is what Im always asked.

If Im not sure I would always call my GP or respiratory nurse for a telephone appointment. They should be helping you to work out what is happening, and most of us older timers have a rescue pack of antibiotics and oral steroids to start if we think an infection is bacterial or even, that it could become so. But partnering with your GP is vital.

[camdon in reply to O2Trees]

Thanks for taking the trouble to reply o2. I know about the bacterial / antibiotic apect but as you say, it's difficult to know what is going on if it's viral I've submitted a sputum sample so we'll see what's what. I have IPF so the symptoms are even more blurred

[O2Trees in reply to camdon]

I know next to nothing about IPF camdon. I have copd, bronchiectasis and asthma. I hope someone with IPF comes on to give you some replies.

[camdon in reply to O2Trees]

Thanks for taking the troible to respond, O2