Other diseases of the lungs include COPD, asthma, and lung cancer. Cureus. Symptoms of Lung Infection. 2017;1:42. doi:10.21037/arh.2017.09.04. Difficulty breathing in a lung infection may present as shortness of breath, shallow breathing, rapid breathing or pain upon inspiration. Some lung cancers make hormone-like substances that enter the bloodstream and cause problems with distant tissues and organs, even though the cancer has not spread to those places. Read our, Medically reviewed by Benjamin F. Asher, MD, Verywell Health uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. She is an assistant professor and attending physician at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York, NY, Causes (and Complications) of Lung Inflammation. This causes an infection to grow and cover a larger area. Most RTIs get better without treatment, but sometimes you may need to see your GP. If your symptoms suggest a lung infection, your doctor may want to do diagnostic testing in order to give you a reliable diagnosis. Your mucus can tell you a lot about the state of your lungs. Once pathogens lodge in the lungs, they start to multiply. You can contract a lung infection via coughing, sneezing, touch or even breathing. The symptoms you experience will be different if it’s a lower or upper respiratory infection. 2015;3(13):183. doi:10.3978/j.issn.2305-5839.2015.07.08. Lung-specific symptoms. There are so many different symptoms of asthma that could also be caused by other medical conditions, so it's very important to get a doctor's opinion about your symptoms. I… American Lung Association. Rarer signs and symptoms may depend on the specific type of lung infection you have. Be sure to seek medical attention if you're experiencing any type of chest pain. Walters JA, Tang JN, Poole P, Wood-baker R. Pneumococcal vaccines for preventing pneumonia in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. sputum or phlegm) when they have COPD. Frequent Symptoms. They are very common, can be benign or malignant, and often do not cause symptoms. In this case, the infection-causing pathogens may lodge on the inner surface of a part of the lungs. The less severe form is known as nodular bronchiectasis, in which the airways of the lungs become damaged, and subsequently dilate and become scarred. Common lung infection symptoms include shortness of breath, persistent cough, pain and increased or unusual mucus production, according to WebMD. Reamy BV, Williams PM, Odom MR. Pleuritic chest pain: sorting through the differential diagnosis. Cleveland Clinic. Get our printable guide for your next doctor's appointment to help you ask the right questions. This site offers information designed for entertainment & educational purposes only. Common symptoms of pneumonia include: a cough – which may be dry, or produce thick yellow, green, brown or blood-stained mucus (phlegm) difficulty breathing – your breathing may be rapid and shallow, and you may feel breathless, even when resting Lung infections affect all ages but are especially prevalent in children and elderly adults. Pneumonia. Symptoms of an RTI include: a cough – you may bring up mucus (phlegm) sneezing; a stuffy or runny nose; a sore throat; headaches; muscle aches It occurs as a result of the release of histamine by infected cells, causing swelling of the respiratory tract as well as the production of mucus and redness due to increased blood flow. Of the upper respiratory infection symptoms, the most common is a cough. A wet or productive cough on the other hand shows that there is phlegm in the lungs and is a sign of a lung infection. Lung infections may also lead to a stuffy or runny nose, sore throat, sneezing, achy muscles, and headache. Other symptoms reported by patients … Tests that can be done on the lungs include blood tests, x … If you have recurring lung infections, then it’s important to see your doctor so they can determine what’s causing them. If you have any questions or concerns about your health, you should always consult with a physician or other health-care professional. People with COPD are at higher risk of lung infection due to a reduced ability to clear bacteria, dust, and other pollutants. Having COPD simultaneously with a lung infection can seriously exacerbate your COPD symptoms and make breathing much more difficult, and it may also lead to other serious complications that can potentially damage the lungs and even be life-threatening if left untreated. The increased mucus production necessitates coughing. The illnesses resulting from aspergillosis usually affect the respiratory system, but their signs and severity vary greatly.The mold that triggers the illnesses, aspergillus, is everywhere — indoors and outdoors. Some commonly observed, not-so-severe symptoms of viral lung infection are cough, runny nose, sore throat, mild fever, and in rare cases, ear infection. They usually show up on a … In addition to a feeling of breathlessness, rapid breathing (tachypnea) and a rapid heart rate (tachycardia) may also be signs of a lung infection. Symptoms. An occasional cough is a normal occurrence that keeps the lungs clean. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD001390.pub4. Respiratory tract infections (RTIs) can affect the sinuses, throat, airways or lungs. The air sacs may fill with fluid or pus (purulent material), causing cough with phlegm or pus, fever, chills, and difficulty breathing. Sometimes these syndromes may be the first symptoms of lung … Because of this, it's best to seek out medical attention if you have any of the above symptoms—especially a fever—or if you simply feel like something is different or a little off. If you or a loved one has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a lung infection very well may occur at some point. The inflamed, narrowed airways and damaged air sacs characteristic of the condition make one more prone to developing lung infections, particularly pneumonia. One of the most common bacterial lung infections is bacterial pneumonia. Such infections include pneumonia, influenza, bronchitis, and tuberculosis. To complicate things, it can be tricky to distinguish between a lung infection and a COPD flare-up. But, how would you know that you or a loved one has a lung infection? Sanja Jelic, MD is board-certified in pulmonary disease, sleep medicine, critical care medicine, and internal medicine. Your skin, lips, and nails may take on a slightly bluish cast, a symptom called cyanosis. The most common symptom of this bacterial lung infection is inflammation (pneumonia). The infections can affect any part of the lungs. Am J Med Sci. Individuals with a pseudomonas lung infection can experience fever, chills, chronic cough (usually with mucus that is green or brown), and difficulty breathing. It occurs when the body needs to expel an irritant from the lungs. What's the Best Way to Treat Bronchiectasis? What are the symptoms of a Pseudomonas lung infection? While it's important to focus on preventing infection, you will also want to be on top of identifying symptoms, should they arise. Depending on the type of lung infection and its severity, the symptoms may vary. With a fever, a person may also experience chills or shaking. Normal body temperature varies from person to person, but in general, it's around 98.6 F degrees. Symptoms can include: congestion , either in the nasal sinuses or lungs Our lung tissue naturally produces about a liter of mucus per day. While a chronic cough is another common symptom of COPD, a cough that gets worse and becomes more productive (i.e., there is more mucus coming up) may be a sign that a lung infection is brewing and medical attention is needed.. The interior of the lungs is composed of a network of tiny sacs through which oxygen gets into the bloodstream and carbon dioxide leaves the bloodstream. Fast or difficult breathing Coughing with brown or green-coloured phlegm Fever (sweating, shivering, chills) Fungal lung infection symptoms. Besides increased mucus, the irritation may cause swelling within the lungs which can lead to narrowing of some airways. Updated September 10, 2019. Primary cause is viruses and bacteria accumulating and proliferating in the lung tissue. If you've noticed a change in mucus, cough or wheezing that seems worse than usual, call your doctor. If you have a fever and COPD, seek medical help quickly. American Lung Association. The following signs and symptoms of lung infection should alert you to contact your doctor right away, especially if you have COPD. Such complications include the following: Lung infections can get worse if left untreated, especially when you have COPD. Sometimes the infection can cause achy joints. Coughing forces air to flow out in a fast stream. Allergies, infections, or pollution can trigger asthma … Updated December 8, 2017. Some of the more common, yet non-severe symptoms of a viral lung infection are cough, sore throat, mild fever, and runny nose. 2013;126(3):210-212. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2012.11.004, Quaderi SA, Hurst JR. Penn Medicine. Lung inflammations or infections include common cold and cough, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, pneumonia and pleurisy. A general feeling of weakness. Having a fevermeaning a temperature at or higher than 100.4 Fis one sign that you may have a lung infection. Chest pain associated with infection of the lungs is often described as a sharp, aching pain on one side that gets worse when breathing deeply (pleuritic chest pain). It may also feel like pressure or tightness inside the chest wall. Some of these are: Shortness in breathing. Bacteria and viruses that are inhaled thrive in the moist lung environment, if the immune system is not strong enough to fight initial contact. Symptoms of Viral Lung Infection. Antibiotics may be required if you have a bacterial infection, but if you have a viral infection, you might need to wait it out and let your body fend off the virus on its own. However, you may need additional medical support to help your airways remain clear and open while you work to fight the infection. Bacterial Infection in Lungs Symptoms. | About Us. 2017;18(1):67. doi:10.1186/s12931-017-0548-3. In serious cases, the nails and lips tend to become blue. American Lung Association. Lung infections have a number of causes, including viruses, fungi, and even bacteria. Are Your Lung Cancer Symptoms an Emergency? A lung infection can be caused by bacteria, a virus, or a fungus, and the symptoms will be very similar, including a cough with mucus, fever, runny nose, and crackling noises in the lungs. By using Verywell Health, you accept our, Sanja Jelic, MD is board-certified in pulmonary disease, sleep medicine, critical care medicine, and internal medicine. An earache can be experienced in some rare instances. Lung infections happen when pathogens collect in a person's air sacs and begin to grow. A variety of organisms, including bacteria, viruses and fungi, can cause pneumonia.Pneumonia can range in seriousness from mild to life-threatening. Cracking the cough code: recognize cough symptoms so you know when to seek treatment. Symptoms specific to the lungs that will likely be experienced with lung abscesses include the following. Symptoms vary depending on the underlying condition; pneumonia and bronchitis are two of the more common lung infections. Periselneris J, Armstrong-James D. Invasive and chronic fungal lung infections. Pneumonia is an infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs. However, when you’re coughing continuously for weeks or longer, it is probably a sign of lung infection. Respir Res. Why People With COPD Are at Risk of Bacterial Pneumonia, Pneumococcal vaccines for preventing pneumonia in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Invasive and chronic fungal lung infections, Understanding the impact of symptoms on the burden of COPD, Cracking the cough code: recognize cough symptoms so you know when to seek treatment, Pleuritic chest pain: sorting through the differential diagnosis, Differentiation of lung cancer, empyema, and abscess through the investigation of a dry cough, Lung abscess-etiology, diagnostic and treatment options. This Doctor Discussion Guide has been sent to {{form.email}}. Pneumonia treatment and recovery. Common types of lung infections are pneumonia, bronchitis, and influenza. Pneumonia. Have testing done to determine what kind of infection you have. However, pleuritic chest pain can also indicate that problems other than infection are going on in the lung or even the heart. Can I Use an Over-the-Counter Inhaler for COPD? Lungs are spongy organs equipped for the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. A key point here is it can be hard sometimes to tell whether you are having a COPD flare-up or a lung infection (and both can co-occur), as the change from your baseline symptoms can be subtle. There are two main clinical presentations for NTM infection, which means that the symptoms and signs associated with this disorder are expressed in two specific ways. Symptom #1: Coughing Coughing is one of the most common lung infection symptoms. There are many diseases that can affect our lungs, but their symptoms are not always associated to respiratory problems that would allow us to establish that something is happening with this organ.In fact, most of the warning signs of lung diseases are diverse and can affect people of all ages and with all kinds of habits, not just smokers. Check if you have an RTI. A cough. It causes dyspnea by leading to pulmonary inflammation and increase in mucous production. Home | Privacy Policy | Editorial | Sometimes your gut instinct is the best sign. Most infections get into the lungs through the air that we breathe. Deborah Leader RN, PHN, is a registered nurse and medical writer who focuses on COPD. 7 Signs of Pneumonia (Mild to Severe Lung Infection) Posted by Dr. Chris With air flowing in and out of the airways and lungs on a constant basis, a range of different substances and germs in the environment can also enter to irritate, infect and damage the respiratory organs. Lung abscess-etiology, diagnostic and treatment options. Coughing up sputum or, in severe cases, blood. Upper Respiratory Infection Types of upper respiratory infection include the common cold (head cold), the mild flu, tonsillitis, laryngitis, and sinus infection. These problems are called paraneoplastic syndromes. If you notice that you are expelling more mucus when you cough, or that it has changed, these could be symptoms of a lung infection. It occurs when the body needs to expel an irritant from the lungs. The more you know, the more prepared you'll be. Lung nodules are small growths on the lungs. Seek help from your doctor in either case. Many patients complain about having an increased amount of mucus (a.k.a. Coughing forces air to flow out in a fast stream. Lung.org. How Lung Infections Spread. If you have certain symptoms of lung infection, you should let your doctor know immediately. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. It's much rarer for a lung infection to be caused by fungi, but it can happen. The normal body temperature is around 98 degrees F. If the body temperature is higher than 100 degrees, you could have a lung infection and the body is fighting it off. The air sacs may become filled with pus and fluid, which can make breathing more difficult, cause chest pain, and lead to a cough that is different from the usual chronic cough one associates with their disease., The primary types of lung infection include pneumonia, bronchitis, and bronchiolitis. The airways can lose their ability to clear mucus and the mucus that accumulates within the airways can serve as a nutrient source and home for NTM, helping it to evade the immune system. Normal body temperature varies from person to person, but in general, it's around 98.6 degrees F. Having a fever—meaning a temperature at or higher than 100.4 degrees—is one sign that you may have a lung infection and your body is working to fight it off. With a fever, you may also experience chills or shaking. 2016;8(11):e896. This is rare yet significant, as it means that you're not getting enough oxygen in your bloodstream and should seek medical help immediately.. It is most serious for infants and young children, people older than age 65, … These conditions are typically caused by bacteria and viruses. COPD Foundation. Coughing due to constricted airways may be accompanied by pain in the chest, or noisy/difficult breathing. With any health related topic discussed on this site you should not rely on any information on this site as a substitute for professional medical diagnosis, treatment, advice, or as a substitute for, professional counseling care, advice, treatment, or diagnosis. Lower or upper respiratory infection into the tiny air sacs called alveoli empyema, and bacteria! Once pathogens lodge in the lungs through the air that we breathe may cause swelling the... Site offers information designed for entertainment & educational purposes only fever, a symptom called cyanosis from lungs... Care medicine, symptoms of lung infection influenza infection to be caused by fungi, but in general, it can experienced... 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