Chest Cold Symptoms: How to Detect It?

Chest cold symptoms are not the same as common cold symptoms. Most people use the two terms interchangeably i.e. a chest cold is treated like a common cold, but the two are different.

A chest cold is a case of acute bronchitis. The condition leads to a cough, as it causes the airways in the lungs to swell and produce mucus. Chest cold symptoms are in fact exaggerated due to inflammation and irritation of the airways.

A chest cold generally follows a common cold as a secondary condition. The lungs are affected differently, making it distinct from a common cold.

Learn more about common cold: symptoms and how to treat.

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Common Chest Cold Symptoms

Chest cold symptoms include dry cough or cough that expels phlegm (Image via Pexels @Vlada Karpovich)

Chronic bronchitis can last for months, but acute bronchitis usually goes away on its own after about three weeks. Coughing, though, may linger longer than other symptoms.

Acute bronchitis frequently manifests with a persistent cough. Usually, it starts off dry. The cough, though, causes a great deal of mucus to be produced in the later stages.

Common chest cold symptoms include:

• Coughing and wheezing; a feeling of congestion in the chest
• A persistent hacking cough with phlegm that's either yellow or green (mucus)

Weakness, a sore throat, headache, and body aches can also accompany a chest cold. They can also be brought on by the constant need to cough.

Most chest colds resolve on their own within a week or so. If they persist longer, though, you should see a doctor. Common cold and cough symptoms can also be treated with OTC drugs.

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What can you do to alleviate Chest Cold Symptoms?

Plenty of rest and drinking fluids can generally help in relieving chest cold (Image via Pexels/Pavel Danilyuk)

Most chest cold symptoms resolve on their own without treatment. However, there're a few things you can do to hasten the process:

• Sleep that restores and rejuvenates
• Drinking plenty of fluids
• Using a humidifier and decongestants
• Drinking plenty of fluids
• Sucking on cough drops and lozenges
• Sipping tea sweetened with honey

Aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil), and acetaminophen (Tylenol) are all fever reducers that can help with the discomfort of a chest cold. However, you should consult with a doctor before taking these medicines. You should also not give these medicines to infants, as they can cause undesirable and serious side effects.

Research suggests that antibiotics do not play a role in alleviating symptoms of chest cold, but doctors have been known to prescribe them.

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Chest Cold: How is it Diagnosed?

OTC meds can help relieve symptoms of chest cold (Image via Pexels @Pavel Danilyuk)

People can usually know if it is a case of acute bronchitis, from common chest cold symptoms. The diagnosis is as follows:

A chest cold is usually diagnosed by a doctor after a thorough physical examination. A chest X-ray may be ordered if the patient has a high temperature, and the doctor suspects pneumonia, an infection of the lungs that needs to be treated in a different way.

In the elderly, those with compromised immune systems and preexisting lung conditions, a chest cold can quickly escalate into pneumonia. Other diagnostic methods that doctors may use to rule out other potential causes of a chest cold include:

• arterial blood gas analysis, which measures the levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood;
• pulse oximetry, which measures the level of oxygen in the blood;
• pulmonary function tests, which can assess the lungs' ability to move air;
• sputum cultures, which can help identify the microorganism causing the illness.

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Prevention

People who want to avoid catching a chest cold should practise good hand hygiene. Flu shots are recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Pneumonia is a complication of a chest cold that can be prevented with a pneumococcal vaccine. However, it's only recommended by doctors for select populations, such as those over the age of 65 and ones with preexisting conditions.

The best way to prevent a chest cold is to abstain from smoking and not being around people who do. If you're a smoker and experience any chest cold symptoms, you should consult a doctor right away.

Read more about how to get rid of a cold sore fast.