Often, chest infections are self-limiting and dont require medical treatment.
However, its possible for an infection to become severe.
While tuberculosis is common worldwide, its not as common in the United States.
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Risk factors include:
Most people who develop acute bronchitis dont need medical intervention.
Mycoplasma pneumonia, orwalking pneumonia, is the mildest form of this throw in of infection.
It often presents similarly to the common cold.
Irritants also cancause acute bronchitis.Pneumonia has many different potential causes.
Diagnosis
Healthcare providers will perform a physical exam and take a medical history todiagnose bronchitis.
Your healthcare provider may order a chest X-ray tocheck for pneumonia.
A sputum culture can help determine whether the infection is bacterial or viral.
Treatment
Most chest infections, including bronchitis, dont produce complications.
If bronchitis occurs because of a virus, antibiotics wont help fight the infection.
Healthcare providers may use antibiotics to treat a bacterial infection that has developed into pneumonia.
Viral pneumonia typically clears up on its own in an otherwise healthy person.
Treatment for TBdepends on whether the infection is active or latent.
If the infection is active, treatment involves taking antibacterial medications for up to a year.
Its crucial to take the whole course of medication to prevent treatment-resistant TB.
A Word From Verywell
Weve all dealt with the common cold at some point.
Even a mild cold can drag a person down for days.
Most people get over a cold without issue.
Sometimes people with chest infections require medical treatment.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Acute bronchitis.
Penn Medicine.Could it be pneumonia?
American Lung Association.Tuberculosis symptoms and diagnosis.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Chest cold (acute bronchitis).
American Lung Association.Pneumonia treatment and recovery.
