Chest pain may be accompanied by other signs and symptoms like coughing. The pain may be due to forceful or persistent coughing, or can occur independently of the coughing. Nevertheless it is important to identify if both chest pain and coughing are related and to isolate the possible causes of both. Chest pain with coughing is not always due to respiratory causes since certain gastrointestinal and cardiac (heart) conditions can cause chest pain and also trigger coughing.

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Flu Symptoms Last for About a Week

Main symptoms of all types of influenza (seasonal flu, swine flu – 2009 pandemic influenza H1N1, and bird flu – avian influenza H5N1), like fever, severe tiredness, runny nose and sore throat, usually last for 5-10 days. 

• The first symptom, fever, usually lasts for 1-2 days, sometimes up to 5 days (1). Note: Fever may be absent.
• Severe tiredness may be present in the first 3-4 days.
• When fever starts to drop, sore throat, dry cough, runny nose and headache appear or worsen and may last until 5th to 10th day of the disease.

If above symptoms do not cease in 7-10 days, you should visit your doctor to get an exact diagnosis and to check if eventual complications, like sinusitis or pneumonia have developed.

continue reading How Long Do Seasonal, Swine and Bird Flu Last For?

Seasonal, Swine and Bird Flu in Human

Types of influenza currently appearing in humans include:

• Seasonal influenza, also called annual influenza, conventional influenza, common flu or human flu
• Swine flu, also called novel flu (in Europe), or 2009 pandemic influenza A H1N1
• Bird flu or avian influenza

Table 1: Main characteristics of seasonal, swine and bird flu.

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Causes of Lung Chest Pain

The most common causes of pulmonary chest pain is a result of pathology within the lungs although conditions affecting the air passages may also cause chest pain. Lung chest pain may either be one side or affect both sides simultaneously and some of the common symptoms that occur along with the chest pain includes shortness of breath, abnormal breathing sounds and/or coughing.

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What Can Cause Pain Under the Left Ribs?

Pain under the left rib cage can arise from any organ in the left upper abdomen or chest, spine, or the left ribs themselves. In otherwise healthy people, spleen irritation and gas built in the colon are main causes of pain under the lower left ribs. Pain can be also psychological, for example from neurotic heart, but physical causes have to be excluded first.

Spleen Irritation

During or after running, walking or other physical activities, irritation of the spleen capsule can cause side pain under the lower left ribs. Pain usually goes away after some rest.

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Stridor and wheezing are two terms for different breathing sounds that are often used synonymously although there is a difference. Wheezing refers to the high-pitched or whistling sound, which is most prominent when breathing out (expiration). A wheeze is usually heard clearly upon auscultation (use of a stethoscope) although at times it may be audible, especially to the patient, without any need for a stethoscope. A stridor is also high pitched but ‘rough’ sound sometimes described as crowing. It  easily audible without the use of a stethoscope (auscultation) and while it is present when breathing in (inspiration) or out (expiration), it is usually more prominent on inspiration.

continue reading Causes of Stridor and Wheeze (Breathing Sounds)

Fluid in the lungs is a broad term to describe two possible conditions that may give characteristic symptoms, like a bubbling sound in the lungs (rales) when breathing. The fluid accumulation may be inside the lung (pulmonary edema) or outside the lung (pleural effusion), in the space between the lung and chest wall. The term “fluid in the lungs” is also used to refer to mucus inside the lungs. Mucus or phlegm is a thick, sticky secretion while “lung water” is a thin fluid. Other fluid accumulation may be the result of  blood or pus.

continue reading Fluid in the Lungs – Causes and Treatment

Definition of Chronic Cough

A cough is a forceful ‘push’ of exhaled air that is either done voluntarily or as a reflex action (involuntary). A chronic cough is usually considered to be any cough that is persisting for more than 3 months. It may be constant, where the patient coughs every few minutes or it can be episodic, where a patient goes into a bout of coughing and it then subsides. A chronic cough is usually persistent because the cause of the cough may be a chronic disorder or the patient is constantly exposed to the same factors that may trigger the cough.

continue reading Causes of Chronic Cough – Persistent, Constant Coughing

How Can the Blood Appear in the Mouth?

Blood, appearing in the mouth, can originate from the mouth, throat, nose, paranasal sinuses, voice box (larynx), windpipe (trachea), bronchi, lungs, gullet (esophagus) or stomach.

A person coughing up blood without knowing the exact cause should seek medical care promptly. Blood in the mouth may appear from banal reasons, like picking the nose or from life threatening diseases, like lung cancer.
continue reading Coughing and Spitting Up Blood or Bloody Mucus

Colors of Mucus  (Phlegm, Sputum)

Phlegm may be clear (white), yellow/green, brown, grey, black, pink, orange, containing red streaks, or frothy. 

Phlegm is mucus (sputum) coughed up from the chest. It reveals inflammation in the respiratory organs below the vocal cords (voice box, windpipe, bronchi and lungs). From the color and density of phlegm, and accompanying symptoms, its cause may be suspected.

continue reading Mucus: Causes of White, Yellow, Brown, Grey, Black Phlegm