May 26, 2012
Topics A-Z Infections Am I having pneumonia?
Am I having pneumonia? |
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Dear Ask The Doctor: Hi! I have severe chest pain on my sternum when I cough the cough also is sharp and can go on for as long as 1 half minuets and I had a temperature of over 40 degrees (c). I also had persisting symptoms such as sore throat, headaches and blocked ears. I also slept for 18 hours yesterday and still suffered severe fatigue and dizziness. Do I have Pneumonia? Dear Zali: You obviously have an upper respiratory tract infection. May I ask if those sharp chest pains are related to coughing? Or do they happen at random? Are you coughing out mucus? If so, what color? Most of your symptoms point to an upper respiratory infection; there should be a certain criteria fulfilled to diagnose pneumonia. A physical exam (respiratory rate, breath sounds) should be done before one can diagnose pneumonia clinically. You should see a doctor as soon as possible because you may need antibiotics. If it will take a while before you can see your doctor, you can take Paracetamol (Tylenol) or Ibuprofen (Advil) for the fever, drink lots of water and have more of citrus fruits and juices. I do hope I have answered your question and take care always. |
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| Last Updated ( Monday, 22 August 2011 ) |
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