Q. Are cough and chest congestion the symptoms of pneumonia?
Hello doctor,I am having cough and chest congestion for the last three days. Also getting a mild fever again and again. I also have a chest X-ray done today only. Please suggest is it pneumonia and if yes how severe is it?
Hello. Your chest x-ray appears normal. There is no pneumonia. What you have is an upper respiratory tract infection (URTI), mostly caused by viruses. This is a self-limited disease and usually clears up within seven days on its own. Sometimes, cough can persist a while longer and is called post-viral cough. Antibiotics are useless against viruses. They should only be used against bacterial infections. Viruses cause the vast majority of URTIs. These infections spread through the air (when you cough or sneeze) or through contact. They are not transmitted through food. Treatment for viral URTI is symptomatic. Fever medicines like Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, or Naproxen can be used. Nasal decongestants for the congested nose. If cough persists beyond a week, then a corticosteroid inhaler can help.