Asthma and a chest infection

Infections may be viral or bacterial, and asthma symptoms can worsen even when antibiotics are not appropriate. Continue prescribed asthma care, monitor your breathing closely and arrange an assessment if symptoms depart from your usual pattern.

A chest infection may cause a wetter cough, phlegm, fever, chills, fatigue or discomfort when coughing. Asthma more characteristically causes variable wheeze, chest tightness, breathlessness and cough. Both can be present at once.

Mucus and airway swelling can reduce airflow and make a reliever seem less effective or wear off sooner. During an examination, a clinician can assess breathing effort, oxygen level, temperature and chest sounds, then decide whether further tests or treatment are needed.

Use your preventer and reliever medicines according to your prescription and written asthma action plan. Check that your inhaler and spacer technique are correct. Rest, take regular fluids and stay away from smoke and aerosol irritants.

Contact a GP promptly if you are using the reliever more than your plan allows, waking because of breathing, having persistent fever, feeling increasingly unwell, or producing blood-stained phlegm. Do not take leftover antibiotics or someone else’s medicine.

Call local emergency services for severe breathing difficulty, inability to complete sentences, blue or grey colouring around the lips, confusion, collapse, extreme drowsiness, or worsening symptoms despite following the emergency steps in your asthma plan.

Sudden chest pain, coughing up more than streaks of blood, or breathlessness at rest also warrants urgent assessment. Stay upright if that makes breathing easier and have someone remain with you while help is arranged.

Ask whether the findings suggest an infection, an asthma flare or both; whether any asthma medicines need a temporary adjustment; and how to recognise recovery. Tell the clinician about fever, phlegm colour, chest pain, night symptoms and every medicine already taken.