I have smoked for about 12 years(i'm 27) and lately i have had chest congestion and coughing up yellow stuff, i have been short of breath and now tonight it hurts when i breathe. I know I know, duh, quit smoking and problem solved. Well it isn't that easy. So could this be pnemonia? I think i'm too young and have'nt been smoking enough or too long to have emphysema. I only smoke about 8 cigs Any insight anyone?
2006-11-18 17:22:19 · 17 answers · asked by ? 4 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Respiratory Diseases
Thats 8 cigarettes a day btw.
2006-11-18 17:24:23 · update #1
Huh? nan4141?? speak english
2006-11-18 17:28:41 · update #2
Smoking hasn't helped the situation, but usually yellow sputum is a sign of infection, green is a sign of bronchitis. Shortness of breath and chest pain are typical symptoms of both. Is it pneumonia?? Only a chest x-ray can diagnose that. Patients with pneumonia and bronchitis complain of both of those symptoms so you need to see a doctor for a definative diagnosis and effective antibiotic treatment. I know it's hard, but try to cut back on the smoking even if you are only smoking 8 a day. Emphysema is characterized by shortness of breath all the time, not necessarily yellow sputum, but like the other person answering said, anyone can get it, even by 2nd hand smoke. It is also characterized by a "barrel" shaped chest. Use a cool mist humidifier in your room to ease breathing and it will help loosen the congestion so you can cough it up easier. Use an expectorant cough syrup to also loosen congestion. Drink plenty of fluids to thin the secretions and ease getting it up. I hope you feel better soon.
2006-11-18 17:37:06 · answer #1 · answered by backyardbonfire 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It sounds as though you have a chest infection and if you don't see a doctor and get some antibiotics it could develop into pneumonia. I had the same symptoms a few weeks ago in India and ended up sick due to the pollution...not because I smoked too many cigs
2006-11-19 01:51:47 · answer #2 · answered by Dali 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's definitely lung problem. It can be pneumonia or worst Bronchitis.
If you didn't get this from smoking 8 cigs a day, you might have gotten this somewhere.
Smoking can just aggravate the problem or slow the recovery. Help yourself by stoping smoking for a while.
Take dozes of Vitamin C. To go against further infection.
Best of all seek doctor's advise. Have your spit checked in the lab.
2006-11-19 01:33:59 · answer #3 · answered by Dave S 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
get it checked, you are never too young. my aunt had emphysema when she was 25, and not a real heavy smoker. could be pneumonia, which should also be checked. i know it's hard to quit-i smoked for 11 years, just up & quit cold turkey. lost my grandma, aunt, soon my other aunt(the one who had emphysema at 25) to lung cancer- and now my husband has cancer-not lung but just as well. that and knowing that i didn't want to leave my kids without a mom for cigarettes. gets easier day by day. sometimes i think i'm gonna break down & buy some,but then i step back for a minute, look at my little boys & it puts everything into perspective. I hope everythings ok & good luck when you decide to quit!
2006-11-19 01:30:54 · answer #4 · answered by stazia81 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You are smoking enough to cause emphysema. And there's no such thing as too young. Cigarettes are extremely poisonous, containing 43 known carcinogens among a staggering amount of other chemical additives. I know quitting is difficult, but it's not impossible. And your life isn't worth a smoke.
See source for full list chemical additives in cigarettes.
2006-11-19 01:29:48 · answer #5 · answered by Fen 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes it could be something like pneumonia but being short of breath and having chest pain means you need to see the doc ASAP. Shortness of breath and chest pain should not be ignored. You are never to young to have problems related to smoking but right now you have something serious going on so go to your urgent care or ER and get this checked out.
2006-11-19 01:30:01 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
First, I would go see a doctor, if you don't have one go to a walk in clinic, if one is not nearby go to an emergency room. Second, consult that doctor about quiting. This could be something anywhere from a cold to something worse like heart related or a chronic breathing issue, like emphysema. Chest pain and breathing difficulty are two of the most common symptoms of cardiac issues and chronic respiratory diseases. PLEASE go see someone.
2006-11-19 01:38:01 · answer #7 · answered by dallesasses 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You could be getting a chest cold. The tobacco smoke can discolor mucus and make it yellow looking. The best thing you can do is quit though. I smoked for about 12 years too and quitting was hard but well worth it. Suck it up and do it.
2006-11-19 01:30:58 · answer #8 · answered by sevendustfan2000 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
What happens when you smoke,
there are little things in your throat called mircovili, normally they all move in a wave to propel mucous out of your lungs and down into your stomach, when you smoke they stop working which mean excess mucous is sent into your lungs, in the mucous is trapped all sorts of infectious organisms that your body would otherwise naturally get rid of or tolerate in the stomach. Your lungs can't take them, you feel pain because there is a infection, you cough up mucous, (yellow stuff) because it is not supposed to be there in the quantity that you have.
Suggestions, quitting smoking is #1, but if you can't drink lots of water, it should help the mucous go down into your stomach.
2006-11-19 01:30:45 · answer #9 · answered by Timothy C 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It sounds like you might have pneumonia. Here is a great website on it. It tells about the different kinds and the symptoms. Make sure you see a doctor regardless though so that you can be treated properly for whatever you do have. Good luck and try to quit the smoking :)
http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/mosby_factsheets/Pneumonia.html
2006-11-19 01:28:08 · answer #10 · answered by M. O 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋