For the past month, I've had this really bad chronic cough and congestion. If I had lung cancer, would they be able to tell? I don't think they would necessarily look for it as I am only 25.
2007-05-08 11:14:39 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Cancer
They are going to send your sputum for culture, gram stain and acid fast bacillus.
They are looking for bacteria which cause pneumonia or tuberculosis.
Very common tests and it takes about 4 days to grow something if you have an infection.
The gram stain can tell if you actually have bacteria in your lungs.
2007-05-08 17:10:41 · answer #1 · answered by happydawg 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are testing it for infection. This will tell them a. if there is one and b. what to use to treat it since you have had it so long. If you have no other symptoms I wouldn't worry. If the sputum is discoloured, i.e yellow, green or brown it will be infected....have a look and don't worry sounds like a chest infection.
2007-05-08 19:36:22 · answer #2 · answered by Katieg 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Probably testing for TB
2007-05-08 18:19:00 · answer #3 · answered by appsptspcl 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋