The most common symptoms of bronchiectasis is a cough, which affects around 9 out of 10 people with bronchiectasis.
In three out of four cases the cough will bring up sputum (phlegm), which can be clear, pale yellow or yellow-greenish in colour.
In the remaining cases the cough may only occasionally bring up sputum, or bring up no sputum at all.
Other symptoms include:
- shortness of breath
- coughing up blood or blood-stained sputum
- chest pain
Infection
If you contract a lung infection then your symptoms will usually get worse. This is known as an infective exacerbation and could mean that:
- You cough up even more sputum and often the sputum has an unpleasant smell.
- Your shortness of breath worsens.
You may also experience additional symptoms, such as:
- feeling very tired
- coughing up blood – if you had not already done so
- a sharp chest pain that is made worse when breathing – this is known as pleurisy
- a general sense of feeling unwell
When to seek medical advice
If you haven’t previously been diagnosed with bronchiectasis and you begin to experience a persistent and unexplained cough, visit your GP for advice.
While persistent coughing may not necessarily be the result of bronchiectasis, it will require further investigation.
If you have been previously diagnosed with bronchiectasis and you begin to experience symptoms that suggest you have contracted a lung infection, such as worsening of your present symptoms or coughing up foul-smelling sputum, contact your GP.
This is because it’s likely that you will require treatment with antibiotics (although some people with bronchiectasis are given a stock of antibiotics as a precaution in case they suddenly develop a lung infection).
When to seek immediate medical advice
Some people with bronchiectasis develop a severe lung infection that may need to be treated in hospital.
Signs and symptoms of serious lung infection include:
- Your skin takes on a bluish tinge due to lack of oxygen – this is known as cyanosis.
- You (or someone in your care) are mentally confused.
- You have a high temperature of or above 38C (100.4F).
- You are breathing rapidly, with more than 25 breaths a minute.
- You have severe chest pains that are making it too painful to cough and to clear any mucus out of your lungs.
If you experience any of the above, phone the healthcare professional in charge of your care for advice immediately. This may be your GP, a doctor who specialises in lung conditions (pulmonologist) or a specialist nurse.
If this isn’t possible then phone NHS Direct on 0845 46 47 or your local out-of-hours service.