Cough

An abnormal chest scan means that the images show a finding that needs interpretation. It does not automatically mean cancer. Infection, scarring, fluid and lung nodules are among the possible explanations. Your doctor will review the report alongside your symptoms and previous scans, then decide whether you need treatment, repeat imaging, a CT scan or…

A lung nodule is a small area of tissue seen as a spot on a lung scan. Most small lung nodules are non-cancerous. Some need repeat scans or further investigation, depending on their size, appearance, whether they have changed and your medical history. Finding a nodule does not automatically mean you have lung cancer. The…

Lung cancer symptoms in women can include a persistent or changing cough, breathlessness, repeated chest infections, coughing up blood, chest or shoulder pain, unexplained weight loss and ongoing tiredness. The main warning signs are similar in women and men. Early lung cancer may cause no symptoms, and women who have never smoked can still develop…

Coughing up blood always needs to be assessed. That includes a single streak in your phlegm, and it includes times when you feel otherwise well. Common explanations include a chest infection or irritation from heavy coughing. Other causes can be more serious, and there is no reliable way to tell the difference at home. A…

Getting chest infections repeatedly is not bad luck or a weak constitution. Healthy lungs are very good at clearing the bacteria and viruses everybody breathes in daily. When infections keep taking hold, it usually means one of those defences is not working properly, and identifying which one is what breaks the cycle. Two or more…

Pneumonia is a type of chest infection, not a separate illness. Chest infection is the general term for an infection in the lungs or airways. Pneumonia is the more serious form, where the infection reaches the tiny air sacs deep in the lung rather than staying in the airways above them. So if your GP…

Persistent Cough: When to Investigate