[37F] With moderate cough and shortness of breath

What might be happening

Based on the information you've provided, possible diagnoses include:

• Bronchitis: This is an inflammation of the bronchial tubes, the airways that carry air to your lungs. It causes a cough that often brings up mucus, as well as shortness of breath, wheezing, and chest tightness. Your history of reactive airway disease could make you more susceptible to bronchitis.

  • Treatment typically involves rest, fluids, and over-the-counter cough remedies. If your doctor suspects a bacterial infection, they may prescribe antibiotics.

• Pneumonia: This is an infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs, which may fill with fluid or pus, causing cough with phlegm or pus, fever, chills, and difficulty breathing. The color of your mucus and your shortness of breath could be indicative of pneumonia.

  • Treatment typically involves antibiotics, fever reducers, and cough medicine. It's important to get plenty of rest and stay hydrated.

• Asthma exacerbation: Given your history of reactive airway disease, an asthma exacerbation could be causing your symptoms. This is when the symptoms of asthma, such as coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath, become worse.

  • Treatment typically involves the use of rescue inhalers to quickly open swollen airways that are limiting breathing. In some cases, asthma is categorized as an emergency.

What you can do

You should seek medical attention as soon as possible. In the meantime, here are some things you can do to help manage your symptoms:

1. Rest and hydrate: Make sure you're getting plenty of sleep and drinking lots of fluids.
2. Over-the-counter remedies: Over-the-counter cough suppressants can help manage your cough.
3. Avoid triggers: If you know certain things trigger your reactive airway disease, try to avoid them.

What you should look out for

Please seek immediate medical attention if you experience any of the following:

• Difficulty breathing that's becoming increasingly worse
• Chest pain
• High fever
• Coughing up blood

Remember, I'm an AI and this advice is based on the information you've provided. It's always best to consult with a healthcare professional for an accurate diagnosis and treatment.