Is fever, chest tightness, and shortness of breath a new type of infection?
Sep 29, 2022
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Guo Xiheng
Introduction
Fever generally refers to an elevated body temperature. "New-type infection" usually means infection with the novel coronavirus. However, fever accompanied by chest tightness and shortness of breath is not necessarily caused by novel coronavirus infection. Chest tightness, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing can result from various conditions—not only novel coronavirus infection but also other diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), tuberculosis, heart failure, and diabetic ketoacidosis.
Fever generally refers to elevated body temperature. Novel infection usually means infection with the novel coronavirus. However, fever accompanied by chest tightness and shortness of breath is not necessarily caused by a novel coronavirus infection.
In fact, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing can be caused by various conditions other than novel coronavirus infection. Other potential causes include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), tuberculosis, heart failure, diabetic ketoacidosis, and more. Therefore, experiencing symptoms such as chest tightness and shortness of breath does not automatically mean one has contracted pneumonia due to novel coronavirus infection.
Since the novel coronavirus primarily affects the lungs, it commonly leads to symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest tightness, and chest pain. Severe cases may rapidly progress to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), resulting in decreased blood oxygen saturation and hypoxemia. However, there are usually some early warning signs, such as fatigue, reduced appetite, mild cough, or a slight low-grade fever. If a patient suddenly develops chest tightness and coughing, clinicians should consider other acute conditions such as pulmonary embolism or pneumothorax, which can cause abrupt onset of respiratory symptoms. Therefore, diagnosis of novel coronavirus infection relies primarily on epidemiological history and must integrate clinical symptoms with findings from chest CT scans, complete blood counts, and nucleic acid testing for the novel coronavirus.
