Bacterial or viral traceitis? What's the treatment?

[Duchess47]

Every few months for the past year or so , I get what has been diagnosed as traceitis.  Depending on whom I see as far as medical personnel, I receive different treatment.  From what I have read about this illness, I should have been given a throat culture and xray and had my oxygen level checked.  I have had none of these from my doctor.  My symptoms this latest bout are as follows:  fever 102, cough with some phlegm, chest tightness, lungs clear, laryngitis.  My fever is gone, but the dry cough remains with some phlegm.  I'm nervous that this will suddenly become worse and I will not be able to breath. What treatment should I be receiving?  How can the docs. tell if this is bacterial or viral?  What type of doctor should I see?  I am a 49 year old female.  Also, why do I get this every few months?

[poolnoni]

I think you would be wise to wait not more than a week and then go to another doctor if it does not clear up. Some doctors are just to wishy-washy. So find one that's not.Good luck.

[Duchess47]

A trip to my ENT confirmed post upper respirtory infection.  Doctor thinks it is viral and at the end of its course. He doesn't think antibiotics will work for this and says I am not old enough or in bad enough condiiton for steroids, so just wait it out.  He doesn't know why I keep getting sick.  How comforting to know that I went to the doctor to find out why I keep getting sick and that's all he could say to me!!!!!!  I am having bone scan and CTSCAN on neck next week per my neurologist.  "Something" of concern showed up on MRI of neck that needs to checked out.  Maybe this test will answer some of my questions.

[poolnoni]

You should definitely go to a specialist and have this checked out.Please don't wait. There are a lot of nasty stuff in our environment that seems to be getting down into our lungs and staying there. The sooner you are diagnosed and treated the better you will be. Please let us know what your outcome was.

[Duchess47]

Regarding the answer to my post above was, does anyone know if an external injury to the neck can cause these problems?

[National Jewish]

Your symptoms sound like a recurrent infection of the lungs.  Increased, infected mucous can act as an irritant to your larynx and cause laryngitis.  There are many reasons for recurrent infection including, but not limited to, chronic bronchitis, bronchiectasis, a foreign body, cystic fibrosis, a tumor partially blocking your airways, recurrent exposure to an irritant, etc.  You are right to be concerned because any infection could suddenly get much worse.

You should ask your doctor if you need to see a pulmonary specialist.  Evaluation should include a blood count, sputum examination with cultures and a chest X-ray.