I have right basal pneumonia, then why is my left side hurting so much?

Question

Hi doctor,

I have right basal pneumonia. But my left side has pain. While having a cough and taking deep breaths, there is increased pain. I have started taking antibiotics. How long will it take to have some relief?

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I have gone through your symptoms. You are having pneumonia on the right side. Pneumonia occurs due to inflammation of the lung parenchyma. The symptoms are fever, cough with expectoration, and breathlessness. Sometimes, it can cause pleural effusion (fluid accumulation between the lung covering) and pleurisy (inflammation of lung covering). While having an inflammation of the lung covering, there is a sharp pain in taking deep breaths and coughs.

There is a possibility for you to have pleurisy. It is a part of early infection affecting the left side of the lungs. It can occur due to bacteria or viruses. I suggest you continue taking antibiotics in proper doses and duration. You need to watch for symptoms like fever, breathing difficulty, increased pulse rate, and heart rate. If this happens, you need to consult your nearby physician immediately. For pain, you can take Paracetamol 650 mg twice or thrice a day after food. You can also take Ibuprofen if you are not allergic to it.