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Chest infection symptoms: how long it lasts and when to see a GP in Ireland

The cough has dropped into your chest and the tissue is yellow. Here is how long a chest infection usually lasts, and when to see a GP in Ireland.

The tissue is already damp. The cough has dropped from your throat into your chest, and the mucus is yellow. You still have the school run, or a meeting you cannot skip. That is usually when people search chest infection symptoms and hope it is still a cold.

A chest infection is an infection of the lungs or the airways (bronchitis). It often follows a cold or flu. Some stay mild and clear on their own. Others can be severe and life-threatening. A blocked nose with a tickly cough still belongs on cough or cold in Ireland. A wheezy baby may have RSV symptoms. Sudden high fever and whole-body aches fit influenza symptoms in Ireland.

Not for emergencies. Call 112 or 999.

Book an appointment if you can talk in full sentences and you want a GP. How it works, services, and pricing show the steps and the live fee.

Chest infection symptoms

The HSE lists these chest infection symptoms:

  • A chesty or wet cough, coughing up green or yellow mucus
  • Wheezing and shortness of breath
  • A high temperature of 38°C or above
  • Headache
  • Aching muscles
  • Tiredness

A dry cough with a runny nose and a sore throat is often still a cold. Green mucus on its own does not prove the infection sits deep in the lung. A sore throat on its own has a separate page: sore throat in Ireland.

The HSE says that if your symptoms are severe, you may have pneumonia. That is an infection deeper in the lung. Read HSE: chest infection. That page was reviewed on 28 February 2026.

How long a chest infection lasts

Most people feel better in about 7 to 10 days. The cough and the mucus can last for up to 3 weeks.

If you can breathe comfortably, the HSE home steps are reasonable:

  • Get plenty of rest.
  • Drink water. It loosens mucus and makes it easier to cough up.
  • Use extra pillows so your head is raised while you sleep.
  • A hot lemon and honey drink can ease a sore throat that came with the cough. Do not give honey to a baby under 1.
  • Do not let a child breathe steam from a bowl of hot water. The water can scald.
  • Do not smoke. Smoking can make the symptoms worse.

A painkiller can bring a fever down and ease a headache or muscle ache, if the packet says it suits you. Check the age on the packet before you give one to a child.

Many chest infections are caused by a virus and clear with rest. Your GP can help you tell a viral infection apart from a bacterial one. If you need follow-up care, your GP will advise you on next steps. Paying for the visit does not buy treatment.

Contact a GP if you have a chest infection and you:

  • Feel very unwell, or your symptoms get worse
  • Cough up blood or blood-stained mucus
  • Have a cough for more than 3 weeks
  • Are pregnant
  • Are 65 or older
  • Have a weak immune system, for example diabetes, or treatment that lowers immunity
  • Have a long-term heart or lung condition

Is a chest infection contagious?

Yes. You can pass a chest infection on to other people while you are coughing and while you still have a fever.

The HSE steps for not passing it on are plain:

  • Wash your hands often with warm water and soap.
  • Cough into your elbow.
  • Use a tissue when you cough or sneeze, then bin it quickly.
  • Wait until your temperature has been under 38°C for at least 24 hours before you spend time close to other people.
  • Stay away from newborn babies, older people, and anyone with a weak immune system until the cough has gone completely.

Red flags: call 112 or 999

Do not wait on a video link for these. Call 112 or 999, or go to the nearest emergency department.

  • You cannot finish a sentence because breathing is so hard
  • Lips look blue or grey
  • Severe crushing chest pain
  • You are coughing up more than a streak of blood
  • New confusion, or you cannot wake the person
  • Collapse

Blood-stained mucus, without those signs, is a same-day GP problem. A wider list of emergency signs is on GP or emergency department in Ireland.

When a phone or video visit can fit

Book a phone or video visit if you can talk in full sentences, you are drinking, and none of those red flags are present. Same-day slots appear when a GP is free. They are not promised every hour.

A video call cannot replace listening to your chest, or a check of the oxygen in your blood. The GP may still want you seen in person.

If work wants a note, that is a separate assessment. A certificate is issued only when the GP decides it is clinically appropriate. The nationwide guide is sick cert online in Ireland. Some employer forms may still need your registered GP.

Weekday online visits are usually €35.99, during 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Ireland time. Evenings (6:00 PM to 8:00 PM) are usually €40.00. Weekends (8:00 AM to 8:00 PM) are usually €40.00. Check pricing before you pay. Pick Online Consultation on the booking screen.

Chest infection symptoms that should not wait

If the cough is worse, the fever is climbing, or you are short of breath while resting, book a phone or video appointment with an IMC-registered GP. Do that the same day if you are pregnant, you are 65 or older, or you already have a heart or lung condition.

WhatsApp +353 899805438, email [bookmydoc.ie@gmail.com](mailto:bookmydoc.ie@gmail.com), or the contact page. Facebook is bookmydoc.ireland.

Frequently asked questions

What are chest infection symptoms?

A chesty cough with green or yellow mucus, wheezing, shortness of breath, a fever of 38°C or above, headache, aching muscles, and tiredness. Severe symptoms can be pneumonia, an infection deeper in the lung.

How long does a chest infection last?

Most people are better in about 7 to 10 days. The cough and the mucus can last for up to 3 weeks. See a GP if you are getting worse, or the cough has lasted more than 3 weeks.

Is a chest infection contagious?

Yes, while you are coughing and while you have a fever. Wash your hands, cough into your elbow, and bin tissues. Wait until your temperature has been under 38°C for 24 hours before close contact, and avoid newborns, older people, and anyone with a weak immune system until the cough has gone.

When should I see a GP for a chest infection?

See a GP if you are very unwell, symptoms are worsening, you cough up blood, you are pregnant, you are 65 or older, your immune system is weak, or you have a long-term heart or lung condition. Call 112 or 999 if you cannot finish a sentence, your lips are blue or grey, or you have severe crushing chest pain.

Related reading

This article is general information for patients in Ireland. It isn't personal medical advice. For urgent or life-threatening symptoms, contact emergency services or the nearest emergency department. Keep your registered GP for ongoing care.