I took my daughter to the doctors today who was complaining of having a hard time breathing and a sore throat. The doctor tested for strep throat and it was negitive so her tonsils are swollen and she just needs a little rest. I asked the doctor about her complaining and saying it feels like theres something heavy on her chest keeping her from breathing the doctor told me that he breathing sounded good so theres nothing to worry about. Should i worry? She gets weak and short breathed going up the stairs and they are not really that big of stairs any ideas? And shes not running a fever,she is 15.
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Can a doctor tell if theres anything wrong with your chest by just listening to your breathing?
(3 posts)-
Posted 2 years ago #
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Anytime that your doctor doesn't provide an answer that suits your needs or your child's, you should always feel free to seek a second opinion.
Yes, a doctor can tell if there something wrong with your chest by listening to you breathe. But he must have all the facts regarding the situation in order to make a proper diagnosis and to recommend a course of treatment.
That being said, I would ask: Is there a history of asthma? Allergies? How long has this been going on? Is she getting short of breath to the point that she feels panicked?
If there is a history of asthma, the doctor would have been listening for wheezes and crackles. He would have taken action almost certainly if these had been present.
If there is a history of allergies, consider the recent weather, changes to environment and/or medicines. If any of these prompt a "yes" answer, make sure the doctor is aware.
If her distressed breathing causes or threatens a panic or anxiety attack, make sure the doctor is aware. In this instance, if he does nothing to provide assurance, I would definitely seek the advice of another doctor. In this situation, a pulmonologist, an ear nose and throat specialist (ENT) or possibly a therapist. I suggest the therapist because it could be that a reaction to a certain situation is causing the distress. A therapist can help get to the root of the problem.
You can also help your daughter the most by making sure you have all the pertinent facts from her before you get yourself, or her, too worried over the situation.
Good luck.
Posted 2 years ago # -
The doctor can detect many problems with the lungs by listening to the breathing, and a stethoscope catches most respiratory problems that affect breathing. There are probably occasions where a person might have pneumonia or some other respiratory infection with no unusual sounds heard through a stethoscope, but as a rule, most lower respiratory infections cause some sort of sound that is not easily missed or misinterpreted.
Even though the doc did not hear anything unusual in the lungs, it may still be possible that your daughter could have pneumonia. Its a little unusual to have pneumonia without a cough and no diagnostic breathing sounds, but sometimes pneumonia doesn't cause many symptoms. It might be worthwhile giving her 4-5 more days to see if there is any improvement, and if not, or if things get worse, you could call the docs office and ask the doc if it makes sense to get her tested for pneumonia.
Posted 2 years ago #
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