

An Yong Peng

About me
Graduated from Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology in 2005, majoring in Clinical Medicine. Currently working in the field of Respiratory Medicine. Later obtained a Master's degree in Medicine.
Proficient in diseases
Diagnosis and treatment of diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, respiratory tract infections, and lung cancer.

Voices

Can people with bronchial asthma eat crab?
Patients with bronchial asthma are not absolutely prohibited from eating crabs, but they should be cautious when doing so. Those with bronchial asthma might be allergic to certain foods, potentially triggering an acute asthma attack, or even severe asthma due to food allergies, which could be life-threatening. Seafood is one of the most common triggers for such allergies. Therefore, it is generally advised for patients with bronchial asthma to avoid seafood. Additionally, foods like fish, shrimp, and crabs can also cause allergies. Thus, patients with bronchial asthma need to be cautious when eating crabs, especially if they have never eaten them before. If they do eat crabs, it should be tried in small amounts. If symptoms such as rash, itchy skin, coughing or chest tightness occur during the consumption of crabs, they should immediately stop eating and, if necessary, appropriate medication should be administered.

What are the symptoms of pleurisy?
Common symptoms of pleurisy include chest pain, which often worsens with deep breathing. This condition is also called pleuritic chest pain. It is important to note that the presence of such chest pain does not necessarily indicate pleurisy; it could also be due to pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, or even rib fractures. Patients with pleurisy may also experience a sensation of chest tightness, especially when there is a significant amount of pleural effusion. Furthermore, severe chest pain caused by pleurisy may lead to patients avoiding deep breaths, which can also result in symptoms of chest tightness. Fever is another common symptom in patients with pleurisy, and the severity of fever can vary depending on the infection causing the pleurisy. For example, tuberculous pleurisy, caused by tuberculosis infection, often results in a low-grade fever in the afternoon, but high fevers can also occur. In the case of purulent pleurisy, which is usually due to a bacterial infection leading to pus formation in the pleural cavity, high fevers are common.

What should I do if I have a cold and a sore throat?
In cases of colds with sore throats, appropriate measures should be taken based on the specific condition. A cold with a sore throat may be caused by a viral infection. For viral colds, there are usually no specific treatments, and symptomatic pain relief treatment is often needed, along with adequate hydration and proper intake of fruits and other related measures. Additionally, a sore throat from a cold could also be a bacterial infection, such as acute purulent tonsillitis, which is a type of bacterial cold. Patients with acute purulent tonsillitis often experience significant throat pain, swollen tonsils with purulent secretions on the surface, and may also have a fever. For acute purulent tonsillitis, not only is symptomatic treatment necessary, but also the use of sensitive antibiotics is required.

Can pulmonary embolism cause bloating and abdominal distension?
Pulmonary embolism can, in rare cases, cause bloating and abdominal distension. The primary clinical manifestations of pulmonary embolism are chest tightness and difficulty breathing. Severe pulmonary embolism can also lead to a drop in blood pressure and sometimes may even cause the patient to faint. However, it is important to note that in severe cases of pulmonary embolism, patients may also experience abdominal distension. Patients with pulmonary embolism might also have acute pulmonary heart disease, which could include symptoms of gastrointestinal congestion. In such cases, patients may experience abdominal bloating. Additionally, there is a special condition known as chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension, where patients may experience chronic pulmonary heart disease and chronic hypoxia, which can also lead to abdominal distension.

How many days of IV treatment are required for acute bronchitis?
Acute bronchitis is mostly caused by viral infections, and there is generally no specific medication for it. Therefore, patients with acute bronchitis usually do not need IV therapy. However, if a patient with acute bronchitis also has significant gastrointestinal symptoms, poor appetite, or even drinks less water, IV therapy is needed. The purpose of IV therapy is not to treat the virus but to hydrate the patient and prevent dehydration. Of course, when a patient with acute bronchitis has purulent sputum, it indicates a bacterial infection. In this case, IV therapy can be considered. The usual treatment duration for acute bacterial bronchitis is 5-7 days, but this must also take into account the patient's specific conditions and results of tests like the complete blood count, and cannot be generalized.

Is coughing severe in the early stages of lung cancer?
Patients with lung cancer in the early stages may experience severe coughing, mild coughing, or no coughing symptoms at all. Many early-stage lung cancer patients have lesions located near the periphery of the lungs that do not involve the airways or other significant structures, typically resulting in no clinical symptoms. By the time clinical symptoms appear, the patient may already be in the middle or late stages of lung cancer. Additionally, it is important to note that some patients with early-stage lung cancer may also experience coughing, which can range from severe to mild, and may include coughing up blood. Such symptoms are often seen in early-stage central lung cancer, which frequently presents with cough and blood in the sputum. Therefore, older patients with a long history of smoking who suddenly develop a cough or start coughing up blood should be highly vigilant and likely need to undergo chest CT scans, bronchoscopy, and other related examinations for evaluation.

What is the difference between a hot cold and a cool cold?
Cold from the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine is classified into two types: Wind-Heat Cold and Wind-Cold Cold. A Wind-Heat Cold may present symptoms such as coughing, coughing up yellow phlegm, yellow nasal discharge, sore throat, and fever. In contrast, a Wind-Cold Cold typically manifests as clear nasal discharge, dry cough or coughing up white phlegm, along with aversion to cold, headache, muscle soreness, and possibly a mild fever. Clinically, Wind-Cold Cold and Wind-Heat Cold are distinct and should be diagnosed under the guidance of a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner who can prescribe specific herbal treatments based on the patient’s symptoms. From a Western medicine perspective, symptomatic treatment is generally recommended. However, it is crucial to assess if the patient exhibits symptoms such as purulent phlegm, high fever, or persistently unimproved cold symptoms, which may indicate the need for a hospital visit to investigate potential bacterial infections that might require antimicrobial treatments.

Can you eat taro with acute bronchitis?
Patients with acute bronchitis can appropriately eat taro, but it is recommended that they avoid spicy, greasy, and cold foods; however, eating taro is still acceptable. Patients with acute bronchitis should also avoid drinking alcohol, coffee, strong tea, and smoking. Additionally, they should avoid excessive fatigue, staying up late, and other similar situations. For acute bronchitis patients, it's important to provide symptomatic cough treatment and monitor their condition. Although some acute bronchitis cases are caused by viral infections, and most patients have viral infections, these patients do not necessarily require antibiotic treatment. However, if a patient has conspicuous purulent sputum, it could be an indication of bacterial bronchitis, or even a possible complication with pneumonia, and these conditions require active investigation and might need anti-infection treatment.

What should you not eat when you have a cold?
When you have a cold, you should avoid eating spicy, overly greasy, and cold food. These foods may worsan coughing symptoms and can also irritate the gastrointestinal tract. Generally, they are detrimental to the patient's condition. For a cold, it is recommended to have a light diet and eat some fruit appropriately, as well as drink plenty of plain water. Additionally, patients can consume some protein-rich foods, such as lean meat and eggs. Cold is usually a self-limiting illness and often does not require special treatment. Sometimes, just by making the dietary adjustments mentioned, the patient's condition may gradually improve. However, it is important to note that if the symptoms of the cold are severe, appropriate symptomatic treatment is necessary. Also, a minority of cold patients may develop complications such as pneumonia. Therefore, if cold symptoms persist, it is necessary to seek medical consultation to investigate the cause and receive appropriate management.

Does lung cancer cause a dry cough and a feeling of stuffiness?
Lung cancer can present symptoms of chest tightness along with dry cough, or it may simply manifest as dry cough alone. Some early-stage lung cancers might only involve dry cough without other symptoms like chest tightness or breathing difficulties. However, for patients with advanced lung cancer, in addition to dry cough, symptoms may include chest tightness and breathing difficulties. Advanced lung cancer can compress the patient's major airways, leading to narrowing of these airways, and thus cause symptoms such as dry cough and chest tightness. In advanced stages, lung cancer may also be accompanied by a significant accumulation of pleural effusion. In such cases, patients might experience chest tightness and breathing difficulties along with dry cough. Therefore, lung cancer can either solely manifest as dry cough or may also be accompanied by symptoms of chest tightness, particularly in advanced stages, where it is relatively common to have chest tightness along with dry cough.