Babies and infants may not show any signs of infection. If symptoms do appear, they may include:. According to the American Lung Association ALS , older adults are more likely to experience fewer and milder symptoms of pneumonia compared with people in younger age groups. However, older adults are at increased risk of developing a sudden change in mental awareness as a result of pneumonia. Pneumonia, the common cold , and the flu are different respiratory conditions.
The table below outlines the similarities and differences in symptoms among these three conditions. There are several steps a person can take to help their body heal from pneumonia. Examples include:. Learn more about home remedies for pneumonia here. Doctors will prescribe antibiotics for people with bacterial pneumonia. A doctor may ask a person to come back within 2 days to assess the treatment and to make sure that people do not require hospitalization.
A doctor may also suggest that a person does the following to reduce their risk of bacterial pneumonia in the future:. A doctor may prescribe antiviral medication for viral pneumonia.
However, many people will recover simply by resting and managing their symptoms at home. If a person has both viral and bacterial pneumonia, their doctor may also prescribe antibiotics. If a person has fungal pneumonia, a doctor may prescribe a course of oral or intravenous therapy.
This may consist of an antifungal treatment along with possibly glucocorticoids to reduce lung inflammation. Some people may require mechanical ventilation to help them breathe. According to the ALS , some people experience symptom improvement within 1 week, while others may experience symptom improvement after a month or more.
In either case, symptoms of tiredness and lethargy may continue for another month or so. It is important to follow treatment recommendations from a doctor.
Doing so will reduce the risk of complications. Possible complications of pneumonia include :. It is important to contact a doctor if a person believes that they or a member of their family is experiencing symptoms of pneumonia. While some people may be able to recover at home without medical assistance, others may need medication or hospitalization. People should seek immediate medical attention if they experience any of the following symptoms:. Pneumonia refers to inflammation of one or both lungs.
The condition can develop as a result of a bacterial, viral, or fungal infection of the lungs. Possible symptoms include cough, shortness of breath, and fever or chills. For people who are otherwise healthy, pneumonia symptoms may begin to improve within a month or so. Some people recover at home simply by resting and using over-the-counter medications. Others may require medical treatment or hospitalization. A person should see their doctor if they experience symptoms of pneumonia.
Fast breathing and feeling short of breath. Chest pain that often feels worse when you cough or breathe in. Fast heartbeat. Feeling very tired or very weak. How is pneumonia diagnosed? How is it treated? How can you prevent pneumonia? Health Tools Health Tools help you make wise health decisions or take action to improve your health.
Actionsets are designed to help people take an active role in managing a health condition. Cause Viruses, bacteria, a fungus, or in rare cases parasites or other organisms can cause pneumonia.
In most cases, the specific organism such as bacteria or virus cannot be identified even with testing. Many types of bacteria may cause pneumonia. Pneumonia caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae is sometimes less severe and called "walking pneumonia.
How do you get pneumonia? You may get pneumonia: After you breathe infected air particles into your lungs. After you breathe certain bacteria from your nose and throat into your lungs. During or after a viral upper respiratory infection , such as a cold or influenza flu. As a complication of a viral illness, such as measles or chickenpox. If you breathe large amounts of food, gastric juices from the stomach, or vomit into the lungs aspiration pneumonia. This can happen when you have had a medical condition that affects your ability to swallow, such as a seizure or a stroke.
Symptoms Symptoms of pneumonia in otherwise healthy people often start during or after an upper respiratory infection , such as influenza flu or a cold. Symptoms may include: Cough, often producing mucus, also called sputum, from the lungs. Fever, chills and sweating, which may be less common in older adults. Fast, often shallow, breathing and the feeling of being short of breath. Chest wall pain that is often made worse by coughing or breathing in.
Feeling very tired or weak. In children, symptoms may depend on age: In infants younger than 1 month of age, symptoms may include having little or no energy lethargy , feeding poorly, grunting, or having a fever. In children, symptoms of pneumonia are often the same as in adults.
Your doctor will look for signs such as a cough and a faster breathing rate. What Happens After you've been infected with a pneumonia-causing organism, it takes as little as 1 to 3 days or as long as 7 to 10 days for symptoms to appear. How severe pneumonia is and how long it lasts depend on: Your age and health.
Older, sicker people usually have more severe cases. And their cases of pneumonia are more likely to cause complications, such as bacteria in the bloodstream bacteremia or throughout the body septicemia. Whether bacteria or a virus caused the pneumonia. Viral pneumonia usually is less severe than bacterial pneumonia. How quickly you treat it. The sooner you treat pneumonia, the sooner symptoms go away. Your immune system. People who have impaired immune systems are more likely to have more severe pneumonia than people who have healthy immune systems.
Going to the hospital If you have severe pneumonia, you may have to go to the hospital: In most cases of pneumonia you get in your daily life, such as at school or work community-based pneumonia , it is not necessary to go to the hospital.
Spreading pneumonia to others If your pneumonia is caused by a virus or bacteria, you may spread the infection to other people while you are contagious. Cigarette smoking is a strong risk factor for pneumonia in healthy young people. Have another medical condition, especially lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD or asthma. Are younger than 1 year of age or older than Have an impaired immune system.
Take medicine called a proton pump inhibitor such as Losec that reduces the amount of stomach acid. Recently had a cold or the flu. You are more likely to have complications of pneumonia and need to go to the hospital if you: Are older than Have some other illness such as COPD, diabetes, or asthma , or have gone to the hospital for a medical problem within the last 3 months. Have had your spleen removed or do not have a working spleen such as in sickle cell disease. Have an alcohol use problem.
Have a weak immune system. Reside in a place where people live close together, such as a university dorm or nursing home. When should you call your doctor? Call or other emergency services immediately if you: Have chest pain that is crushing or squeezing, is increasing in intensity, or occurs with any other symptoms of a heart attack. Have such bad trouble breathing that you are worried you will not have the strength or ability to keep breathing.
Cough up large amounts of blood. Feel that you may faint when you sit up or stand. Call a doctor immediately if you have: A cough that produces blood-tinged or rust-coloured mucus from the lungs. A fever with shaking chills. Difficult, shallow, fast breathing with shortness of breath or wheezing. Call a doctor if your cough: Frequently brings up yellow or green mucus from the lungs and lasts longer than 2 days.
Do not confuse mucus from your lungs with mucus running down the back of your throat from your nasal passages post-nasal drip. Post-nasal drainage is not a worry. Occurs with a fever of Causes you to vomit a lot. Continues longer than 4 weeks. Watchful waiting Watchful waiting is a wait-and-see approach. Home treatment may be appropriate if: You have classic cold symptoms nasal stuffiness, mild body aches or headache, mild fever.
You cough up mucus that is running down the back of the throat from the nasal passages post-nasal drip. But a cough in which the mucus is definitely coming from the lungs rather than the nasal passages is a more serious problem, and you should contact your doctor. You have signs of the flu high fever, severe muscle aches or headache, and mild respiratory symptoms. For more information, see the topic Influenza. Who to see Your family doctor or general practitioner can diagnose and treat pneumonia.
Examinations and Tests Your doctor will usually diagnose pneumonia with: Your medical history. A physical examination. A chest X-ray, which is almost always done to check for changes in the lungs that may mean pneumonia and to look for other causes of your symptoms. But an X-ray does not always show whether you have pneumonia, especially if it is done when you first get sick. In some cases, the X-ray results may: Suggest the type of organism bacterial, viral, or fungal causing pneumonia.
Show complications of pneumonia, such as infection of the heart muscle or the sac surrounding the heart. Show conditions that may occur with pneumonia, such as fluid in the chest cavity or a collapsed lung. Reveal another condition, such as heart failure, lung cancer, or acute bronchitis.
Lab tests for pneumonia The need for more tests often depends on how severe your symptoms are, your age, and your overall health. Mucus test If you are very ill, have severe shortness of breath, or have a condition that increases your risk such as asthma or COPD , your doctor may test your mucus. Rapid urine test This test can identify some bacteria that cause pneumonia. HIV test In people who have impaired immune systems , pneumonia may be caused by other organisms, including some forms of fungi, such as Pneumocystis jiroveci formerly called Pneumocystis carinii.
Other lung tests If you have severe pneumonia, you may need other tests , including tests to check for complications and to find out how well your immune system is working. Treatment Overview Bacterial pneumonia Doctors use antibiotics to treat pneumonia caused by bacteria, the most common cause of the condition. You likely will not have to go to the hospital unless you: Are older than Have other health problems, such as COPD, heart failure, asthma, diabetes, long-term chronic kidney failure, or chronic liver disease.
Cannot care for yourself or would not be able to tell anyone if your symptoms got worse. Have severe illness that reduces the amount of oxygen getting to your tissues. Have chest pain caused by inflammation of the lining of the lung pleurisy so you are not able to cough up mucus effectively and clear your lungs.
Are being treated outside a hospital and are not getting better such as your shortness of breath not improving. Are not able to eat or keep food down, so you need to take fluids through a vein intravenous.
Viral pneumonia Pneumonia also can be caused by viruses, such as those that cause the flu and chickenpox varicella.
People who are more likely to get pneumonia after having the flu for example, pregnant women may get an antiviral medicine such as oseltamivir Tamiflu or zanamivir Relenza to help relieve symptoms. Varicella pneumonia, which is rare, also can be treated with antiviral medicine. What to think about In most cases pneumonia is a short-term, treatable illness. For more information, see: Advance Care Planning.
Care at the End of Life. Prevention There are a number of steps you can take to help prevent getting pneumonia. Stop smoking. You're more likely to get pneumonia if you smoke. Avoid people who have infections that sometimes lead to pneumonia. Stay away from people who have colds, the flu, or other respiratory tract infections.
If you haven't had measles or chickenpox or if you didn't get vaccines against these diseases, avoid people who have them. Vaccinations Pneumococcal vaccines. Vaccination of children for measles can prevent most cases of measles. Adults may need to be vaccinated against measles if they have not had the disease or were not vaccinated during childhood.
A yearly flu vaccine may keep you from getting the flu. The flu often can lead to pneumonia, especially in older adults or in people who have other long-term chronic diseases. You can get the flu vaccine at the same time as the pneumococcal vaccine, but in a different arm. The chickenpox shot varicella-zoster vaccine can prevent most cases of pneumonia caused by the virus that causes chickenpox. Consider getting a shot if you are older than 13 and have not had chickenpox.
Home Treatment Home treatment is important for recovery from pneumonia. The following measures can help you recover and avoid complications: Get plenty of rest. Drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. Take care of your cough if it is making it hard for you to rest. A cough is one way your body gets rid of the infection. And you should not try to stop your coughing unless it is severe enough to make breathing difficult, cause vomiting, or prevent rest. Consider taking acetaminophen such as Tylenol or aspirin to help reduce fever and make you feel more comfortable.
Do not give aspirin to anyone younger than 18 because of the risk of Reye syndrome. If your doctor suspects you may have pneumonia, they will probably recommend some tests to confirm the diagnosis and learn more about your infection.
These may include:. If you are considered a high-risk patient because of your age and overall health, or if you are hospitalized, the doctors may want to do some additional tests, including:. This November your donation goes even further to improve lung health and defeat lung cancer.
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Thank you! You will now receive email updates from the American Lung Association. Select your location to view local American Lung Association events and news near you. Our service is free and we are here to help you. Pneumonia Symptoms and Diagnosis. Section Menu. Even if You are Healthy. Learn More. What Are the Symptoms of Pneumonia? The signs and symptoms of pneumonia may include: Cough , which may produce greenish, yellow or even bloody mucus Fever, sweating and shaking chills Shortness of breath Rapid, shallow breathing Sharp or stabbing chest pain that gets worse when you breathe deeply or cough Loss of appetite, low energy, and fatigue Nausea and vomiting, especially in small children Confusion, especially in older people.
Questions about your symptoms? Our service is free and we are here to help you by phone, web chat or email. When to call a doctor If you think you or your child has symptoms of pneumonia, don't wait for the disease to get even worse before you seek care.
How Is Pneumonia Diagnosed? Medical history Your doctor will ask you questions about your signs and symptoms, and how and when they began. To help figure out if your infection is caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi, you may be asked some questions about possible exposures, such as: Any recent travel Your occupation Contact with animals Exposure to other sick people at home, work or school Whether you have recently had another illness Physical exam Your doctor will listen to your lungs with a stethoscope.
Diagnostic Tests If your doctor suspects you may have pneumonia, they will probably recommend some tests to confirm the diagnosis and learn more about your infection.
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