Pneumonia is an infection causing inflammation of the air sacs (alveoli) in one or both of your lungs. This respiratory infection can be viral, bacterial, or fungal. When the air sacs in your lungs become infected, they may fill with fluid or pus, making breathing more difficult, causing shortness of breath, and inducing coughing.
Pneumonia can quickly become a serious condition that should not be overlooked, especially in high-risk populations such as young children and older adults.
While there may be different types of pneumonia, the signs and symptoms of each type are similar. The following are common signs and symptoms of pneumonia:
Symptoms may vary in how severely they present for each person. For this reason, if a high-risk person displays signs and symptoms, you should contact a physician for further evaluation and professional medical advice.
Pneumonia is caused by germs that are spread through droplets in the air when a person coughs or sneezes. Infection and inflammation occur when these droplets are inhaled and enter the lungs. The immune system attempts to fight off the infection in the lungs, but in many cases, especially for high-risk people, swelling or inflammation results, and fluids leak from the lungs. Below are the most common conditions that indicate someone is at a higher risk for pneumonia and may have more difficulty fighting off the infection.
These populations often have weaker immune systems and have difficulty fighting off “bad” germs affecting the respiratory system. If a person is at high risk or develops symptoms of pneumonia, it is important to consider further evaluation. Pneumonia often becomes severe enough for these high-risk populations, and hospitalization may be necessary to help monitor and treat the infection.
A physician may diagnose pneumonia after completing a thorough physical exam and considering the risk factors and symptoms presented. Lab work may be required to check if an infection is present, and blood cultures may be ordered to assess if the infection has spread to the bloodstream.
Your doctor might order a chest x-ray to see a picture of internal organs such as the lungs. Sputum, material coughed up from the lungs, may be collected and tested to see if the material is infectious. A physician may order one or more of these tests to determine the best treatment options for the symptoms.
Treatment for pneumonia will vary depending on the severity or symptoms. Antibiotics may be needed to help fight the infection and to keep it from spreading throughout the body. Antifungals or antivirals may also help, depending on the type of pneumonia. A person may need additional oxygen support if they have difficulty breathing and experience shortness of breath.
Breathing treatments such as inhalers may help to loosen mucous and open airways. Coughing may be painful but is often encouraged as this helps loosen mucous that may be in the lungs and airways as well.
If too much fluid builds up in the lung space, a physician may need to perform a procedure to drain this fluid, which should then make breathing easier. Getting adequate rest, good hygiene, and increasing fluid intake are perhaps the simplest but best ways to help treat pneumonia.