Common Signs and Symptoms of Pneumonia

Pneumonia is an inflammatory illness in the lungs that impacts millions and proves fatal for more than 50,000 people each year. The infection affects the air sacs in one or both lungs causing them to fill with fluid or pus. Anyone can get it, from newborns and infants to mature adults or those with weak or compromised immune systems. This infection causes approximately 150,000 hospitalizations in the U.S. every year.

Causes of Pneumonia

There are over 30 different germs that may play a role in becoming infected with pneumonia.

Sometimes, germs (especially airborne ones) overpower the immune system, which can cause pneumonia. Pneumonia is often classified based on the types of germs that cause it. This includes:

• Community-acquired pneumonia is the most common, through which a person gets the illness outside of a hospital or health-care facility. It’s caused by bacteria, fungi, and viruses.
• Some people catch antibiotic resistant hospital-acquired pneumonia during a stay for another illness.
• People residing in long-term facilities or those receiving care in outpatient clinics may get healthcare-acquired pneumonia, which tends to be antibiotic resistant as well.
• A small percentage get aspiration pneumonia after accidentally inhaling food, drink, vomit, or saliva into the lungs.

Risk Factors

Although pneumonia can affect anyone, some groups are more at-risk. Children under the age of two and seniors over the age of 65 are most susceptible. Other risk factors include individuals who are hospitalized (especially if in a hospital intensive care unit or on a ventilator); have a chronic disease like asthma, COPD, or heart disease; are heavy smokers; and have a weakened or suppressed immune system.

If you fall into one of the higher-risk categories, talk to your doctor to discuss possible precautions.

Signs and Symptoms

Pneumonia symptoms are much like those of a cold or flu, especially it symptoms are mild. They may be affected by the type of germ that caused the illness, a patient’s age, and their overall health. Additional symptoms include:

• Chest pain when breathing and coughing
• Confusion or changes in mental awareness
• Coughing up phlegm
• Fatigue
• Fever, sweating, and chills
• Nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting
• Shortness of breath
• A below-normal body temperature

It’s important to note that newborns and infants sometimes don’t show many symptoms at all.

Pneumonia Progression

For some people, pneumonia can quickly become life-threatening if there is no medical intervention. If left to worsen, bacteria can enter the bloodstream from your lungs and spread the infection to other organs (called bacteremia).

Other complications include respiratory failures and needing a ventilator to breathe. Fluid can accumulate around the lungs and chest cavity, which may need to be drained. Lung abscesses may develop which requires antibiotics, surgery, or drainage with a long needle. In severe cases, kidney failure can also occur.

If you or someone you care for is showing any symptoms, speak to a healthcare professional, especially if either you or they fall into one of the high-risk groups. Catching this illness early allows treatment before serious complications can arise.