You may associate pneumonia with dramatic movie scenes involving prolonged hospital
stays, oxygen tents, and family members whispering in bedside huddles. It's true that
pneumonia can be serious. But more often pneumonia is an infection that can be easily
treated at home without having to go to the hospital.
What Is Pneumonia?
Pneumonia (pronounced: noo-MOW-nyuh) is an infection of the lungs. When someone
has pneumonia, lung tissue can fill with pus and other fluid, which makes it difficult
for oxygen in the lung's air sacs (alveoli) to reach the bloodstream. With pneumonia,
a person may have difficulty breathing and have a cough and fever; occasionally, chest
or abdominal pain and vomiting are symptoms, too.
Pneumonia is often caused by viruses, such as the influenza virus
(flu) and adenovirus. Other viruses, such as respiratory
syncytial virus (RSV) and human metapneumovirus,
are common causes of pneumonia in young kids and babies.
Bacteria such as Streptococcus pneumoniae can cause pneumonia, too. People
with bacterial pneumonia are usually sicker than those with viral pneumonia, but they
can be treated with antibiotic medications.
You might have heard the terms "double pneumonia" or "walking pneumonia." Double
pneumonia simply means that the infection is in both lungs. It's common for
pneumonia to affect both lungs, so don't worry if your doctor says this is what you
have — it doesn't mean you're twice as sick.
Walking pneumonia refers to pneumonia that is mild enough that
you may not even know you have it. Walking pneumonia (also called atypical pneumonia
because it's different from the typical bacterial pneumonia) is common in teens and
is often caused by a tiny microorganism, Mycoplasma pneumoniae (pronounced:
my-co-PLAZ-ma noo-MO-nee-ay). Like the typical bacterial pneumonia, walking pneumonia
also can be treated with antibiotics.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms?
It's common for a person with pneumonia to start out with something milder like
a cough or sore throat — which also can happen in other infections. But pneumonia
is a bit worse because the infection goes down into the lungs.
A person with pneumonia might have these symptoms:
- fever (usually a temperature above 101°F/38.5°C)
- chills
- cough
- very fast breathing (a person might use the belly or neck muscles to help him
or her breathe)
- wheezing
- trouble breathing
- chest or abdominal pain
- loss of appetite
- exhaustion
- vomiting and dehydration
When pneumonia is caused by bacteria, a person tends to become sick quickly, develop
a high fever, and have difficulty breathing. When it's caused by a virus, the illness
comes on more gradually and might be less severe.
Someone's symptoms can help the doctor identify the type of pneumonia. Mycoplasma
pneumoniae, for example, often causes headaches, sore throats, and rash in
addition to the symptoms listed above.