Complications You May Face With Walking Pneumonia

Introduction

Suraj and Ravi were on vacation when they got a cold and fever. They thought it was due to traveling and took medicines from a local medicine shop. Their fever was still there and when they got back home they developed some other symptoms too. While Suraj had developed breathing problems, Ravi experienced chest pain. The symptoms weren’t as normal as a normal cold and fever so they thought of calling their doctor at home.

The doctor conducted several tests and gave medication to reduce the symptoms.

When the tests came it was discovered that both of them had walking pneumonia and medication was prescribed.

 What is Walking Pneumonia?

The term walking pneumonia is the informal name given to mild pneumonia which is also a non-medical term. In medical language, it is called atypical pneumonia and the main cause of this pneumonia is a bacteria known as mycoplasma pneumonia.

Neither bed rest nor hospitalization is required in this and the person who has this can normally walk and do this daily work as usual hence, the name walking pneumonia is given to this disease.

Symptoms of Walking Pneumonia

The symptoms of walking pneumonia are:

1. Coughing: pneumonia causes mucus to build in the chest. And it leads to heavy coughing. You might also notice discoloration of mucus when you cough.
2. Fever: a high fever that lasts more than three days is observed in people who have pneumonia. You might get a fever with chills too and heavy sweating.
3. Difficulty in breathing: since the chest is blocked with mucus normal activity like breathing becomes a difficult job to do. But in the case of mild or walking pneumonia, you will not experience very severe breathing problems.
4. Chest pain: chest pain is a common symptom of pneumonia and people often feel heavy in their chest.
5. Loss in appetite: you will experience a fall in your appetite and might not feel like eating anything. Therefore you might also experience fatigue and energy loss.

Causes of Walking Pneumonia

Walking pneumonia is a common bacterial infection that is not dangerous to the body to a great extent. A walking pneumonia causative agent is a bacteria named Mycoplasma pneumonia. It should be noted that mycoplasma pneumonia can spread through contact so it is advised to cover your nose while sneezing and avoid contact with babies and senior citizens as they can contract the disease easily.

Medication for Walking Pneumonia

Since walking pneupneumonia monia is caused by mycoplasma pneumonia and it has a weak wall and no proper structure, therefore, eating antibiotics can help you cure your disease. Doctors always prescribe an antibiotic to heal mild pneumonia.

• For babies and small children medicine named macrolides like azithromycin is given to children.
• For adults, fluoroquinolones are given to them like ciprofloxacin.
• Tetracyclines are given to older children and adults.
• However, it should be noted that you should not take any medicine on your own without consulting your doctor. It is advised to always take m=only those medicines which are prescribed to your doctor.
• Do not rely on your friends or don’t try to experiment with medicine; it might cause severe side effects.

Symptoms of Walking Pneumonia In Adults

In adults, the symptoms of walking pneumonia are not as severe as those seen in small babies and senior citizens. Because the immune system of adults is matured and can fight mild diseases on their own. The symptoms will be very mild similar to those of cold and cough. But adults who smoke and have chronic diseases should take proper care of themselves as they are prone to more risk and should consult a doctor if they see symptoms of pneumonia.

Conclusion

Walking pneumonia is a mild case of pneumonia. You should not panic and try to stay calm as much as possible. You can do your daily chores easily and there is nothing to worry about. But be careful if you have a senior citizen at your home or a small baby. Try to stay away from them and maintain distance. Contact your doctor if you feel your symptoms are getting worse and eat a healthy nutritious diet to stay healthy.