Common Signs & Symptoms of Pneumonia

What Exactly Is Pneumonia?

Pneumonia is a bacterial, viral, or fungal infection of one or both lungs. The disease causes inflammation in the lungs’ air sacs, known as alveoli. The alveoli swell with fluid or pus, making breathing difficult.

Pneumonia, both viral and bacterial, is infectious. This implies that they can be passed from person to person by inhalation of airborne droplets from a sneeze or cough.

This pneumonia can also be contracted by touching surfaces or items contaminated with pneumonia-causing bacteria or viruses. Fungal pneumonia can be acquired from the environment. It does not transmit from one individual to the next.

Walking Pneumonia Symptoms

• A minor fever
• Chills and a dry cough that lasts more than a week
• Breathing difficulty
• Discomfort in the chest
• decreased appetite
• Pneumonia is frequently caused by viruses and bacteria such as Streptococcus Pneumoniae or Haemophilus influenzae. On the other hand, Walking pneumonia is most usually caused by the bacterium Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

Pneumonia Progression

The pneumonia signs and symptoms can be categorized based on which part of the lungs it affects:

Bronchopneumonia

Bronchopneumonia can affect different parts of your lungs. It is frequently seen at or around your bronchi. These are the tubes that connect your windpipe and lungs. Make sure to see signs of pneumonia.

Pneumonia of the lobes

Lobar pneumonia damages one or more of your lungs’ lobes. Each lung is composed of lobes, which are distinct lung regions as signs of pneumonia.

Symptoms of Pneumonia

The symptoms of pneumonia in adults can range from minor to fatal. They may include the following:

• coughing that may result in phlegm (mucus)
• fever
• Sweating or chills, shortness of breath when performing routine tasks or even while sleeping, chest discomfort that worsens when you breathe or cough
• emotions of exhaustion or weariness
• Appetite loss
• headaches caused by nausea or vomiting
• Look out for these symptoms of pneumonia in adults.

Other symptoms may differ depending on your age and overall health:

• Older folks may have lesser symptoms. They may also be confused or have a lower-than-normal body temperature.

The immune system’s response to the infection causes inflammation of the lungs’ air sacs (alveoli). This inflammation can cause the air sacs to fill with pus and fluid, resulting in pneumonia symptoms. Various infectious organisms, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi, can cause pneumonia.

Pneumonia Caused by Bacteria

Pneumonia Caused by Bacteria

Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most prevalent cause of bacterial pneumonia. Other factors include:

• Pneumocystis pneumoniae
• Haemophilus influenzae
• Legionella pneumophila
• Pneumovirus pneumonia
• Respiratory viruses frequently cause pneumonia.

The following are some examples of viral infections that can cause pneumonia:

• Infection with influenza (flu)
• RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) (RSV)
• the rhinoviruses (common cold)
• Infection with human parainfluenza virus (HPIV) and human metapneumovirus (HMPV) infection
• chickenpox measles (varicella-zoster virus)
• Infection with an adenovirus
• infection with a coronavirus
• Infection with SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19)

Pneumonia Caused by Fungus

Pneumonia can be caused by fungi found in soil or bird droppings. They most frequently cause pneumonia in patients with compromised immune systems. Fungi that might cause pneumonia include the following:

• Pneumocystis jirovecii (Pneumocystis jirovecii)
• Cryptococcus genus
• Species of Histoplasmosis
• Risk elements
• Anyone can acquire pneumonia, but some people are at a higher risk than others.

 Among these groupings are:

• babies between the ages of one and two years
• persons over the age of 65 having compromised immune systems as a result of:
• pregnancy
• HIV is caused by certain medicines, such as steroids or cancer therapies.
• individuals suffering from certain chronic medical illnesses, such as:
• asthma
• cystic fibrosis
• diabetes\sCOPD
• failure of the heart
• sickle cell anaemia
• Illness of the liver
• kidney disorder
• people who’ve been recently or are currently hospitalized, mainly if they were or are on a ventilator

Types of Pneumonia

The pneumonia signs and symptoms can be categorized based on which part of the lungs it affects:

Walking Pneumonia Symptoms

• A minor fever
• Chills and a dry cough that lasts more than a week
• Breathing difficulty
• Discomfort in the chest
• decreased appetite
• Pneumonia is frequently caused by viruses and bacteria such as Streptococcus Pneumoniae or Haemophilus influenzae. On the other hand, walking pneumonia is usually caused by the bacterium Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

Bronchopneumonia

Bronchopneumonia can affect different parts of your lungs. It is frequently seen at or around your bronchi. These are the tubes that connect your windpipe and lungs. Make sure to see the signs of pneumonia.

Pneumonia of the lobes

Lobar pneumonia damages one or more of your lungs’ lobes. Each lung is composed of lobes, which are distinct lung regions, as signs of pneumonia.

Complications of Pneumonia

Although pneumonia symptoms vary in range, it is essential to remember that pneumonia can progress quickly. Bacterial pneumonia, particularly, is known to worsen rapidly. Pneumonia can be life-threatening if the following complications occur:

• Respiratory failure
• Sepsis
• Bacteremia
• Lung abscess, etc.

Pneumonia may not be deadly if you can catch and treat it early. Pneumonia is most likely to be deadly for the following demographic:

• Children under 2 years old and adults over 65 years old
• People with preexisting health conditions such as heart or kidney disease
• People with weakened immune systems
• People who require artificial respiratory assistance
• People who got pneumonia in a hospital
• People who consumed antibiotics in the months leading up to developing pneumonia

Bacteremia and pneumonia

In Bacteremia, bacteria enter your blood. Bacteria can enter your blood through daily activities like flossing or brushing your teeth. It can also occur due to a urinary tract infection. In healthy individuals, bacteremia is not a threat as the immune system fights off any bacteria entering the blood. Bacteremia can lead to an infection in individuals with a weakened immune system. If left untreated, it can lead to septic shock, sepsis, or multiple organ dysfunction syndrome.

Bacterial pneumonia can cause bacteremia, particularly if you did not initially treat the pneumonia. Bacteremia symptoms include chills, nausea, vomiting, rapid heart rate, low blood pressure, etc. Bacteremia is often treated with antibiotics.

Septic Shock and Pneumonia

Bacteremia from pneumonia can lead to septic shock if it is left untreated. When there is an infection in the blood, your blood pressure can drop dangerously low. When the blood pressure is low, your heart cannot pump enough blood to the rest of the organs, causing them to stop working. Septic shock symptoms include:

• Fever
• Fast heart rate
• Chills
• Nausea, pain, vomiting, diarrhea
• Confusion
• Rapid breathing or breathlessness
• Low blood pressure

Lung Abscesses

Pockets in your lungs can fill with pus– a lung abscess. It’s more likely to happen if you have bacteremia, a history of gum disease, a weakened immune system, or misused alcohol. Men and older adults are more likely to get lung abscesses.

Lung infection symptoms include:

• Fever higher than 101 F
• Night sweats
• Coughing up pus
• Loss of appetite
• Unexplained weightloss
• Fatigue

Pleural Effusion and Pneumonia

The pleura are the two layers of tissue surrounding your lungs. These tissue layers can get swollen when you get pneumonia, especially if you leave it untreated. When the pleura swells, it can obstruct the movement of your lungs as you breathe. This causes difficulty breathing. You might feel a sharp pain when you try to breathe. If the swollen pleura is not treated, the area between the two layers may fill with fluid. This is called a pleural effusion. Its symptoms include shortness of breath, chest pain, cough, hiccups, chills, fever, rapid breathing, etc.

Pneumonia can also cause other complications, like:

• Respiratory failure: Your lungs fill up with fluid. They cannot transfer enough oxygen to your blood and remove carbon dioxide from the blood.
• Kidney failure: If you have septic shock or bacteremia, your heart cannot pump enough blood to your kidneys. As a result, they stop working. Kidney failure is more likely if you have pre-existing ailments.
• Heart failure: Pneumonia can cause serious heart complications, especially in older adults. 

Prevention of Pneumonia

Pneumonia can be prevented through vaccinations for both adults and children. Children who attend group daycare should get the vaccine, while children above six months should also get the flu vaccine.

Good hygiene practices can go a long way to protect against respiratory infections. Avoid smoking as it damages your lungs’ natural capacity to fight off infections. Strengthen your immune system through adequate sleep, regular exercise, and a balanced diet.

Treatment Options for Pneumonia

Your therapy will be determined by the type of pneumonia you have, its severity, and your overall health.

Medications on Prescription for Pneumonia

To treat your pneumonia, your doctor may prescribe a prescription. The cause of your pneumonia will determine the treatment you receive.

Most instances of bacterial pneumonia symptoms may be treated with oral antibiotics. Even if you start feeling better, always finish your antibiotic treatment. Failure to do so may prevent the infection from resolving, making it more challenging to treat in the future.

Over-The-Counter Drugs for Pneumonia

As required, your doctor may also offer over-the-counter (OTC) drugs to alleviate your discomfort and fever. These might include dealing with bacterial pneumonia symptoms:

Ibuprofen and aspirin (Advil, Motrin) acetaminophen (Tylenol)

Your doctor may also advise you to take cough medicine to relieve your cough and allow you to relax. Remember that coughing helps clear fluid from your lungs, so you don’t want to get rid of it completely.

Natural Cures for Pneumonia

Although there are no home cures that can treat pneumonia, there are several things you may do to alleviate symptoms. Coughing is one of the most prevalent pneumonia symptoms. Gargling salt water or sipping peppermint tea might help cure cough naturally. Fever can be relieved with cool compresses. Warm water or a good warm cup of soup might be beneficial.

Conclusion

Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungus. The immune system’s response to this infection causes the air sacs in the lungs to fill with pus and fluids. Pneumonia-causing lung infection symptoms include difficulty breathing, cough with or without mucus, fever, and chills. Pneumonia can be life-threatening. Please book an appointment with a general physician or pulmonologist if you are experiencing any of the lung infection symptoms mentioned in this article.