Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lung, usually caused by an infection. Three common causes are bacteria, viruses and fungi. You can also get pneumonia by accidentally inhaling a liquid or chemical. People most at risk are older than 65 or younger than 2 years of age, or already have health problems.

Signs and symptoms

People with infectious pneumonia often have a cough producing greenish or yellow sputum, or phlegm and a high fever that may be accompanied by shaking chills. Shortness of breath is also common, as is pleuritic chest pain, a sharp or stabbing pain, either experienced during deep breaths or coughs or worsened by it. People with pneumonia may cough up blood, experience headaches, or develop sweaty and clammy skin.

In other cases of pneumonia, there can be a slow onset of symptoms. A worsening cough, headaches, and muscle aches may be the only symptoms. In some people with pneumonia, coughing is not a major symptom because the infection is located in areas of the lung away from the larger airways. At times, the individual's skin color may change and become dusky or purplish (a condition known as "cyanosis") due to their blood being poorly oxygenated.

Acute confessional state (more common in the elderly).

There may also be a serious outbreak of herpes (cold sores) around the mouth, which shows that your immune system is not now able to defend against the herpes virus.

What causes pneumonia?

Germs called bacteria or viruses usually cause pneumonia.

Pneumonia usually starts when you breathe the germs into your lungs. You may be more likely to get the disease after having a cold or the flu. These illnesses make it hard for your lungs to fight infection, so it is easier to get pneumonia. Having a long-term, or chronic, disease like asthma, heart disease, cancer, or diabetes also makes you more likely to get pneumonia.

Pneumonia can also affect different parts of the lungs:

A lobar pneumonia affects a section (lobe) of the lung.

A bronchial pneumonia affects the lungs in patches around the tubes (bronchi or bronchioles), which bring the air into the lungs.

Hospital-acquired (nosocomial) pneumonia. If you're hospitalized, you're at a higher risk of pneumonia, especially if you are on a mechanical ventilator, are in the intensive care unit or have a compromised immune system. This type of pneumonia can be extremely serious, especially for older adults, young children and people with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) or HIV/AIDS.

Diagnosis of Pneumonia

Your healthcare professional will probably listen to the back and front of your chest with a stethoscope, to check for any crackling or rattling sounds.

They may also listen to your chest by tapping it - if the lungs are filled with fluid, this produces a different sound to normal, healthy lungs.

Treatment of Pneumonia

If the cause is bacterial, the doctor will try to cure the infection with antibiotics. If the cause is viral, typical antibiotics will NOT be effective. Sometimes, however, your doctor may use antiviral medication. It may be difficult to distinguish between viral and bacterial pneumonia, so you may receive antibiotics.

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