How Do You Get Pneumonia
You may get pneumonia:
- After you breathe infected air particles into your lungs.
- After you breathe certain bacteria from your nose and throat into your lungs.
- During or after a viral upper respiratory infection, such as a cold or influenza .
- As a complication of a viral illness, such as measles or chickenpox.
- If you breathe large amounts of food, gastric juices from the stomach, or vomit into the lungs . This can happen when you have had a medical condition that affects your ability to swallow, such as a seizure or a stroke.
A healthy person’s nose and throat often contain bacteria or viruses that cause pneumonia. Pneumonia can develop when these organisms spread to your lungs while your lungs are more likely to be infected. Examples of times when this can happen are during or soon after a cold or if you have a long-term illness, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease .
You can get pneumonia in your daily life, such as at school or work or when you are in a hospital or nursing home . Treatment may differ in healthcare-associated pneumonia, because bacteria causing the infection in hospitals may be different from those causing it in the community. This topic focuses on community-associated pneumonia.
What Are The Complications Of Pneumonia
Anyone can experience complications from pneumonia. However, people in high-risk groups are more likely to develop complications, including:
- Breathing difficulties: Pneumonia can make breathing difficult. Pneumonia plus an existing lung disorder can make breathing even more difficult. Breathing difficulties may require a hospital stay to receive oxygen therapy or breathing and healing assistance with the use of a breathing machine .
- Fluid buildup in the lungs : Pneumonia can cause a buildup in the fluid between the membranes that line the lungs and the inside of the chest cavity. It is a serious condition that makes breathing difficult. Pleural effusion can be treated by draining excess fluid with a catheter, chest tube or by surgery.
- Bacteria in the bloodstream : The bacteria that cause pneumonia can leave your lungs and enter your bloodstream, spreading the infection to other organs. This condition is treated with antibiotics.
- Lung abscess. A lung abscess is a pus-filled cavity in the lung that is caused by a bacterial infection. It can be treated by draining the pus with a long needle or removing it by surgery.
How Are Coronavirus Symptoms Different From Allergy Symptoms What About Flu Colds And Strep Throat
COVID-19 shares symptoms with other conditions such as allergies, the flu or strep throat. It may be very hard to tell the difference between COVID-19 and flu without a test.
If you have symptoms that might be due to the coronavirus, contact a health care provider, describe your symptoms and follow their recommendations.
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Spreading Pneumonia To Others
If your pneumonia is caused by a virus or bacteria, you may spread the infection to other people while you are contagious. How long you are contagious depends on what is causing the pneumonia and whether you get treatment. You may be contagious for several days to a week.
If you get antibiotics, you usually cannot spread the infection to others after a day of treatment.
How Can You Prevent Pneumonia
Experts recommend immunization for children and adults. Children get the pneumococcal vaccine as part of their routine shots. If you are 65 or older or you have a long-term health problem, it’s a good idea to get a pneumococcal vaccine. It may not keep you from getting pneumonia. But if you do get pneumonia, you probably won’t be as sick. You can also get an influenza vaccine to prevent the flu, because sometimes people get pneumonia after having the flu.
You can also lower your chances of getting pneumonia by staying away from people who have the flu, respiratory symptoms, or chickenpox. You may get pneumonia after you have one of these illnesses. Wash your hands often. This helps prevent the spread of viruses and bacteria that may cause pneumonia.
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Coronavirus Symptoms: Frequently Asked Questions
Do you know the symptoms of COVID-19? Knowing the warning signs can help you take the right steps if you or loved ones become sick. Lisa Maragakis, M.D., M.P.H., senior director of infection prevention, provides an update on what to look out for and when to get help.
What Can I Do To Feel Better If I Have Pneumonia
- Finish all medications and therapies prescribed by your doctor. Do not stop taking antibiotics when you start feeling better. Continue taking them until no pills remain. If you dont take all your antibiotics, your pneumonia may come back.
- If over-the-counter medicines to reduce fever have been recommended , take as directed on the label. Never give aspirin to children.
- Drink plenty of fluids to help loosen phlegm.
- Quit smoking if you smoke. Dont be around others who smoke or vape. Surround yourself with as much clean, chemical-free air as possible.
- Use a humidifier, take a steamy shower or bath to make it easier for you to breathe.
- Get lots of rest. Dont rush your recovery. It can take weeks to get your full strength back.
If at any time you start to feel worse, call your doctor right away.
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Pneumonia Fever After Antibiotics
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How Is It Treated
Antibiotics are the usual treatment, because the organism may not be found. But if the pneumonia is caused by a virus, antivirals may be given. Sometimes, antibiotics may be used to prevent complications.
Antibiotics usually cure pneumonia caused by bacteria. Be sure to take the antibiotics exactly as instructed. Do not stop taking them just because you feel better. You need to take the full course of antibiotics.
Pneumonia can make you feel very sick. But after you take antibiotics, you should start to feel much better, although you will probably not be back to normal for several weeks. Call your doctor if you do not start to feel better after 2 to 3 days of antibiotics. Call your doctor right away if you feel worse.
There are things you can do to feel better during your treatment. Get plenty of rest and sleep, and drink lots of liquids. Do not smoke. If your cough keeps you awake at night, talk to your doctor about using cough medicine.
You may need to go to the hospital if you have bad symptoms, a weak immune system, or another serious illness.
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Can You Have Pneumonia Without A Fever
The short answer is yes. Yes, you can have pneumonia without a fever.
I strongly recommend that you read the rest of the article for the long answer because it is a very important question and you need more information to understand the specific situations.
As a practicing MD, my patients and their families have asked this question many times. In the last 15 years, I have treated thousands of very sick patients hospitalized with pneumonia and many of them did not have a fever. I have put this article together to explain why it is important to understand when you can have pneumonia without a fever and what that means.
The presence of a fever with pneumonia doesnt always mean you are more likely to have a worse outcome. The absence of a fever does not necessarily mean that your pneumonia is not serious. In fact, some research has suggested that the opposite may be true. You may actually have a worse outcome if you have pneumonia without a fever in certain specific situations.
The presence of a fever with pneumonia doesnt always mean you are more likely to have a worse outcome. The absence of a fever does not necessarily mean that your pneumonia is not serious. In fact, some research has suggested that the opposite may be true. You may actually have a worse outcome if you have pneumonia without a fever in certain specific situations.
Atypical Signs And Symptoms In Adults
For older adults and people with underlying health conditions, a cough may not be the primary symptom of pneumonia. These people may instead experience atypical signs and symptoms, such as:
- lower-than-normal body temperature
someone develops pneumonia, such as at the hospital, on dialysis, or in long term nursing care, helps doctors differentiate the cause of the infection and devise appropriate treatments.
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Can Pneumonia Be Prevented
Some types of pneumonia can be prevented by vaccines. Kids usually get routine vaccines against Haemophilus influenzae, pneumococcus, and whooping cough beginning at 2 months of age.
The flu vaccine is recommended for all kids ages 6 months through 19 years. Its extra important for kids who have a chronic illness such as a heart or lung disorder or asthma.
When possible, keep kids away from anyone with symptoms of a respiratory infection.
Can You Have Pneumonia With 98% Oxygen Saturation
Hi all,
My first post on this forum. I am suffering from bad health anxiety these days just like many others.
I’m wondering if it’s possible to have pneumonia with a normal oxygen saturation of 98%?
It all started with a fever 6 weeks ago. The fever itself only lasted 2 days but since then I’ve had a wet cough , fatigue, anxiety, feel like I’m short of breath doing light exercises.
I’ve been sleeping very poorly with many sleepless nights at the start. Now I can manage around 6 hours of interrupted sleep per night with the help of Valerian and Melatonin. The poor sleep certainly isn’t helping my recovery. It’s only now that the wet cough seems to be going away.
The past 3-4 weeks or so I struggle to sleep more than 2-3 hours at a time. Quite often I would wake up breathing quite heavily or faster than usual.
I’m was concerned that I might have a mild form of pneumonia. Doctor advised me to buy a pulse oximeter which I did today. I tested myself and my SpO2 level is average 98%, reading between 97-99%.
So basically my current symptoms are fatigue, lack of sleep, minor throat irritation with little mucus, and breathing issues. The breathing issues is partly psychological but I’m concerned that there is something wrong with my lungs.
Thanks for any input.
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Treatment For Chest Infections
Most people with bronchitis can be treated at home and make a full recovery. Assessment of the severity of pneumonia is complex. Some patients can be managed at home on simple antibiotics. Those assessed as severe may require admission to the intensive care unit and their illness may be life threatening.Treatment options include:
- Your doctor will advise you about any medications you need to get over this attack.
- Some people need to be admitted to hospital for further treatment, particularly young children and the elderly who are at greater risk of serious complications.
- Review with your local doctor may be needed within 48 hours, especially if you are not improving, and again in six weeks to make sure that you have made a full recovery. A chest x-ray may be needed at this time.
Cover Your Mouth And Nose
While the preferred method for covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze is into a tissue, not everyone can get to tissues in time when the urge to cough or sneeze hits. If you have the urge to cough or sneezeand a tissue isnt availablethe next best thing is to cover your mouth or nose with the inside of your elbow.
Coughing or sneezing into your elbow will decrease the chances of your leaving traces of your infection on door handles, faucets, or anything else you touch.
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What Are The First Symptoms Of Coronavirus
Early symptoms reported by some people include fatigue, headache, sore throat or fever. Others experience a loss of smell or taste. COVID-19 can cause symptoms that are mild at first, but then become more intense over five to seven days, with worsening cough and shortness of breath. Some people develop pneumonia with COVID-19.
The type and severity of first symptoms can vary widely from person to person, and that is why it is very important to call your doctor if you have symptoms, even mild ones.
Common Symptoms Of Pneumonia Include:
- excessive sweating
- cough that can produce mucus
- constant thirst and lack of appetite
- chest pain, which may get worse when coughing or breathing deeply
- shortness of breath or rapid breathing
- pain under the lower ribs
- fever
- nausea or vomiting
- a common headache.
One of the alarming signals for pneumonia may be dry cough, which does not last for a long time.
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Can You Have Coronavirus Without A Fever
Yes, you can be infected with the coronavirus and have a cough or other symptoms with no fever, or a very low-grade one, especially in the first few days. Keep in mind that it is also possible to have COVID-19 with minimal or even no symptoms at all. People infected with the coronavirus who have no symptoms can still spread COVID-19 to others.
Is Pneumonia Without A Fever Always Dangerous
No, absolutely not.
If you go back to the list of things that are needed to have a fever with pneumonia, the people with the worst outcome when suffering from pneumonia without a fever are the ones who are unable to have a fever due to problems in step 5 or step 6 of the sequence. These are those who cannot effectively reset the thermostat or those who cant generate enough heat for a fever. You may have a mild viral pneumonia without a fever and you may not even know about it.
Among patients with mild, community-acquired bacterial pneumonia, a fever may or may not be present. Some of them have only had a cough, chest discomfort, and an increased heart rate. Others may only have weakness, dizziness, and a cough. When they only have mild symptoms, they can be treated with antibiotics at home regardless of whether they have pneumonia without a fever or with a fever.
Pneumonia is a disease that may only cause mild discomfort in some people, but can be a serious life-threatening illness in others. If you want to read about mild pneumonia and its treatment, you can read this other article.
Here at PatientEducationMD, our goal is to explore different aspects of common but potentially serious medical issues, and pneumonia is one of the subjects we are exploring in great detail. If you would like to see a list of all of our articles on pneumonia, you can go to our Diseases and Conditions page and click on pneumonia.
References:
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How Can I Tell If I Have Pneumonia Versus The Common Cold Or The Flu
Do I have a cold or could it be the flu or even pneumonia? Its tough to tell the difference but critical to know when to seek medical care
Watch for these ongoing symptoms that occur in pneumonia:
- Serious congestion or chest pain.
- Difficulty breathing.
- A fever of 102 or higher.
- Coughing that produces pus.
Pneumonia symptoms last longer than cold and flu. If your symptoms arent severe, its okay to try such home remedies as getting more rest, drinking more fluids and taking some over-the-counter medicines and see what happens. But if you dont see improvement in your symptoms after three to five days, or if you are experiencing more serious symptoms such as dizziness or severe difficulty breathing, see your healthcare provider. Dont let it go. Pneumonia-like symptoms in very young children or in adults older than 65 are a cause for concern. Also, pneumonia can cause permanent lung damage if left untreated for too long. And always seek immediate care if you experience chest pain or have breathing difficulties.
How Is Pneumonia Treated
How pneumonia is treated depends on the germs that cause it.
- Bacterial pneumonia: Bacterial pneumonia is usually treated with antibiotics. The specific antibiotic choice depends on such factors as your general health, other health conditions you may have, the type of medications you are currently taking , your recent use of antibiotics, any evidence of antibiotic resistance in the local community and your age. Medicines to relieve pain and lower fever may also be helpful. Ask your doctor if you should take a cough suppressant. Its important to be able to cough to clear your lungs.
- Viral pneumonia: Antibiotics are not used to fight viruses. There are no treatments for most viral causes of pneumonia. However, if the flu virus is thought to be the cause, antiviral drugs might be prescribed, such as oseltamivir , zanamivir , or peramivir , to decrease the length and severity of the illness. Over-the-counter medicines to relieve pain and lower fever are usually recommended. Other medicines and therapies such as breathing treatments and exercises to loosen mucus may be prescribed by your doctor.
- Fungal pneumonia: Antifungal medication is prescribed if a fungus is the cause of your pneumonia.
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What To Do With Back Pain From Pneumonia
You need to control the back pain. It is not just a matter of comfort. Uncontrolled back pain from pneumonia makes it difficult to recover and also makes you vulnerable to more complications. You can start by taking some Tylenol. Ibuprofen or Naproxen can be taken on top of the Tylenol. The goal is to make your pain tolerable enough to be able to cough and take deep breaths regularly. If over-the-counter pain medications are not enough, you may have to ask your doctor for prescription pain medications to enable you to cough and take deep breaths comfortably. However, it is best to avoid opioids. They can make you drowsy and suppress your cough reflex.
When you have a severe, sharp pain in your back from pneumonia, you may avoid taking deep breaths. If you dont take deep breaths, the lower part of your lungs may collapse. A collapsed lung can worsen your pneumonia and make you more short of breath.
Taking deep breaths and coughing normally are two very important things to help you recover from pneumonia.