Pneumonia Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments
Get the facts on Pneumonia

Pneumonia is a lung infection that makes you very ill. Symptoms include a cough, fever, and difficulty breathing. Although for most people pneumonia can be cleared up at home in up in 2 to 3 weeks, older adults, babies, and people with other diseases can become very ill and may need to go to the hospital.
You can get pneumonia in your daily life, such as at school or work—this is called community-based pneumonia. You can also get it when you are in a hospital or nursing home—this is called hospital-based pneumonia. This article focuses on community-based pneumonia you catch in your daily life.
Pneumonia Causes
Germs called bacteria or viruses usually cause pneumonia. When you breathe the germs into your lungs, pneumonia usually starts. You may be more likely to get the disease after having a cold or the flu, since these illnesses make it hard for your lungs to fight infection, making it easier to catch pneumonia. Having a long-term, or chronic, disease like asthma, heart disease, cancer, or diabetes also makes you more likely to get pneumonia.
Symptoms of Pneumonia
Symptoms of pneumonia include a cough. You will likely cough up mucus (sputum) from your lungs. Mucus may be rusty or green or tinged with blood. Other symptoms include a fever, shortness of breath, shaking and chills, chest pain that feels worse as you breathe in, fast heartbeat, fatigue, and weakness. Doctors call pneumonia with milder symptoms “walking pneumonia.”
Older adults may have different symptoms—for example, they may not have a fever. Or they may have a cough but not bring up mucus. The main sign of pneumonia in older adults may be a change in thinking, such as confusion or dementia. Symptoms caused by viruses are the same as those caused by bacteria.
Diagnosing Pneumonia
Diagnosis is reached through inquiries about symptoms and a physical exam. Your healthcare provider might order a chest X-ray and a blood test. This is usually enough for your doctor to know if you have pneumonia. If you have bad symptoms, are an older adult, or have other health problems you might need more tests. In general, the sicker you are, the more tests you will have. Your doctor might also test mucus from your lungs to see what kind of germ you’re infected with. This helps narrow down the right medication.
Pneumonia Treatment
Antibiotics are usually given to treat pneumonia, as they almost cure the illness. It is essential to take all the antibiotics, even if you feel better and feel you don’t need to take them all. Failure to heed doctor’s instructions could result in developing a more severe illness that is also more resistant to medicine.