What is pneumonia?
Pneumonia is an infection deep in your lungs. The infection involves the small air sacs in your lungs (alveoli). Pneumonia is different from infection of the air passages (bronchi) in your lungs. Infection of the air passages is called bronchitis.
Inside the Lungs and Airways
With pneumonia:
You usually cough up mucus and have a fever
You may have chest pain, chills, or trouble breathing
Your symptoms can be very mild (sometimes called "walking pneumonia") or very serious
Symptoms are often worse in young children, older people, and people with other lung problems such as COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
Most people recover, but pneumonia can be fatal
Every year, about 55,000 people in the United States die from pneumonia.
What causes pneumonia?
Pneumonia can be caused by many different types of germs, including:
Viruses (most common)
Bacteria
Usually, the germs are passed from one person to another. If you touch something that has germs on it, the germs can get in your mouth, nose, or throat. Usually, your body fights off the germs. But sometimes the germs get in your lungs and cause an infection.
What are the risk factors for getting pneumonia?
Anyone can get pneumonia, but it's more likely if you have a weakened immune system because you are:
Very young or very old
Taking certain medicines (such as corticosteroids or chemotherapy drugs)
Have HIV
Weakened by having other serious illnesses (such as diabetes or heart failure)
Other risk factors for pneumonia include:
Being in a hospital for a long time (where you're exposed to lots of germs)
Being on a breathing machine (ventilator)
Having a serious lung disease, particularly COPD
Smoking
What are the symptoms of pneumonia?
Feeling run down
Fever and chills (shivering so hard your teeth chatter)
A cough that may or may not bring up mucus
Trouble breathing (feeling like you can't get enough air in)
Pain in your chest
Symptoms may be a little different in people who are very old:
They may not have a fever
Older adults may be confused and may not think clearly
How can doctors tell if I have pneumonia?
To find out if you have pneumonia, your doctor will:
Listen to your lungs as you breathe
Usually give you a chest x-ray
If you're sick enough with pneumonia to be admitted to the hospital, doctors usually do blood tests and send samples of your sputum (stuff you cough up) to the lab.
How do doctors treat pneumonia?
Doctors treat pneumonia with:
Antibiotics that work best for the type of germ that’s causing the problem (but not all germs that cause pneumonia can be killed by antibiotics)
Medicines to help with fever or pain
Sometimes extra fluids or oxygen
You may need a chest x-ray about 6 weeks after treatment to make sure the pneumonia is gone, especially if you smoke or are older.
Most people can stay home during treatment. Some people may stay in the hospital, including people who:
Are very young or very old
Have another serious health problem, such as cancer
Have very serious pneumonia symptoms
How can I keep from getting pneumonia?
If you smoke, stop smoking.
Get a yearly flu vaccine (shot), because having the flu can lead to pneumonia.
Ask your doctor whether you also need a pneumonia vaccine, which is recommended for:
All children before age 2
Adults 65 or older
People of any age who have certain health problems or smoke cigarettes
