The radiograph still remains the reference standard for a medical diagnosis of pneumonia, and also helps to differentiate between bacterial and viral pneumonia. However, a combination of clinical symptoms, exam findings, and imaging is the best way to uncover the most likely culprit.
Bacterial Infections
Symptoms persist longer than the expected 10-14 days a virus tends to last. Fever is higher than one might typically expect from a virus. Fever gets worse a few days into the illness rather than improving.
A sputum test, using a sample of sputum (spit) or mucus from your cough, may be used to find out what germ is causing your pneumonia. A blood culture test can identify the germ causing your pneumonia and also show whether a bacterial infection has spread to your blood.
The symptoms of viral and bacterial chest infections are similar but the colour of any mucus coughed up may indicate the cause; white or clear mucus usually indicates a viral infection whereas green or yellow mucus suggests that the infection is bacterial.
After 2 or 3 days, mucus may change to a white, yellow, or green color. This is normal and does not mean you need an antibiotic. Some symptoms, especially runny or stuffy nose and cough, can last for up to 10 to 14 days.
A lot of this depends on the cause and severity of the pneumonia, along with your general health status and age. Viral pneumonia is often treated with rest and over-the-counter medications. Sometimes an antiviral medication is needed. Bacterial pneumonia requires a course of antibiotics.
Mild cases of pneumonia can go away on their own if you manage your symptoms and get adequate rest. Home treatment for pneumonia includes getting plenty of rest, drinking adequate fluids, steamy baths or showers, fever reducers, and avoiding smoking. In severe cases of pneumonia, hospitalization may be needed.
Bacterial pneumonia is treated with antibiotic therapy, while viral pneumonia will usually get better on its own.
Once you get treated, your pneumonia should clear up within a couple of weeks. Your doctor may want to check your lungs to make sure they're clear. Sometimes pneumonia can lead to serious lung complications, so call your doctor right away if your breathing problems get worse, you have chest pain, or you cough up blood.
The typical pneumonia treatment plan consists of rest, antibiotics, and increased fluid intake. You should take it easy even if your symptoms begin to subside. Depending on the cause of pneumonia, your doctor may prescribe an antiviral medication instead of an antibiotic.
Call your doctor. And see your doctor right away if you have difficulty breathing, develop a bluish color in your lips and fingertips, have chest pain, a high fever, or a cough with mucus that is severe or is getting worse.
The drop in oxygen saturation from the last baseline value was greater in pneumonia patients than in control subjects (P < 0.001). The sensitivity of an oxygen saturation drop >3% from baseline for pneumonia was 73% with specificity and positive predictive values of 100%.
Pneumonia is swelling (inflammation) of the tissue in one or both lungs. It's usually caused by an infection, most commonly bacteria and viruses, which are both contagious.
However, if left untreated, pneumonia can lead to serious complications, including an increased risk of re-infection, and possible permanent damage to your lungs. One complication from bacterial pneumonia is the infection can enter your blood stream and infect other systems in your body.
You could have bacterial pneumonia , which requires immediate treatment. If you have severe symptoms, it's important to recognize them and seek treatment as soon as possible. If your cough becomes productive (you are spitting up blood, phlegm or pinkish or rusty colored sputum), call 911 immediately.
Walking pneumonia is often caused by a type of bacterium that produces milder symptoms that come on more gradually than do those of other types of pneumonia. The illness often is brought home by young children who contract it at school.
Common causes of bacterial pneumonia are Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) and, especially in kids, Mycoplasma pneumoniae.
Most viral pneumonias are not serious and last a shorter time than bacterial pneumonia. COVID-19 pneumonia can be severe, causing low levels of oxygen in the blood and lead to respiratory failure and in many cases a condition called acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
Bacterial pneumonia is more serious and often results in a gurgling sound when breathing and mucus or phlegm when coughing.
1 week – high temperature should have gone. 4 weeks – chest pain and mucus production should have substantially reduced. 6 weeks – cough and breathlessness should have substantially reduced. 3 months – most symptoms should have resolved, but you may still feel very tired (fatigue)
Acute respiratory distress (ARDS) and respiratory failure are the most common complications of serious pneumonia.
Deprive your body tissues of oxygen - In cases of excessive coughing, resulting lower carbon dioxide levels limit the amount of oxygen able to get into your bloodstream and around your body.
Chest pain is one of the most common symptoms of pneumonia. Chest pain is caused by the membranes in the lungs filling with fluid. This creates pain that can feel like a heaviness or stabbing sensation and usually worsens with coughing, breathing or laughing.
Walking pneumonia usually indicates a more mild pneumonia caused by a bacteria called mycoplasma pneumoniae. If you have walking pneumonia, your symptoms will be mild and you'll probably function normally. Walking pneumonia symptoms include: Dry cough that's persistent and typically gets worse at night.